California DMV Grants Mercedes-Benz Permit for Autonomous Driving on Specific Highways

Mercedes-Benz becomes the fourth company to receive an autonomous vehicle deployment permit and the first to sell or lease such vehicles to the public.

Today, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issued an autonomous vehicle deployment permit to Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. This permit allows Mercedes-Benz to operate its DRIVE PILOT automated driving system on certain designated California highways, under specified conditions, without the active control of a human driver.

Mercedes-Benz thus became the fourth company to receive an autonomous vehicle deployment permit in California and, notably, the first authorized to sell or lease vehicles equipped with an automated driving system to the general public.

SAE Level 3 Driving Automation

According to the SAE International levels of driving automation, a Level 3 system can actively perform driving tasks without human control under certain conditions. However, the driver must remain behind the wheel and be ready to take over when prompted.

The Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT system, now permitted for use, can operate on highways during daylight at speeds not exceeding 40 miles per hour. The permit restricts operation on city or county streets, construction zones, during heavy rain or fog, on flooded roads, and during weather conditions that impact the performance of the DRIVE PILOT system.

Before Mercedes-Benz activates the DRIVE PILOT system in a vehicle, the vehicle owners must watch a mandatory video explaining the system's capabilities and the method to engage and disengage the technology.

Testing and Deployment Permit Distinction

Since September 2014, Mercedes-Benz has been authorized to test autonomous vehicles on California public roads with a safety driver. The deployment permit, distinct from an autonomous testing permit, authorizes the company to commercialize its autonomous technology outside of a testing program.

The permit grants Mercedes-Benz permission to operate its DRIVE PILOT system on specific California highways in areas including the Bay Area, Central Valley, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego. Additionally, the system is approved for use on Interstate 15, connecting Southern California to Nevada.

Stringent Requirements for Permit Approval

For a company to receive a deployment permit, it must satisfy numerous safety, insurance, and vehicle registration requirements, which include but are not limited to a detailed operational design of the vehicles, insurance coverage or bond equal to $5 million, compliance with the California Vehicle Code, and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, among others.

The official DMV announcement with detailed information can be found here.