ch demo that sounds better in presentations than on actual roads.
Most weeks, automakers roll out driver assistance updates with incremental improvements that barely register. It’s rare to find a truly game-changing system these days, but a lot of them have homogenized into the same basic lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control packages. They’re fine, they’ll help on highway slogs, and the tech world keeps on turning.
Then there’s Mercedes-Benz MB.Drive Assist Pro, which refuses to be just another ADAS package.
Mercedes will soon offer this second-generation driver assistance system as a $3,950 optional package, starting with the all-electric CLA with EQ Technology later this year. The verdict from a pre-CES test drive through San Francisco suggests this is genuinely capable technology—with one significant caveat that keeps it from being the autonomous breakthrough some might hope for.
Under the skin, MB.Drive Assist Pro (DAP for short) has a lot in common with cutting-edge autonomous vehicle programs. The system draws data from 30 sensors: five radar sensors, 10 cameras, and 12 ultrasonic sensors. All of them feed raw information to an onboard supercomputer capable of up to 508 TOP (trillions of operations per second).
And yet it’s not Level 3 autonomy. Not even close.
While Mercedes Drive Pilot—the Level 3 system that debuted over two years ago on certain Mercedes sedans—allows you to legally take your hands off the wheel, your eyes off the road, and even watch movies or play video games on the touchscreen, DAP is classified as SAE Level 2++. That means you must keep at least one hand on the steering wheel at all times.
From hardware to execution, there’s much to commend the new system. DAP offers “near-autonomous, point-to-point assistance in complex city traffic by managing steering, braking, and acceleration while the driver supervises.” During a test drive through San Francisco’s Marina District—where anything could happen, from bicycle messengers threading through traffic to pedestrians wandering into the street—a German engineer in the driver’s seat essentially just massaged the steering wheel while the system did everything else.
The level of capability on offer is also a major plus point. Unlike systems that shut down the moment you touch the wheel, DAP features “cooperative steering,” which allows the driver to briefly steer around objects without completely disabling the system. It’s a smart compromise between full automation and maintaining driver engagement.
So the sensor suite is comprehensive, the processing power is massive, the real-world testing looks promising, and the feature set goes well beyond basic highway assistance. You’re piloting through complex city traffic while the car handles steering, braking, and acceleration.
And then you realize the limitations.
Suddenly you understand that 508 trillion operations per second can’t replicate human judgment. During the San Francisco test drive, there were several times when the system made choices that differed from what an experienced driver might do. DAP may process data from 30 different sensors at incomprehensible speeds, but it can’t make judgment calls about which driver in a traffic circle looks distracted, who’s talking on a cell phone, or who’s been driving like an idiot for the past few blocks.
Times used to be that driver assistance meant adaptive cruise control and maybe lane-keeping on the highway. In several cases, though, that’s no longer the reality. Systems like DAP now promise to handle complex city driving scenarios, managing everything from traffic circles to red lights to unpredictable urban chaos.
At $3,950 for the optional package, Mercedes positions MB.Drive Assist Pro as a premium feature for buyers who want cutting-edge technology. It debuts later this year on the all-electric CLA, with broader availability presumably following as Mercedes updates its model range.
Which brings us to the elephant in the room. Mercedes now offers two distinct approaches to advanced driver assistance: the Level 3 Drive Pilot that doesn’t require hands on the wheel or eyes on the road, and this new Level 2++ system that demands constant steering wheel contact but works in more driving scenarios.
Is the new MB.Drive Assist Pro worth $3,950?
After considering what’s on offer, you can almost make a case to take the plunge. Almost.
Other factors may influence your decision as well. Drive Pilot only works in specific conditions on certain highways, while DAP promises point-to-point city driving capability. However, Drive Pilot offers true hands-off operation, while DAP still requires that steering wheel contact. These aren’t dealbreakers, but they’re the kind of trade-offs that make choosing between the systems—or deciding whether either is worth the investment—more complicated than it first appears.
That said, there are reasons why you don’t want to write off DAP right now.
Despite the limitations inherent in any Level 2 system, the capability demonstrated in San Francisco suggests Mercedes has made genuine progress in handling complex urban driving scenarios. The 30-sensor array and 508 TOP processing power aren’t just impressive spec sheet numbers—they translate into a system that can navigate situations that would overwhelm lesser driver assistance packages.
And please, for the love of all that’s still good in automotive technology, understand what you’re actually buying. This is not self-driving. This is not “I can nap on my commute” technology. This is an extremely sophisticated driver assistance system that still requires you to supervise, maintain contact with the steering wheel, and be ready to intervene when the system makes choices you wouldn’t make yourself.
At face value, we understand the appeal of point-to-point city driving assistance, especially for buyers facing daily urban commutes. In an era when traffic congestion keeps worsening and the mental fatigue of city driving takes its toll, having a system that handles the mechanical aspects while you supervise sounds pretty attractive.
But when you factor in the $3,950 cost and the reality that you’re still fully responsible for everything the car does, the equation becomes more complicated. At that price, MB.Drive Assist Pro’s capabilities, processing power, and sensor suite represent significant technology—just make sure you understand exactly what it can and cannot do before you check that option box.
This is a system that pushes Level 2 autonomy about as far as it can go. That’s worth something, even when the final experience includes moments where you’d handle things differently than the computer. Just make sure you keep that hand on the steering wheel and your attention on the road.
Mercedes-Benz MB.Drive Assist Pro will debut later this year on the all-electric CLA with EQ Technology as a $3,950 optional package. Availability on other Mercedes models has not yet been announced.
