Starting with the New S-Class and E-Class

In recent years, accidents on expressways caused by drivers driving the wrong way have continued unabated. Most of these are due to incorrect entry from interchanges, service areas, and parking areas, and because the collisions occur at high speeds, they result in fatalities and injuries. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, in the five years from 2007 to 2011, there were 106 accidents (20 of which were fatal) and 191 people injured or killed (22 of whom died).

Similar accidents are frequent in Germany, and Mercedes-Benz has developed a new traffic sign assistance system to prevent accidents caused by such incorrect entries. When a driver attempts to enter incorrectly, a camera installed in the rearview mirror area at the top of the windshield quickly detects the "no entry" sign. The system then alerts the driver with an audible warning and visual information. This new system is an advanced version of the "Speed Limit Assist" automatic speed recognition system, which is already implemented in the E-Class.



What is the speed limit on the road you are currently driving on? Which road should you take next? Drivers have several items to process simultaneously while driving. This is especially true when driving on unfamiliar roads, where judgment is naturally impaired. This new system will likely be a support system that guides drivers more safely.

The new S-Class, scheduled for release in Germany in 2013, and the new E-Class, which recently underwent a minor change, are planned to be equipped sequentially. Introduction in Japan is undecided.