Mercedes-Benz E200 2016 News

A number of potentially hazardous faults have been identified in vehicles sold in Australia, prompting a wide range of recalls.

The top end of town has snubbed next week's Paris motor show but the biggest auto event on the European calendar will have plenty of new sheet metal.

There is a lot this new car can do by itself -- including changing lanes and steering -- just don't call it autonomous.

All-new E-Class sedan pricing and spec announced ahead of July arrival.

Here’s proof that autonomous car technology still has a long way to go. We nearly crash at 100km/h testing an automatic overtaking system.Less than a week after an autonomous Google car crashed into a municipal bus in California, we got a frightening reminder why cars that can drive themselves are a long way from replacing humans.I nearly put a brand-new $100,000 Mercedes E Class into a concrete barrier at 100km/h while testing the car's new automatic overtaking function in Europe this week, before it goes on sale in Australia later this year.It was a stark reminder about the difference between “autonomous driving” and what the car industry is now trying to back-pedal and rename “driver assistance technology”.The demonstration was supposed to be simple. Pull the cruise control stalk, indicate to change lanes, and then watch as the car magically steers itself gently into the next lane.But as we learned the hard way, it does not work in all conditions. The car’s onboard cameras must be able to see line markings and, ideally, there will not be a sharp curve.One of our first tests of the technology happened to be on a gentle curve on a crest. It should have worked. We were driving in perfect daylight and the road markings were clear.But it didn’t. Although the video shows the wheel moving slightly left and then slightly right, the steering was not moving quickly enough to avoid a crash into the barrier.Fortunately, I grabbed the steering wheel just in time, and disaster was avoided. Mercedes got its car back in one piece.For the record, we tested the technology several times before and afterwards and it worked perfectly.Afterwards, we showed the chief engineer of this technology the video of our near miss and he said it was not clear if the assistance function was active (our video camera view did not show the symbol which indicates whether it was on or off).I believe it was on, because the steering moved left and then slightly right before I grabbed the wheel. The engineer was not convinced.Either way, it’s a warning to us all that “driver assistance” technology is not a party trick. And that truly autonomous driving still has a very long way to go.In the US this week, Ford week filed a patent for an in-car movie screen to be used in an autonomous car of the future.How about we wait for the industry to get the autonomous car right first? Right now, I’m not convinced.The next time you read something about an autonomous car, just remember we are witnessing the gradual automation of the automobile.Driving from Brisbane to Sydney to Melbourne and beyond while being able to read a newspaper or watch a movie is still decades away. If, indeed, it will ever happen.Can you imagine trusting a car to steer itself for you? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Top-end tech trickles through the ranks at ever-increasing speed.

Autonomous cars soon won't be a dream, but not everyone is convinced they will lead to safer roads and a lower road toll.

Luxury car buyers will again be spoiled for choice this year, with a new arrival to suit every budget.

With a super-stretched iPad serving as instrument cluster as well as centre display screen, Mercedes-Benz is about to take a giant step forward in digital dashboards.

Mercedes-Benz locking system engineer Santiago Pena Brossa touches his HTC smartphone gently against the door handle of the E-Class.The camouflage-covered sedan's indicators blink and its rear-view mirrors swing out. It's open, but not ready to drive.This car is still nine months or so from going into production. Which explains why this prototype's exterior is covered in an eye-baffling black-and-white pattern and its interior is hidden under rough-cut bits of what looks like black carpet.While the visuals will remain under wraps for some time yet, Mercedes-Benz is ready to talk about some of the new E-Class's innermost technical secrets.Mercedes-Benz will be the first to introduce the smartphone car key to marketIt's a glimpse into the not-so-distant future of driving, because where Mercedes-Benz goes, others inevitably will follow.The day the new E-Class goes on sale will be the beginning of the end for the conventional car key, it seems. In time it will go the way of the videotape, floppy disk and CD.Pena Barossa promises Mercedes-Benz will be the first to introduce the smartphone car key to market.The feature will be offered first as an option on the new E-Class, then spread to other models from the German carmaker.There are some obvious downsidesThe system relies on Near Field Communications, a radio technology built into newer smartphones and already in use in some countries by Visa and MasterCard for contactless payments. The ability to securely store encrypted data, either in the phone itself or its SIM card, is also required.According to Pena Brossa, the Mercedes Me website will offer a facility for customers to check whether their smartphone can be used as a key. At first it will be possible to install only four "keys" on a phone, but the next step will permit any number. Perfect for car rental companies, says Pena Brossa.There are some obvious downsides. A dead phone will mean not being able to get into your car. "You have a big problem," admits Pena Brossa, who points out that modern car keys are also useless when damaged.Then there's the affection many feel for the good, old-fashioned car key. "The traditional customers, they love it," says the engineer.