New E-Class to Debut in 2016 With New Safety & Semi-Autonomous Driving Features

2014 E250 BlueTEC (Credit: © Mercedes-Benz)

Mercedes is one of the manufacturers on the cutting edge of safety and semi-autonomous driving. With the release of the new E-Class, which is set to debut in the spring of 2016, Mercedes will launch even more safety and semi-autonomous driving features as a part of its Driver Assistance Package.

The new features included in the E-Class’ Driver Assistance Package will include Intelligent Drive Next Level, Active Brake Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, Remote Parking Pilot, Car-to-X Communication, Digital Car Key, Pre-Safe Impulse Side, Pre-Safe Sound, and Multibeam LED Headlamps. While some folks may see these as unnecessary nannies that take the fun out of driving, I think they are excellent additions to a sedan like the E-Class.

Likely the coolest of the new additions it the Intelligent Drive Next Level, which almost eliminates the need for driver input. This system allows the car to essentially drive itself up to speeds of 200 km/h (124 mph) by reading the lines on the road and the traffic ahead. This system can also bring the E-Class to a complete stop and it even operates in areas where there are no lines on the road. You can also add in the optional Speed Limit Pilot feature, which will automatically adjust your speed according to posted signs.

Smartphone integration will also get more in-depth in the new E-Class, as both the Remote Parking Pilot and Digital Car Key features will use your smartphone. The Remote Parking Pilot, which will not initially be available in the U.S. (likely due to NHTSA regulations), will allow the driver to pull his E-Class into or out of a parking space using his smartphone. The Digital Car Key uses the near field communication feature of nearly every smartphone to turn it into your car key.

Keeping you safer in the new E-Class by preventing accidents will be Active Brake Assist and Evasive Steering Assist. The former system will alert the driver of an eminent crash and apply the brakes as needed, while the latter applies precise torque to the steering wheel during evasive maneuvers to help the driver keep the car in control.

Pre-Safe Impulse Side and Pre-Safe Sound both help protect the passengers during a crash. Pre-Safe Impulse Side inflates an air chamber in the outermost seat backrest bolster to push the occupant away from a side collision, while the Pre-Safe Sound uses sound waves to help negate the sometimes ear-damaging noises during a crash.

Finally, the Multibeam LED Headlamps use 84 LEDs to illuminate the road surface fully without blinding oncoming traffic.

Overall, these systems sound great on paper, but lately we’ve all seen and heard about these safety systems going haywire and some drivers relying too much on them. Both scenarios can have catastrophic results, so I can only hope that Mercedes works out all of the kinks before putting the new E-Class on the road.