Luxury auto maker shows it's putting safety first
June 3, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IN its 125-year history of making cars, Mercedes-Benz has labeled itself as the industrial leader in automotive safety.
As safe driving is becoming more important with the rapidly expanding vehicle population, the German luxury car icon is committed to introducing more safety technology to the market with aims to fulfill its long-term vision of accident-free driving.
Mercedes-Benz recently held its "On the road to accident-free driving" safety workshop in Beijing, the second event of its kind in China.
During the event, the car maker's innovative ideas and achievements in auto-safety technology were presented through the latest-generation ESF research vehicle. A virtual test drive with two simulators - the assistance systems simulator and the PRE-SAFE? demonstrator - was also on display.
"Safety is a central element of the Mercedes-Benz brand," said Ulrich Mellinghoff, Daimler AG, Vice President Safety, NVH, Testing. "The advanced safety performance of our ESF vehicle clearly illustrates Mercedes-Benz's ability to keep creating innovative solutions so as to forge ahead and remain at the forefront of the industry."
Since safety pioneer Béla Barényi, worked at Daimler's Sindelfingen plant in Germany and helped develop groundbreaking ideas in 1939, Mercedes-Benz has been highly motivated to invest in driving safety.
Over the past 70 years, the car maker has invented many auto-safety features including the seatbelt, airbag, ABS and ESP that have become standard in nearly every modern car.
Based on the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid car, the latest-generation Mercedes-Benz ESF vehicle is proof of its comprehensive approach towards both active and passive safety.
The PRE-SAFE? Structure helps to strengthen structure stability while reducing vehicle weight. The Braking Bag, deployed between the front axle and car floor, provides additional friction for the car before an imminent collision and helps to compensate for dive effect by raising the car upward by eight centimeters.
Other advanced innovations also include Interactive Vehicle Communication, PRE-SAFE? Pulse and Spot Lighting Function, not only providing customers with pre-safety measures, but also reducing damage in inevitable traffic accidents.
During the safety workshop, Mercedes-Benz also showcased a broad range of its leading safety technology, which is widely used in its present models, including Attention Assist, Distronic Plus and Active Lane Keeping Assist.
Though many of these systems are still in the development stage, said Dieter Scheunert, product analysis director of Daimler AG, new features will soon be seen on the upcoming flagship S-Class luxury sedans.
Scheunert believed there is greater potential for active safety systems in the future.
"The future is to have the right warning strategy and assistant strategy so that drivers can react, brake and steer their car, and get a clear message how they should react."
As a lot of Mercedes-Benz's auto-safety technology is radar-based, Scheunert admitted it also needs government approval before being fully applied on mass-produced models.
"I am convinced road safety should be a social commitment based on several sectors including vehicle technology, legislation, education, road construction, traffic control and emergency services."
"Only the coordination of different measures and all these fields allow real progress to be made," he said.
Holding the workshop in Beijing also represents Mercedes-Benz's long-term commitment to China.
Mercedes-Benz's product line-up in China has been widely equipped with its advanced safety technologies, including PRE-SAFE?, Attention Assist, Night View Assist Plus and Distronic Plus.
"China has become one of the largest markets for Mercedes-Benz," said Bjorn Hauber, executive vice-president for Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd. "Looking forward, we will offer even more cutting-edge safety technology to better meet our customers' needs," he said.
As safe driving is becoming more important with the rapidly expanding vehicle population, the German luxury car icon is committed to introducing more safety technology to the market with aims to fulfill its long-term vision of accident-free driving.
Mercedes-Benz recently held its "On the road to accident-free driving" safety workshop in Beijing, the second event of its kind in China.
During the event, the car maker's innovative ideas and achievements in auto-safety technology were presented through the latest-generation ESF research vehicle. A virtual test drive with two simulators - the assistance systems simulator and the PRE-SAFE? demonstrator - was also on display.
"Safety is a central element of the Mercedes-Benz brand," said Ulrich Mellinghoff, Daimler AG, Vice President Safety, NVH, Testing. "The advanced safety performance of our ESF vehicle clearly illustrates Mercedes-Benz's ability to keep creating innovative solutions so as to forge ahead and remain at the forefront of the industry."
Since safety pioneer Béla Barényi, worked at Daimler's Sindelfingen plant in Germany and helped develop groundbreaking ideas in 1939, Mercedes-Benz has been highly motivated to invest in driving safety.
Over the past 70 years, the car maker has invented many auto-safety features including the seatbelt, airbag, ABS and ESP that have become standard in nearly every modern car.
Based on the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid car, the latest-generation Mercedes-Benz ESF vehicle is proof of its comprehensive approach towards both active and passive safety.
The PRE-SAFE? Structure helps to strengthen structure stability while reducing vehicle weight. The Braking Bag, deployed between the front axle and car floor, provides additional friction for the car before an imminent collision and helps to compensate for dive effect by raising the car upward by eight centimeters.
Other advanced innovations also include Interactive Vehicle Communication, PRE-SAFE? Pulse and Spot Lighting Function, not only providing customers with pre-safety measures, but also reducing damage in inevitable traffic accidents.
During the safety workshop, Mercedes-Benz also showcased a broad range of its leading safety technology, which is widely used in its present models, including Attention Assist, Distronic Plus and Active Lane Keeping Assist.
Though many of these systems are still in the development stage, said Dieter Scheunert, product analysis director of Daimler AG, new features will soon be seen on the upcoming flagship S-Class luxury sedans.
Scheunert believed there is greater potential for active safety systems in the future.
"The future is to have the right warning strategy and assistant strategy so that drivers can react, brake and steer their car, and get a clear message how they should react."
As a lot of Mercedes-Benz's auto-safety technology is radar-based, Scheunert admitted it also needs government approval before being fully applied on mass-produced models.
"I am convinced road safety should be a social commitment based on several sectors including vehicle technology, legislation, education, road construction, traffic control and emergency services."
"Only the coordination of different measures and all these fields allow real progress to be made," he said.
Holding the workshop in Beijing also represents Mercedes-Benz's long-term commitment to China.
Mercedes-Benz's product line-up in China has been widely equipped with its advanced safety technologies, including PRE-SAFE?, Attention Assist, Night View Assist Plus and Distronic Plus.
"China has become one of the largest markets for Mercedes-Benz," said Bjorn Hauber, executive vice-president for Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd. "Looking forward, we will offer even more cutting-edge safety technology to better meet our customers' needs," he said.
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