Sunrose305

I have the P3 package in my 2017 E300. It's fun to play with and, under just the right circumstances, the Drive Pilot tools are even useful. But I would never trust my life on them and I am more relaxed driving with them off than with them on. They are simply way too unreliable to trust for more than a few seconds at a time on anything but a straight, well marked, divided highway with minimal traffic and good weather.

So I am looking forward to the nest generation of significantly improved autonomous driving tools from Mercedes.

Does anyone have any idea what is in the works, on the horizon, etc?

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mickhoog

This is only level 2 automation
These are driver assistance systems and are by no means to be relied upon. They are not fully autonomous vehicles. It's better to be in control of the car anyway.

Glad you're enjoying your E300 and with the Premium 3 package (US spec)

superangrypenguin

L3 like in the 2019 Audi A8 is probably going to come to the E next.

wagonsrock

Although the 2019 MB system will only be level 2, I believe its supposed to useful "80% of time as apposed to the 10-20% of the current system", as advertised by MB, what ever that means. Its supposed to have adaptive cruise control in which the system in addition to radar uses GPS and maps so that car slows down when approaching a curve (and one hope accelerates out of a curve as well) as apposed to the sometimes terrifying current system where speed is invariant even when a tight corner is approaching. Based on my experience, the current system is marginal on anything less than perfect roads with good lane markings, and either smoothly flowing traffic, or stop and go traffic where speed changes are gradual, when it works well. What's disappointing is how badly it behaves when lane markings are less than perfect, when the car wanders around like a drunken driver, and how it fails to smoothly anticipate cars slowing down ahead, instead coming to a much more abrupt halt than a normal driver would.

The big question for me is: if the 2019 system uses the same sensors as 2017 and 2018 vehicles, will we get a software update which implements the new capability (e.g. Tesla) or are we stuck with what we had at purchase. Anyone know?

jsclarke

Wagonsrock getting new technology is what pumps up new leases and purchases, and I've never seen anybody but Tesla give prev owners great new software. My guess.

And Drive Pilot is what attracted me to the 2017 E300, and I got it on mine. But you're right- the main thing I dislike about it is it's "binary", like a switch. You set a following distance, and it won't do anything as long as another car is beyond that distance. So you're doing 70, the car in front stops, and you'll keep doing 70 until you're within the following distance then an abrupt "all stop". If you increase the following distance (in traffic)- people will be honking behind you as a wide gap opens between you and the car in front.

Still, on stop and go in a traffic jam, I use it and think it's way better than nothing. You just have to watch out for people that cut in front of you- because- it won't see someone coming over until they are in your lane and then- again- ALL STOP. But also on a road trip it's great. In Southern California I haven't been able to use conventional cruise control in decades. Either people are honking behind you or you constantly slowing it down and speeding it up.

The steering assist is more stressful than driving. Who would preferred to be nagged every 30 - 90 seconds to "jolt" the steering wheel, vs just holding the darn thing all the time?

superangrypenguin

Great way to catch up on email or to stare at a hottie