Mercedes’ New AI Driving Assistant Could Transform City Driving

While I’m ostensibly here to drive the CLA EV for the first time on U.S. soil, I’m more interested in the in-depth look at MB.Drive Assist Pro — a suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that debuts on the CLA before rolling out to future new Mercedes models. 

While most ADAS suites are designed to make highway driving easier, Drive Assist Pro takes the wheel at lower speeds. I rode along with Mercedes technicians as they demonstrated how the system works, navigating a crowded city center in various situations that even seasoned drivers would find anxiety-inducing.

What is MB.Drive Assist Pro, and how does it work?

Before we hit the street, some background. Mercedes has long offered safety features with jargony names that require a decoder and tolerance for abnormal capitalization to decipher. At its core, MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO — as Mercedes stylizes it — includes a major enhancement to existing and optional CLA equipment. Standard on every CLA is a suite of driving aids, including Distance Assist DISTRONIC (adaptive cruise control), Lane Keeping Function (lane departure warning and mitigation), Blind Spot Assist Plus (blind-spot monitoring) and more. In human speak, these features control acceleration and braking on the highway, make sure you stay in your lane, and alert you if a vehicle is in your blind spot.

The MB.DRIVE ASSIST package further adds Steering Assist (lane centering assistance) and Lane Change Assist (one-touch automated lane changes). Upgrading to MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO adds a single feature, dubbed “Digital Extra: Stop Sign and Traffic Light Function.” As I soon learned, this generic description masks untold amounts of code, labor and corporate partnership.