In brief: Mercedes-Benz has become the first automaker to sell vehicles with Level 3 autonomous driving technology directly to US consumers. The EQS and S-Class sedans come with a Drive Pilot feature that doesn't require users to keep their eyes on the road, unlike Tesla's Full Self-Driving beta.
Mercedes' Level 3-enabled cars went on sale in December, though they are only able to be legally sold in California and Nevada, writes Fortune. The two states' DMV gave approval for the cars to go on sale last year, making it the sole automaker approved by the government to sell the technology to the US public.
Drive Pilot, which requires a $2,500 per year subscription, can be only activated in certain situations and areas, including during the daytime when the weather is clear, in heavy traffic jams, on specific California and Nevada freeways, and when the car is traveling less than 40 mph. It doesn't work on roads that haven't been preapproved by Mercedes and cannot be used in construction zones.
Users can take their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel while Drive Pilot is engaged, but they aren't allowed to take naps or move seats, something we've seen people do in Teslas. The vehicles are equipped with a monitoring camera in the driver's display to ensure the person behind the wheel is ready to respond to a takeover request.
Also see: The Six Levels of Self-Driving Systems
Activating the feature unlocks activities on the central display so the driver can play games, watch videos, or take advantage of in-car entertainment features.
Road users in California and Nevada will be able to spot a Mercedes using its autonomous driving capabilities by the turquoise-colored lights on the vehicles' rearview mirrors, headlights, and taillights. The same color lights appear in the cabin to let drivers know the system is activated.
Waymo and GM's Cruise operate robotaxis with Level 4 autonomous driving tech, though they aren't available for the public to buy. They're also far from infallible; Cruise suspended its service following an incident in which a pedestrian was hit and dragged 20 feet under the wheels of a vehicle. Mercedes says it is working on Level 4 cars, though they won't be available to buy until 2030.