11 super-smart technologies Mercedes put in its newest car

Mercedes-Benz e-class sedan
Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes 2017 E-Class isn't exactly a self-driving car, but it is loaded with semi-autonomous features that sure make it seem like one. 

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While the luxury car maker hasn't revealed all of the details about the driverless tech that will be included in the new E-Class, it did share quite a bit of information about the safety technology when it showed off the vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in January. 

Here's a look at some of the advanced driver assistant systems in the new Mercedes E-Class that help make it a more enjoyable and more secure ride. 

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Its cruise control-like function lets it drive itself at speeds of up to 130 miles per hour on a highway.

The Drive Pilot system, includes a function called Distant Pilot Distronic, which is basically a fancy cruise control that enables the car to follow the car in front of it at a set distance and speed.

However, for the first time, Mercedes has made it possible for the car to follow traffic on a highway at speeds of up to 130 miles per hour.

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The Steering Pilot feature helps the driver correctly steer the car even when the lines on the road aren't clear.

 

Steering pilot is also part of the Drive Pilot system and allows the car to sense its surroundings so that it can steer accordingly. The feature can help correct steering at speeds of up to 81 miles per hour. 

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The Active Lane Change Assist feature uses the car's radar-and-camera based system to help the driver safely change lanes.

 

The car is capable of sensing its surroundings, so once the driver turns on the turn signal the car will check the lane and assist in steering the vehicle into the desired lane. 

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The Active Brake Assist function allows the car to apply the brakes automatically in the case of an emergency.

The feature has been improved in the new Mercedes to include a cross-traffic function, meaning that it can detect crossing traffic at intersections and apply the brakes autonomously. 

The advanced braking system helps the driver avoid accidents at speeds up to 43 miles per hour and can reduce the severity of a collision while traveling at a faster speed.

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The Evasive Steering Assist keeps the driver from over correcting or causing another accident when trying to avoid a collision.

If the driver instinctively or purposefully suddenly steers the car to avoid a dangerous situation, the Evasive Steering Assist feature will adjust the steering torque to help the driver guide the car back to safety.

This feature helps keep the driver from over correcting or from hitting something or someone else while driving.

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Active Lane Keeping Assist helps the driver stay in the proper lane.

Sensors help detect if the car is about to drift into another lane and apply a corrective one-sided braking force so that the vehicle stays safely in its lane. The function, though, will also kick into action if the driver is switching lanes and there's sudden oncoming traffic. 

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A radar sensor system constantly tracks the driver's blind spot and will autonomously apply the brakes if needed.

Mercedes Blind Spot Assist
YouTube/Mercedes

The Active Blind Spot Assist function monitors the area alongside and behind the vehicle so that if it detects another car in the blind spot area it will display a warning signal in the glass of the side mirror. 

If the driver continues to try and switch lanes, the system will alert the driver with a warning sound. If the driver still doesn't acknowledge the warnings and continues to move into a dangerous situation, the car will apply the brakes on the opposite side of the car so that car steers away from the dangerous area. 

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However, if a side collision is imminent, the car has a built in safety feature that helps move the driver or front passenger away from the danger zone.

Mercedes E-Class seats
Mercedes-Benz

The Pre-Safe Impulse side feature protects the driver and passengers by putting as much space as possible between them and the collision. It does this by inflating the side of the seat that is closest to the imminent collision. 

For example, if another vehicle is about to hit the driver's side of the Mercedes, the side of the driver's seat would inflate with air, helping cushion impact as well as move the driver further away from the collision. 

 

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The car is capable of sensing when a driver is getting tired or not paying attention and will send an alert to keep them awake or aware.

Mercedes Attention Assist
YouTube/Mercedes

The Attention Assist uses sensors to study the driver's driving style and create a profile for the driver within the first few minutes of traveling.

If at any point the driver begins to stray from his or her driving style, the car will look for other signs of other changed behavior and use its sensors check other parameters to verify that the driver is actually becoming drowsy or inattentive. 

You can use the Mercedes smartphone app to command the car to park itself or get it to come to you from a parking spot.

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It has technology that enables it to communicate with other smart vehicles and connected infrastructure.

Mercedes E Class
YouTube/Mercedes-Benz

The car incorporates Car-to-X technology, which lets the car exchange information with infrastructure, like traffic lights, and other connected vehicles. The wireless exchange allows the driver to know what possible dangerous situations lie ahead. 

For example, the driver would obtain information about an accident or breakdown up ahead so that they could change courses. 

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