Speed Assist function
The reason given is that it cannot read Oz speed signs correctly however our speed signs don't look much different to the rest of the worlds as far as I have seen on my travels.
One more logical possibility is that we have a suburban speed limit which is applied to all non-signposted suburban roads of 50 Km/hr and this is never sign posted - only the main suburban feeder roads which are posted at 60 or 70 Km/hr and up to the open road speed limit of 110 Km/hr.
I assume M -B don't want to be liable for a system that "does not" show you a sign.
This system applies to some extent in the UK where different types of road (eg motorway vs A roads) carry non-marked speed restrictions of their own.
Is the speed assist system shut down in the UK?
Is it used in the US?
Bill
In Europe the same camera that controls Lane Assist ( I assume you get that one) - which vibrates the steering wheel if you stray over the white line - will also recognise speed signs and put the speed limit up on the screen in the speed and is called "Speed Limit Assist".
According to the handbook there is supposed to be an option in the "Assist" menu but in my car it does not appear so I guess it is turned off by the factory/dealer.
It may be possible to get it turned on with a Star DAS setting.
Bill
FYI, although you did not ask, nevertheless the system is also not available in Canada. I don't know how it is in Australia, however here speed signs are posted abundantly - never possible not to know the speed limit. Therefore it would be completely reduntant.
I think it is more of an issue of calibrating the system to work in different countires (recognition of different signs, height, etc) and not an issue of liability. How would Mercedes be liable if they did not post a speed limit in your car but promised to? For goodness sake, Volvo makes a system that stops your car flat out from collisions and low speeds and avoids hitting pedestrians (also full auto-brake)- so if they are not worried about liablity, then Mercedes would hardly worry about a speed sign dash info system.
And during the Australian demonstration it ran over the dummy pedestrian. Very embarrassing for Volvo.



