Mercedes-Benz has officially received certification to operate its SAE Level 3 autonomous driving system, DRIVE PILOT, in Nevada, making it the first brand to do so in the United States.
Mercedes first launched its DRIVE PILOT system at the end of 2021. Then they began shipping vehicles with the capability to customers in Germany in mid-2022, becoming the first automaker in the country to pass through the government’s stringent autonomous driving certification process.
Now, the brand has become the first to receive certification in the United States.
The DRIVE PILOT system is officially certified to operate on “suitable freeway sections” in Nevada in high-traffic density situations. It can operate at speeds up to 40 MPH. The company first revealed its paperwork had been filed with Nevada and California earlier this year, with California expected to grant certification later this year. Currently, DRIVE PILOT is available on the Mercedes EQS Sedan and Mercedes S-Class sedans, with vehicles being delivered with the system beginning in the second half of this year.
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- Credit: Mercedes-Benz
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- Credit: Mercedes-Benz
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- Credit: Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz was granted this approval as DRIVE PILOT meets the requirements of Nevada Chapter 482A for Autonomous Vehicles. As Mercedes states, some functions and applications will be available that would otherwise be blocked while driving. These activities are legally permissible depending on laws that apply where DRIVE PILOT is being used.
Best outlined by Mercedes Board Member Markus Schäfer, this is just the beginning of a larger rollout of the software:
“DRIVE PILOT demonstrates once more that our pioneering spirit is part of our DNA. Certification in Nevada marks the start of its international rollout and, with it, the dawning of a new era.”
To achieve this certification, among other regulations, Mercedes showed that its set of redundant driving systems could keep drivers safe while controlling the vehicle. A combination of steering, braking actuators, and onboard electrical system redundancy measures keep the vehicle maneuverable, even if a system fails.
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- Credit: Mercedes-Benz
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- Credit: Mercedes-Benz
Additionally, the vehicles will rely on a combination of LiDAR, radar, and cameras that allow the car to monitor where it is relative to other vehicles constantly down to the centimeter. Mercedes combines these systems with high-precision GPS mapping, ensuring the most consistent experience possible.
DRIVE PILOT will also take matters into its own hands if drivers fail to take back control, even after “increasingly urgent” audible and visual alerts. Mercedes said that it would brake the vehicle to a standstill in a controlled manner, then will activate hazard lights. Doors will be unlocked, and Mercedes’ emergency call system will contact first responders. This is an increasingly needed feature in case of a major medical emergency.
While the Mercedes technology has often been drawn as a parallel to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving offering, through this most recent certification, Mercedes now differentiates itself in two ways. Foremost, in a crash with another vehicle, while DRIVE PILOT is engaged, Mercedes accepts legal liability for the accident. Furthermore, this certification has shown relevant authorities that it can operate safely, a process that Tesla will likely need to follow through in the near future.
Mercedes’ announcement also follows a series of other major milestones for the company. The German luxury automaker recently revealed that it would be opening its own series of EV chargers, starting in North America and working globally. Mercedes has also recently highlighted (in granular detail) its incredible production shift to EVs occurring worldwide and utilizing each of its current manufacturing plants.
While there is no doubt many still see Mercedes as a non-threat to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite, today’s announcement proves otherwise. Hopefully, through this continued competition, autonomy can improve overall and become available to most people as a safe alternative to regular vehicle operation.
Alongside DRIVE PILOT, Mercedes also announced that its Level 2 driver assistance system would make its North American debut later this year, which features ADAS features like autonomous lane merging, speed controls, and perhaps most importantly, emergency braking.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
Elon Musk
Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk
The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”
Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.
According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.
While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report.
The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.
The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.
Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.
The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.
A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:
Tesla appears to be implementing some sort of feature that will now pull over if someone is tailgating you to let the car by
Really cool feature, definitely get a lot of this from those who think they drive race cars
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 26, 2026
We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.
This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.
FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.
Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.
When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:
What has happened to Mad Max?
At one point it was going 32 in a 35. Traffic ahead had pulled away considerably https://t.co/bjKvaMVTNX pic.twitter.com/aaZSWmLu5v
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 24, 2026
There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.
Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
