Mercedes tackles menace of wrong-way drivers - Fleet Directory

Mercedes has developed a new safety system which will help tackle the problem of drivers travelling on the wrong side of the road. The carmaker created the new traffic sign assistance system in response to a spate of fatal incidents in recent months, caused by so-called wrong-way drivers. The system works by recognising no-entry signs and issues acoustic and visual warnings to the driver, if he or she should turn onto the incorrect carriageway. Initially, the system will only be available in Germany on the new Mercedesâ€'Benz Sâ€'Class, due to be launched this year and the facelifted Eâ€'Class. The carmaker then intends to roll it out onto other models, before adapting it for use in other countries, including possibly, the UK. In Germany alone, wrong-way drivers have caused accidents on the A1, A2, A5 and A46 just over the last three months. During this time, more than 25 people died through no fault of their own because they collided with a vehicle travelling the wrong way on motorways or dual carriageways.  Phantom drivers However the problem of wrong-way driving is much greater than media reports suggest. As a rule wrong-way drivers, are only mentioned by the media when their actions result in casualties. The number of wrong-way drivers, known in German as "phantom drivers" (Geisterfahrer), is actually much higher. The German Federal Department of Transport estimates that about 1,700 radio warnings about phantom vehicles on German roads are issued annually. The ADAC speaks of up to 2,800 wrong-way drivers annually â€" that is more than seven a day. In most cases wrong-way driving ends without tragedy, but the threat of wrong-way drivers still accompanies drivers every day. In order to prevent anyone becoming a wrong-way driver â€" whether by mistake, due to inattentiveness, stress resulting from heavy traffic or complicated road designs â€" Mercedesâ€'Benz’s new traffic sign assistance system can work to warn drivers should they violate traffic regulations and ignore no-entry signs, hopefully preventing these sorts of accidents. Professor Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development: "On our journey towards the vision of accident-free driving, Mercedes-Benz orientates itself on real-life accident situations in order to provide the best possible protection to all road users. The very idea that we will be using the Mercedesâ€'Benz Intelligent Drive system to reduce the risk of vehicles unintentionally travelling against the flow of traffic once again brings us one big step closer to this goal." The technical core of the system is a camera on the inside of the windscreen. It can visually identify no-entry. If it detects that the vehicle is about to pass the relevant prohibitory signs and is entering a motorway slip road, the system warns the driver. Three loud beeps are issued and a red no-entry symbol lights up in the display in order to make the driver aware of the danger.  In order to further improve the reliability of the system, the electronics compare the data from the camera with data from the navigation system. However, even drivers with this system will need to remain attentive. If poor visibility limits the system's optics too much â€" during heavy snow flurries, for example â€" the system reports to the driver that it is "temporarily unavailable". See also: Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet road test Mercedes-Benz C-Class 250 CDI BlueEfficiency Estate Sport road test Mercedes reveals new E-Class coupe and cabriolet Mercedes E-Class Hybrid lives up to fuel economy claims Mercedes E-Class Hybrid slashes emissions Mercedes-Benz ATTENTION ASSIST system wins top award Full list of MT Awards nominees announced Mercedes offers fleet driver training to cope with the onset of winter Mercedes-Benz B-Class B170 BlueEfficiency Sport road test E-Class Offers Mercedes Fleet Opportunity Faye Sunderland January 28, 2013 Filed under: Mercedes-Benz No comments yet via Technology - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFzqmaT5OTxXjG0etlGy_jRrp06FQ&url=http://www.fleetdirectory.co.uk/fleet-news/index.php/2013/01/28/mercedes-tackles-menace-of-wrong-way-drivers/

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