Mercedes-Benz’s Latest Safety Tech Warns Drivers Before Heading Into Oncoming Traffic

"You're going the wrong way! You're going the wrong way!" Although it may have been comedy gold when John Candy shouted the words in 1987's Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, in the real world wrong-way drivers are rather less humorous. The German Federal Department of Transport estimates that about 1700 radio warnings about wrong-way drivers, known in Germany as "phantom drivers," are issued for German roads annually; ADAC, the largest automobile club in Europe, makes reference to more than 2800 wrong-way drivers annually, working out to more than seven a day. And while in most cases wrong-way driving ends without tragedy, the threat remains a real one. To help keep motorists headed in the right direction, Mercedes-Benz has developed a new traffic-sign-based assistance system. Employing a camera mounted on the inside of the windscreen, the system alerts the driver with three loud beeps and a flashing red light on the display when the system determines the vehicle is about to turn onto a street heading against traffic. The camera, which is capable of recognizing "Do Not Enter" and other relevant prohibitory signage, sends information to the computer, which has the ability to compare the data with the vehicle's navigation system for improved accuracy. In addition to the wrong way signs, the system also will identify and notify the driver of speed limit and "No Passing Zone" signs, reporting the data to the driver in a similar manner. If snow, fog, or rain prove to be heavy enough to limit the system's visibility, a "temporally unavailable" message will be displayed to the driver. First Ride: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Comparison Test: Night Light—Night-Vision Systems Compared from BMW, Mercedes, and Audi Instrumented Test: 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550 4MATIC Sedan Just the latest of Mercedes recent flurry of safety-based technology advancements, the system is slated to appear in the next-generation  S-class and the face-lifted E-class first, and then gradually make its way into other models. Initially, Benz's system will be designed primarily for use in Germany, but the Stuttgart-based brand is working hastily on adapting the system for use in other countries. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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