The majority of accidents start long before the actual collision: with a lapse in concentration, poor visibility or hazards which cannot be anticipated. We have therefore fitted the S-Class with a range of safety features which promote relaxed motoring and help you to bring critical situations under control.
This is immediately apparent in the exceptionally ergonomic styling of an interior whose every switch and function is simple to use. Thanks to intelligent systems, like COMAND or the LINGUATRONIC voice-operated control system which is available as an optional extra, you don’t even have to take your hands off the steering wheel. Climate control and seating comfort also help ease the strain on the driver, as does a precision-tuned chassis.
There are over 60 electronic aids to help you whilst driving. They issue warnings when required – as in the case of the tyre pressure monitoring system – or provide you with assistance when needed. Perhaps the most important of all is the Electronic Stability Program ESP®. This system, which can stabilise the car if there is a risk of skidding, was first seen in a Mercedes. Brake systems incorporating BAS Brake Assist or the optional BAS PLUS system are also becoming increasingly intelligent and can now reduce the stopping distance by a considerable amount when it matters most. With DISTRONIC PLUS also on board, the driver is therefore warned when heavy braking is required should the situation become critical.
Additional help is provided by Blind Spot Assist. This optional extra makes invisible hazards visible, letting you know as soon as a vehicle which is overtaking you has been in your blind spot for three seconds.
One of the latest additions to safety is the optional Night View Assist which enables you to detect obstacles earlier at night. It is therefore fully in keeping with the Mercedes-Benz safety philosophy of preventing accidents before they happen.
Night View Assist, available as an option, can make many critical situations a thing of the past, allowing you to see everything that’s important even when it’s dark, for example when oncoming headlamps are dazzling you.
The secret behind Night View Assist lies in the infrared headlamps, which light up the road with infrared light that is invisible to the human eye. The picture captured by the infrared camera is reproduced in shades of grey on the integrated 8-inch multifunction display in the instrument cluster. The view is similar to looking through the windscreen with the main-beam headlamps switched on.
Night View Assist, which can be activated as required, helps take the stress out of driving when visibility is poor – without dazzling other road users. It means you can react more quickly to critical situations and arrive more relaxed after a long night-time drive.
We developed DISTRONIC proximity control in 1999 to make things easier for the driver. The modified, comfort-boosting DISTRONIC PLUS system now even helps you keep your distance in stop-and-go traffic. At speeds from 0 to 200 km/h DISTRONIC PLUS uses improved sensors to control the distance between your car and the vehicle in front and gently applies the brakes, slowing the vehicle at a rate of up to 4 m/s2 if the gap is reduced – until your car comes to a standstill if necessary. To get moving again all you have to do is pull the cruise control lever or tap the accelerator.
All of which means that the optional DISTRONIC PLUS system makes for relaxed driving – whether in stop-and-go city traffic or on the motorway.
The DISTRONIC PLUS sensors are also used by the modified Brake Assist PLUS system. When the driver applies the brakes, BAS PLUS evaluates the sensor data and, if necessary, assists the driver with additional braking force, depending on the distance from the vehicle in front.
Contact your Mercedes-Benz dealer for pricing information. |