Mercedes-Benz has become the first automotive manufacturer to gain approval in Germany for special marker lights designed to indicate when conditionally automated driving is active.
This approval, granted nationwide for testing purposes by the Stuttgart Regional Council and valid until July 2028, further underlines Germany’s pioneering role in automated driving, following its earlier permission for SAE-Level 3 systems.
Notably, Mercedes-Benz received the world’s first internationally valid type approval for its Drive Pilot system at the end of 2021.
The new marker lights, integrated into the front and rear lighting as well as the side indicators on the exterior mirrors, illuminate continuously in turquoise when the automated system is engaged.
This distinctive colour, chosen after extensive research and testing, is clearly discernible from standard vehicle lights, traffic signals and emergency lighting, minimising the risk of confusion.
It also allows traffic authorities and police to quickly determine whether a driver may safely engage in other activities while the system is active.
Turquoise has already been incorporated in various standards and draft regulations including SAE J3134, UNECE and China Compulsory Certification.
Markus Schäfer, Chief Technology Officer of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, said by using digitalisation and real-time data through their Mission Control Centre, Mercedes-Benz has significantly accelerated its testing programme, which is now a crucial step towards establishing a legal framework for series production.
Similar exemptions for marker lights have been granted in the US states of Nevada and California, where testing is also underway.
The marker lights testing comes as Mercedes-Benz unveiled an updated version of Drive Pilot at the end of 2024, which enables conditionally automated driving at speeds of up to 95kph on German highways, making it the fastest Level 3 system in a production vehicle.
Engineers, compliance managers, data protection officers and ethics experts worked to develop the new lighting concept.
Early trials indicate that the system performs reliably even under demanding conditions.
