Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot: US Launch Details & $2,500 Price Tag!

Introducing its Level 3 drive assistance system, Drive Pilot, to the US, Mercedes-Benz is targeting its S-Class and EQS models. By the end of 2023, this technology will be ahead of competitors like Tesla in the American market. Having been launched in Germany, the next states to experience Drive Pilot will be California and Nevada in late 2023, with a broader rollout in early 2024.

At an initial cost of $2,500 for the first year, Drive Pilot's pricing details for subsequent years will be released later. The system boasts a higher Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) certification than Tesla's Autopilot, offering "conditional autonomy". This means the car controls itself under specific conditions, but the driver must resume control when alerted.

While the technology will operate in major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, its availability is restricted by state regulations, currently limiting it to just two states. The service is subscription-based, with the option to discontinue if moving to a state where Level 3 driving is not permitted.

Mercedes-Benz highlights that Drive Pilot's positioning system surpasses GPS capabilities and uses various sensors and a digital HD map for accurate road imagery. Despite the advanced features, the system caps at a speed of 40 mph due to regulatory limits but has the potential to reach 70 mph as laws evolve.

Also, in Q2 2023, Musk announced Tesla's one-time FSD Beta transfer option for customers upgrading EVs by September end.

Source: Mercedes