Mercedes-Benz becomes the first automaker to sell Level 3 self-driving cars in the United States

There is no obligation to monitor the road while it is on

And in short: Mercedes-Benz has become the first automaker to sell vehicles with Level 3 autonomous driving technology directly to US consumers. and Tesla’s beta version of Full Self-Driving.

Level 3-compliant Mercedes vehicles went on sale in December, though they can only be legally sold in California and Nevada, Fortune writes. DMVs in both states gave approval for the vehicles to be sold last year, making it the only company authorized by the state to sell the technology to the American public.

Drive Pilot, which requires a $2,500 annual subscription, can only activate in certain conditions and locations, including during the day when the weather is clear, in heavy traffic, on certain highways in California and Nevada, and when the car is driving a little. at more than 40 mph. It does not work on roads not approved by Mercedes and cannot be used in construction areas.

Users can take their eyes off the road and let go of the steering wheel when Drive Pilot is in use, but they’re not allowed to fall asleep or move their seats, which we’ve seen people do in Teslas. The cars have a surveillance camera on the driver’s screen to make sure the person behind the wheel is ready to respond to a pickup request.

See also: Six levels of autonomous driving systems

Activating the feature opens up activities on the central display so the driver can play games, watch videos or enjoy the in-car entertainment features.

Road users in California and Nevada will be able to see Mercedes using its driving capabilities with turquoise lights on the car’s mirrors, headlights and taillights. Lights of the same color appear in the cabin to inform drivers that the system has been activated.

Waymo and GM’s Cruise are using a robotic arm using Level 4 autonomous driving technology, though they are not available to the public. They are also far from perfect; Cruise suspended its service following an incident in which a pedestrian was hit and dragged 20 feet under the car’s wheels. Mercedes says it’s working on Level 4 cars, though they won’t be available for purchase until 2030.