Skip to main content

Mercedes auto-braking gets first class rating

Thatcham, Britain’s leading insurance-related automotive research centre, has given top marks to the self-braking system on Mercedes latest C-Class car saying it will provide major benefits to road safety and motorists’ insurance premiums. During testing for the Euro NCAP rating, the braking system on the latest avoided collisions at speeds of up to 40km/h (25mph) by detecting an object in its path and bringing the vehicle to a halt without any driver input. To date many autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
September 25, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Thatcham, Britain’s leading insurance-related automotive research centre, has given top marks to the self-braking system on 1685 Mercedes latest C-Class car saying it will provide major benefits to road safety and motorists’ insurance premiums. During testing for the 6437 Euro NCAP rating, the braking system on the latest model avoided collisions at speeds of up to 40km/h (25mph) by detecting an object in its path and bringing the vehicle to a halt without any driver input.

To date many autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems have only been able to avoid collisions at around half the speed achieved by the new Mercedes technology. Thatcham says 17 vehicle manufacturers offer AEB and in the UK 7% of new cars now on sale have AEB as standard, while 17% have it as an option.

Thatcham is backing insurance industry calls for a government-funded incentive for buyers to select new vehicles with AEB.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Study: Consumers do not understand vehicle safety features
    August 14, 2015
    A new study by the University of Iowa found that a majority of drivers expressed uncertainty about how many potentially life-saving vehicle safety technologies work. The survey also showed that 40 per cent of drivers report that their vehicles have acted or behaved in unexpected ways. The study, conducted by the University of Iowa Transportation and Vehicle Safety Research Division, examined drivers' knowledge of vehicle safety systems, as well as their understanding and use of defensive driving techniqu
  • Tactile Mobility's virtual virtuous circle
    January 25, 2021
    Virtual sensors will allow a safer driving experience and reduce road maintenance costs. Tactile Mobility’s Eitan Grosbard talks to David Arminas about what once seemed 'pure sci-fi'...
  • ITS technology reduces congestion, improves workzone safety
    July 17, 2012
    As the road-building season gets under way in the US, the Federal Highway Administration has just published a White Paper which deals with the use of ITS technology in work zones. On 30 April 2009, the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) published a White Paper which was prepared by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to inform public agencies about the use of ITS to manage construction work zones. This is a particularly relevant topic given the large number of construction projects that are ex
  • Active traffic management - challenges and benefits
    April 12, 2013
    Minnesota DoT has built one of the most intensive Active Traffic Management (ATM) systems on the road today. Like many ITS deployments, the state has gained benefits but also faces many challenges, as Pete Goldin reports. Smart Lanes is the brand name of Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDoT) ATM system on I-35W in the Twin Cities Metro Area. The original system covered 16 miles of I-35W south of Minneapolis starting in 2009, and was extended by two miles in 2011. Additional ATM equipment was inst