Mercedes-Benz has become the first international car maker to receive approval to test Level 4 automated driving on designated urban roads and highways in Beijing.
This marks a significant milestone in the company’s mission to develop autonomous driving technology for privately-owned vehicles.
The approval allows Mercedes-Benz to conduct tests on advanced autonomous driving systems as part of its ongoing technology research projects in China.
These tests will focus on the development and refinement of software and hardware needed for Level 4 autonomy.
This latest development follows Mercedes-Benz’s earlier achievement of securing Level 3 testing approval in Beijing at the end of 2023.
Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes‑Benz Group AG, Chief Technology Officer, Development & Procurement said:The current development and introduction of automated driving systems is redefining the role of the automobile. We offer more than 40 driver assistance systems, including enhanced Level 2 features, and are the first car maker with a Level 3 system in the market. With the new approval for testing Level 4 technology in the Beijing area, for later use in privately owned vehicles worldwide, Mercedes‑Benz leaps forward on the way to autonomous driving. Once again, we are setting the new industry benchmark – at China speed.
The Level 4 testing in Beijing will involve two specially upgraded Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles equipped with advanced sensors, including LiDAR, radar, and cameras.
These vehicles will operate in complex urban environments and on highways, performing tasks such as unprotected left turns, navigating roundabouts, automatic lane changes, and parking.
They will also be able to handle toll stations and execute minimal risk manoeuvres in extreme situations, such as finding a safe location to stop if necessary.
The project will specifically study multi-sensor perception and system performance under various conditions, aiming to verify the vehicles’ capabilities in real-world scenarios.
Redundant systems have been integrated into the testing vehicles to enhance safety, ensuring the technology is robust enough to handle the challenges of urban traffic and highway driving.
Oliver Löcher, Senior Executive Vice President of Mercedes‑Benz Group China Ltd. said:Obtaining approval for Level 4 automated driving road testing in Beijing will help Mercedes‑Benz to further accelerate automated driving technology. In recent years, Mercedes‑Benz has continuously increased its local R&D investment. Through a series of advanced research projects, the local R&D team is committed to bringing intelligent luxury products and services to the needs of Chinese customers.
