New S-Class to drive itself

The Mercedes F125 previewed a raft of cutting-edge technology for the 2025 S-Class when it starred at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. But buyers won’t have to wait that long to enjoy clever innovations on their luxury saloon, after the company revealed details of the 2012 car.

The most striking new gadget is an autonomous driving feature, which allows the S-Class to drive itself through slow-moving traffic jams, at speeds of up to 25mph.

This uses similar technology to radar-guided cruise control, with a series of cameras and sensors on the outside of the car controlling the speed and the distance to the vehicle in front. The system “allows the driver to concentrate on other things” in traffic, according to engineer Dr. Stefan Schweher.

Also included is the latest version of the COMAND online system. This pairs with a mobile to offer services like Facebook, Google local search and Street View, and will even allow drivers to send pre-determined routes straight from Google Maps to the car’s sat-nav system.

“The new S-Class will feature our latest breakthrough in audio technology, bigger, ultra-high-quality display screens and even more premium materials,” said systems engineer Peter Ebel.

The technology should put the S-Class ahead of key rivals such as the Audi A8.

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