en.Wedoany.com Reported - Mercedes-Benz plans to be the first to launch its MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO urban driver assistance system in Germany, specifically in Stuttgart and Munich, by the end of 2026, and aims to roll out the technology nationwide in early 2027. This move makes Mercedes one of the first automakers seeking to commercialize urban point-to-point driver assistance technology in Europe, with the system eventually being integrated into Mercedes' broader passenger car and van product portfolio.
Mercedes Chief Technology Officer Jörg Burzer stated that the company is working with German regulators and the Ministry of Transport to secure approval for system deployment. Burzer posted on LinkedIn after meeting with German transport officials in Berlin, saying the company's goal is to remain at the forefront of the global competition in assisted and autonomous driving. Mercedes stated it is closely coordinating with the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) and the Ministry of Transport to accelerate the approval process while maintaining safety standards. A spokesperson for the German Ministry of Transport said the ministry aims to make Germany a leading hub for autonomous driving innovation.
This deployment reflects the growing competition among automakers to deploy assisted and autonomous driving systems in European urban environments, where regulatory approval remains more stringent than in the United States and China. Rival BMW has confirmed plans to launch its own urban autonomous driving system in Germany by the end of 2026. Tesla recently received its first European approval for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW), allowing it to begin deploying the system in customer vehicles in the Netherlands via over-the-air software updates. Tesla stated it has completed 1.6 million kilometers of Full Self-Driving activation tests in Europe, including demonstration drives with approximately 13,000 Tesla customers and over 4,500 controlled test scenarios on closed tracks. Tesla's Full Self-Driving system is an advanced driver assistance system where the driver must monitor road conditions at all times and be ready to intervene.
European regulators currently permit the use of Level 2 driver assistance systems in the region and have approved Level 3 systems under specific conditions. At Level 2+, the vehicle can steer, accelerate, and brake, but the driver remains responsible for supervision. Level 4 systems would allow the vehicle to operate autonomously under limited conditions without immediate human intervention. Mercedes' MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO platform falls under the category of supervised autonomous driving. The system, developed in collaboration with Nvidia, can handle traffic lights, manage lane changes, and operate in busy city traffic while requiring driver supervision. Nvidia Vice President of Automotive Ali Kani stated earlier this year that Europe is approaching a critical phase for the deployment of autonomous driving technology. Kani believes that Level 2+ driving systems could become more widely available in Europe by the end of this year, while Level 4 deployment could begin in 2027, depending on regulatory approval and infrastructure readiness.
Mercedes has already launched MB.DRIVE ASSIST PRO in China, where the system went into operation at the end of 2025. The company also plans to launch the system in the U.S. market later this year.
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