Safety
Decades of preparation. Milliseconds of proof.
For well over half a century, Mercedes-Benz engineers have been devoted to preparing for a moment they hope never occurs. From the invention of the crumple zone to countless innovations in occupant protection and accident avoidance, the safety firsts of Mercedes-Benz often set a standard that all automobiles eventually follow.
Today, a Mercedes-Benz offers exclusive new breakthroughs to help make an accident less severe, less damaging, or even less likely. True to their heritage, they're engineered to protect you in ways you might never have imagined. And with the hope that you'll never have to.
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The front head restraints adjust for optimum support.1
If a rollover is possible, PRE-SAFE raises the windows and closes the sunroof.2
Reversible tensioners act to snug the front seat belts.3
...all for better protection from the restraint systems.4
PRE-SAFE®
A vision of the immediate future: Preparing for an accident before it happens.
The exclusive PRE-SAFE system can sense that a collision might be imminent, and help prepare for it in the precious moments leading up to it. Using a network of sensors (many of them already serving other safety systems in the vehicle) PRE-SAFE can detect certain conditions that suggest an accident is about to occur, such as extreme skidding. It then tightens the front seat belts, adjusts the front head restraints and passenger seat, and can even close the windows and sunroof, all to better prepare the occupants for more effective results from the restraint systems. ()
DISTRONIC PLUS with PRE-SAFE Brake
An eye on the road ahead: Automated response to stopped traffic.
Even a moment of driver distraction can have life-changing results. With DISTRONIC PLUS, advanced radar sensors vigilantly scan traffic ahead for stopped or slowing traffic. If the system senses that a collision is imminent, its PRE-SAFE Brake feature automatically initiates up to 40% braking power, audibly alerts the driver, and engages the PRE-SAFE system. When the driver brakes, 100% braking pressure is instantly applied. And should the driver fail to respond, the system can apply full braking on its own, serving as an "electronic crumple zone" to help reduce the intensity of a collision. ()
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ATTENTION ASSIST
Keeping an eye on you: Early warning for driver drowsiness.
Even in the most exciting vehicle, a long journey can bring about driver fatigue. An industry first, ATTENTION ASSIST takes note of over 70 parameters in the first minutes of a drive to get to know your unique driving style. As your journey continues, it can detect certain steering corrections that suggest the onset of drowsiness. It then considers a wide array of other factors, from crosswinds and road smoothness to how often you're interacting with the vehicle's controls and switches. If it all adds up to driver fatigue, ATTENTION ASSIST sounds an alert encouraging you to stop for a rest. ()
Active Blind Spot Assist and Active Lane Keeping Assist
Always by your side: Added safety for multi-lane highways.
Danger can come from any direction. Blind Spot Assist goes a step beyond your side mirrors. When radar sensors in the rear bumper detect that a vehicle is alongside yours, a red icon lights up in the side mirror to let you know. If you signal for a lane change, an alert sounds. With Lane Keeping Assist, a special camera watches the markings on the pavement as you drive. If it senses that you're drifting out of your lane, it vibrates the steering wheel. And with either system, advanced active technology can apply the brakes on one side of the vehicle, to help guide you back into your own lane. ()
Adaptive Highbeam Assist
Adaptive Highbeam Assist uses a dedicated camera to scan the road ahead for the lights of other vehicles. Based on their calculated position, it varies the headlamps infinitely, not just to high or low beams, to maximize illumination without causing glare for other drivers.
Night View Assist PLUS
Using invisible infrared beams and a special camera, Night View Assist PLUS displays a supplemental, real-time view of the dark road ahead. It can point out and even shine the headlamps toward pedestrians it detects. And unlike thermal systems, it can sense cold objects, too. ()
Active Full-LED headlamps
Exclusive to the 2012 CLS-Class, 72 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) per headlamp generate light that's the closest yet to how humans perceive in natural daylight. They can also instantly reconfigure their beam patterns in response to your steering, speed and other traffic.
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Accident Investigation
Collecting the information that fuels innovation.
At Mercedes-Benz, we know from experience that just a few pieces of data could someday mean the difference between a collision and just another close call. And that's exactly why we created the Mercedes-Benz Accident Investigation team, a special unit in Stuttgart dedicated to gathering and evaluating information that has the potential to save lives across the world.
From calculating impact speed to collision angles, the exhaustive data collected at the scene by the Accident Investigation team not only continues to inform our ongoing improvement of existing safety features, but also has led to the development of groundbreaking Mercedes-Benz technology such as ATTENTION ASSIST and DISTRONIC PLUS with PRE-SAFE® Brake. The fact is, the more we know about what happened, the better chance we have of inventing a way to help keep it from happening again. It's just one of the ways we're working in Germany to engineer a safer future for all drivers worldwide.
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