German legacy automaker Mercedes announced Tuesday that it finally secured the necessary approvals to impose turquoise marker lights for automated driving in the states of California and Nevada.
“With the development of automated driving marker lights, Mercedes-Benz is once again setting new industry standards. We are the first automaker in the world to receive such approvals in the US, specifically in California and Nevada.
The more automated driving vehicles populate the road, the more important communication and interaction between the vehicle and the environment become.”
Markus Schäfer, Mercedes-Benz’s chief technology officer, development & purchasing
California and Nevada’s approval
According to the press release, the exemption permits allow Mercedes to use turquoise-colored exterior marker lights for vehicles using its Drive Pilot automated driving system in California and Nevada’s freeways.
Mercedes integrates the distinctive marker lights into the electric vehicle’s front and rear lights and the two side mirrors.
In California, the German automaker can only activate the turquoise lights in 2024 EQS and 2024 S-Class models for testing purposes for two years. In Nevada, Mercedes can equip production cars with the new exterior market lights starting with the 2026 model year until legislative changes transpire.
Why turquoise?
Mercedes indicated that it selected turquoise for two primary reasons, including its visibility and uniqueness. Drivers can easily spot Mercedes’ turquoise-colored exterior market lights due to their luminosity. In addition, it is not yet utilized by any existing vehicle, traffic, or emergency lighting.
The German automaker also emphasized that the new exterior marker lights adhere to the SAE J3134 Recommended Practice.
Mercedes aims to use the new turquoise marker lights to inform the public and police officers that the vehicle’s Drive Pilot system is activated to reduce the risk of accidents. It can also affect other drivers to be more comfortable with the concept of self-driving cars on the road.
Mercedes’ Drive Pilot
Mercedes’ Drive Pilot is a SAE Level 3 autonomous-driving system, Car and Driver noted. Therefore, it enables owners to let the car drive itself autonomously at speeds up to 40 mph.
However, drivers must still remain attentive to take control of the wheels at any time necessary. Mercedes assures people that their system has fail-safes for both braking and steering in case of malfunctions until the driver regains control.
Earlier this year, Mercedes finally obtained the necessary certification to test the Drive Pilot in California and Nevada.
Mercedes’ move to integrate distinct exterior marker lights into its vehicles using the Drive Pilot system is indeed a good idea, just like how student drivers’ cars were marked in some way to communicate with other drivers that an inexperienced driver is driving. It is an important heads-up to avoid potential accidents while on the road.
It would be exciting to see if turquoise will actually become the standard color of automated driving as proposed by the German automaker.
