Mercedes is one of the popular auto brands focused on rolling out advanced safety features. Among the many safety features, one is the Mercedes Benz active steering assist. The active steering assist comes into play when long drives can be stressful, making the driver worry about drifting out of the lane.
The system keeps a vehicle in its lane through swift steering inputs. It helps make driving more convenient and improves safety. Let’s learn the details of active steering assist by Mercedes Benz.
What is Mercedes Benz Active Steering Assist?
The active steering assist is a driver assistance system that helps you keep your vehicle in its lane. It is a modern car safety feature that uses cameras and radar to detect lane markings and vehicles ahead. Using the data, the steering assist system then applies moderate steering interventions to keep your vehicle in the lane.
Functions of Active Steering Assist by Mercedes Benz
The active steering assist by Mercedez Benz uses a combination of cameras and radar to detect lane markings and vehicles ahead. The cameras are located in the front bumper and the radar is located in the front grille.
The system uses this information to determine if your vehicle is drifting out of its lane. If it detects that you are drifting, it will apply gentle steering inputs to keep you centred in your lane. The status of active steering assist is displayed in the status bar of the infotainment system. The infotainment system available on most Mercedes Benz vehicles is MBUX which is very user-centric.
It is important to note that the active steering system can assist the driver at speeds up to 210 km/h. Moreover, if the system cannot see the lane markings or vehicles, it will switch to passive mode and not provide any assistance. Also, the driver must keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times to take over if the system isn’t working properly.
Benefits of Active Steering Assist by Mercedes Benz
Here are some benefits of Mercedes Benz active steering assist.
Reduces driver fatigue and stress
The system can help to reduce driver fatigue and stress by taking some of the driving burdens off the driver. This is extremely helpful on long drives.
Improves safety
One of the benefits of active steering assist is that it improves safety by preventing accidents caused by cars drifting out of the lane.
Enhances Convenience
Active steering assist can make driving more convenient by allowing the driver to focus on other tasks like navigating the route.
Limitations of Mercedes Benz Active Steering Assist
Since no system is 100% perfect, the active steering assist by Mercedes Benz has certain limitations as well. The system can be impaired or may not function in some conditions which include:
- Snow, rain, fog, heavy spray, glare, direct sunlight, greatly varying light conditions, reflections or strong shadows on the road.
- Insufficient road illumination.
- The windscreen in the area of the camera is dirty, fogged, damaged or covered.
- Unclear or absence of lane markings, or if the markings change rapidly.
- The distance to the vehicle in front is too small and the lane markings cannot be detected.
- The road is narrow and winding.
- Hindrances in the lane or projecting out into the lane.
Moreover, the system does not provide assistance in these conditions:
- On tight bends, roundabouts and when turning.
- When towing a trailer.
- When changing lanes without switching on the turn signal.
Therefore, it is important to be aware of these limitations before switching on the active steering assist system.
Models with Active Steering Assist
Active steering assist is available on most Mercedes-Benz models. Here are some of the many models that are equipped with active steering assist.
- Mercedes Benz A-Class
- Mercedes Benz B-Class
- Mercedes Benz C-Class
- Mercedes Benz E-Class
- Mercedes GLE
- Mercedes GLS
- Mercedes EQS
- Mercedes EQC, and many others
FAQs
How do you turn on active steering assist on a Mercedes?
To activate or deactivate the Mercedes Benz active steering assist system, head over to the infotainment cluster and turn on or off the steering assist system by tapping on its option.
Is active steering the same as power steering?
No. Active steering assists the driver by keeping the vehicle in the lane through gentle steering interventions. Whereas, a power steering system helps reduce the driver’s efforts by adding torque to their input.
A power steering system can either be electric or hydraulic. To read more about their differences, head over to the comparison between electric and hydraulic power steering.
All in all, the Mercedes Benz active steering assist is a valuable tool for drivers to reduce stress and driver fatigue. However, it is important to be aware of its limitations before relying on it too heavily. Moreover, bear in mind that the active steering assist system is not a replacement for safe driving habits. Therefore, drivers must be attentive at all times and be prepared to take over the system in case it stops working. To avail such exciting features, you may buy your first-hand Mercedes from any of these Mercedes-Benz showrooms in the UAE.
Apart from the active steering assist by Mercedes Benz, you can also explore the driver fatigue detection system by the brand. This system alerts the driver upon detection of fatigue symptoms and takes control of the vehicle immediately to prevent accidents.
If you are intrigued by the features of Mercedes Benz but cannot afford a new car, browse through these used Mercedes Benz cars for sale in the UAE and find your ideal one.
Stay connected with dubizzle’s auto blog for more interesting features and the latest car releases.
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