Mercedes-Benz E400 News

Local pricing for the second-generation E-Class Coupe has been released by Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific before it goes on sale in June

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

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.

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.

The current Mercedes-Benz E-Class and CLS-Class models are being recalled due to the possibility of an engine bay seal becoming damaged and coming into contact with hot engine bay components. The affected seal is located in the secondary bulkhead in the engine compartment, and could result in fire if it becomes loose.The recall affects just seven vehicles, which were sold in Australia between the start of April and May 2015.Mercedes-Benz will contact the owners of affected vehicles by mail, and the fault will be rectified free of charge.Related: What are car safety recalls all about? 

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.

Although production of the big Benz does not begin until next year, its maker is already talking up its advanced abilities."From a technological standpoint, we're upgrading Business Class to First Class," says Michael Hafner, the company's director of driver assistance systems and active safety.Equipped with multiple cameras, radars and ultrasonic sensors, plus a powerful computer, the E-Class will be able to automatically follow the vehicle ahead at any speed from standstill to 200km/h.Unlike the last generation of Mercedes' Intelligent Drive technology, introduced in the S-Class limo only two years ago, the E-Class will be able to drive itself on roads without clear lane markings at up to 130km/h. But it will still only be a semi-autonomous car.Authorities around the world, including Germany's own VDA, still have rules requiring the driver to keep their hands on the wheel at all times. So law-abiding Mercedes-Benz uses a steering-wheel sensor to shut down its most advanced technology if the driver's hands leave the steering wheel for more than a few seconds.Motorway driving is an ideal scenario for the autonomous carBut Mercedes-Benz will be ready to move the moment such laws are amended to accommodate autonomous cars.This will make it possible, for example, for drivers to hand over control to the car for tedious motorway driving.Mercedes driver assistance systems engineer Alexander Schaab confirms that motorway driving is an ideal scenario for the autonomous car. With no oncoming traffic, it's a relatively simple environment for sensors and software to cope with, he points out.Thinking ahead, Mercedes is already working to develop protocols for the car to hand control back to the driver, he says. With today's hands-on laws, this is simple he says. But when the car has been in control for an extended period, the driver can obviously become deeply involved in other tasks. Making sure they're ready to resume driving, say at the end of the motorway, is something requiring absolutely foolproof technology.Schaab says Mercedes will be ready when laws change to permit autonomous driving."We will be coming very quickly with a solution," he promises.It will be able to park itself even with no-one in the car from the time of launchWhile the next E-Class must wait for lawmakers to catch up when it comes to motorway driving, it will be able to park itself even with no-one in the car from the time of launch.Using a smartphone app it will be possible for an E-Class owner to park their car while standing outside it.Once the manoeuvre is selected on the phone, the driver must continuously confirm they want the car to keep moving by making a gesture on its touchscreen that's like twirling the thumbwheel of an iPod.As well as being able to handle nose-in, reverse-in and parallel parking, Mercedes' new Remote Parking Pilot also features a mode called Explore, which allows the driver to remotely move the car forward or backwards up to 10 metres, into or out of a very narrow garage, for example.

A woman fleeing police had a miraculous escape on Sunday after her car was hit by two trains. Police officers tried to stop the 29-year-old woman around 8am after receiving reports of an 'unwanted guest disturbance' at a home in Woods Cross, Utah, in the US.Her Mercedes E-Class was hit by an oncoming train as she tried to flee police and while officers attempted to pull her from the wreck, the vehicle was hit a second time by another train that came barreling down the tracks.Following the first collision, which was caught on the patrol car's dash-cam, officers can be seen rushing to the car to help the woman. Despite her car being hit by two trains, she walked away from the accident with only a broken arm. No one else was injured in the incident.Police had ended up in a short chase with the woman when she refused to pull over for officers. On the dash-cam, the driver can be see heading for the tracks as a train comes down the line. After the first train smashed into the car, the vehicle was hit by a second train .The car was totaled by the crash.It is unclear whether the woman was intoxicated. She faces charges of evading arrest and police are investigating if further charges will be brought. Watch both trains collide with the Mercedes here.  

The German manufacturer will start rolling out the four Coupes and three Cabriolet E-Class variants, starting at $79,990, which they say will ‘represent excellent value in the luxury car segment.’“The new E-Class indicates our commitment to safety, technology and equipment without compromise.” Mercedes-Benz spokesman Richard Emery says.Standard features on all E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet variants include Active Park Assist, 19” wheels, parking sensors, keyless entry and push to start, an LED intelligent light system, and an automatic climate control system. The Cabriolet also comes with an ‘Airscarf’ neck-level heating system.The top level E 400 Coupe and Cabriolet both come with a Harmon Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system and 360 degree camera.Mercedes have held true with their commitment to safety, with a host of safety features. Autonomous cruise control with Steering Assist, Active Blind spot assist, collision avoidance system with active pedestrian protection, rear sensors that detect an imminent rear-end collision and Emergency brake assist with Junction assist come standard in all variants.From $79,990 the entry level E 200 Coupe and Cabriolet carries a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine, with outputs of 135kW of power and 300Nm of torque. The two consume 6.0 and 6.5L/100km respectively.The E 250 variant has outputs of 155kW and 350Nm of torque – 40Nm more than the previous model. The E 250 CDI Coupe is powered by a two-stage turbocharged diesel engine producing 500Nm of torque, while consuming only 4.7L/100km.The top of the line E 400 Coupe and Cabriolet is powered by a 6-cylinder bi-turbo engine, producing 240kW and 480Nm of torque. The coupe can go from zero to 100km/h in just 5.2 seconds, with the Cabriolet a second slower.