News
Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT captures world’s first approval for hands-free driving
Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT has captured the world’s first approval for ‘conditionally automated’ driving on German highways with its Level 3 system. The German automaker’s DRIVE PILOT is the first internationally valid system, as it met the requirements of Global Automotive Regulation No. 157, which concerns the approval of vehicles with regards to Automated Lane-Keeping Systems.
Mercedes-Benz announced the accomplishment, calling it proof of the company’s “pioneering work in automated driving.” The German Federal Motor Transport Authority granted the approval.
“For many years, we have been working to realize our vision of automated driving. With this LiDAR-based system, we have developed an innovative technology for our vehicles that offers customers a unique, luxurious driving experience and gives them what matters most: time. With the approval of the authorities, we have now achieved a breakthrough: We are the first manufacturer to put conditionally automated driving into series production in Germany,” Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Purchasing Markus Schäfer said.
Die Bedienelemente für den DRIVE PILOT sitzen im Lenkradkranz oberhalb der Daumenmulden rechts und links. Aktiviert der Fahrer den DRIVE PILOT, regelt das System Geschwindigkeit und Abstand und führt das Fahrzeug souverän innerhalb der Spur. // The controls for DRIVE PILOT are located in the steering wheel rim above the thumb recesses on the right and left. If the driver activates DRIVE PILOT, the system regulates speed and distance and guides the vehicle confidently within the lane.
DRIVE PILOT will first be available in Mercedes-Benz S-Class models in the first half of 2022. There will be initial limitations with the functionality’s ability, and drivers will only be able to drive at speeds of up to 60 km/h or 37 MPH on German highways. This will effectively limit the Level 3 system to operating in “heavy traffic or congested situations on suitable stretches of highway in Germany.” Regularly flowing traffic patterns at speeds that exceed the approved limits will require a normal driving operation.
Levels of autonomous driving have been outlined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Level 3 Autonomy does not require humans to perform the act of driving. However, of the three levels that allow hands-free driving, which are Levels 3, 4, and 5, Level 3 is the only category in which the driver must take over if the vehicle requests human intervention. Level 3 is effectively described as a “traffic jam chauffeur,” which would align with the capabilities of the DRIVE PILOT system.
“During the conditionally automated journey, DRIVE PILOT allows the driver to take their mind off the traffic and focus on certain secondary activities, be it communicating with colleagues via In-Car Office, surfing the internet, or relaxing while watching a film. In DRIVE PILOT mode, applications can be enabled on the vehicle’s integrated central display that are otherwise blocked while driving,” the automaker wrote.
The system will initially be available on 8,197 miles or 13,191 kilometers of German highway. Mercedes-Benz said that it is working on completing extensive test drives in other markets, including the U.S. and China, so that it can launch DRIVE PILOT in countries outside of Germany.
DRIVE PILOT in der S-Klasse: Hochautomatisiertes Fahren auf Deutschlands Autobahnen // DRIVE PILOT in the S-Class: Conditionally automated driving on German freeways
DRIVE PILOT uses a LiDAR-based system for operation, but it also has a camera in the rear window and a microphone, which will both be used to detect approaching emergency vehicles by recognizing flashing blue lights and sirens. There is also a moisture sensor in the wheel well, used for detecting slippery or wet driving conditions. A digital HD map will transmit information regarding road geometry, route profile, traffic signs, and unusual traffic events, including accidents or road work, to DRIVE PILOT, helping it make informed and logical decisions throughout the vehicle’s operation.
Mercedes-Benz also said that it has implemented a safety system that will inform the driver of when the vehicle needs to be back in the control of a human. If the driver fails to take back control of the car for any reason, including medical emergencies, the vehicle’s braking system will bring the car to a stop in a controlled manner while also activating hazard lights. Mercedes-Benz has an emergency call system, which will automatically contact first responders, and the vehicle’s doors and windows will unlock for easier access for first responders.
Mercedes-Benz has been working to get DRIVE PILOT approved by regulators since mid-2021.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
Elon Musk
Tesla’s Elon Musk: 10 billion miles needed for safe Unsupervised FSD
As per the CEO, roughly 10 billion miles of training data are required due to reality’s “super long tail of complexity.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has provided an updated estimate for the training data needed to achieve truly safe unsupervised Full Self-Driving (FSD).
As per the CEO, roughly 10 billion miles of training data are required due to reality’s “super long tail of complexity.”
10 billion miles of training data
Musk comment came as a reply to Apple and Rivian alum Paul Beisel, who posted an analysis on X about the gap between tech demonstrations and real-world products. In his post, Beisel highlighted Tesla’s data-driven lead in autonomy, and he also argued that it would not be easy for rivals to become a legitimate competitor to FSD quickly.
“The notion that someone can ‘catch up’ to this problem primarily through simulation and limited on-road exposure strikes me as deeply naive. This is not a demo problem. It is a scale, data, and iteration problem— and Tesla is already far, far down that road while others are just getting started,” Beisel wrote.
Musk responded to Beisel’s post, stating that “Roughly 10 billion miles of training data is needed to achieve safe unsupervised self-driving. Reality has a super long tail of complexity.” This is quite interesting considering that in his Master Plan Part Deux, Elon Musk estimated that worldwide regulatory approval for autonomous driving would require around 6 billion miles.
FSD’s total training miles
As 2025 came to a close, Tesla community members observed that FSD was already nearing 7 billion miles driven, with over 2.5 billion miles being from inner city roads. The 7-billion-mile mark was passed just a few days later. This suggests that Tesla is likely the company today with the most training data for its autonomous driving program.
The difficulties of achieving autonomy were referenced by Elon Musk recently, when he commented on Nvidia’s Alpamayo program. As per Musk, “they will find that it’s easy to get to 99% and then super hard to solve the long tail of the distribution.” These sentiments were echoed by Tesla VP for AI software Ashok Elluswamy, who also noted on X that “the long tail is sooo long, that most people can’t grasp it.”
News
Tesla earns top honors at MotorTrend’s SDV Innovator Awards
MotorTrend’s SDV Awards were presented during CES 2026 in Las Vegas.
Tesla emerged as one of the most recognized automakers at MotorTrend’s 2026 Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) Innovator Awards.
As could be seen in a press release from the publication, two key Tesla employees were honored for their work on AI, autonomy, and vehicle software. MotorTrend’s SDV Awards were presented during CES 2026 in Las Vegas.
Tesla leaders and engineers recognized
The fourth annual SDV Innovator Awards celebrate pioneers and experts who are pushing the automotive industry deeper into software-driven development. Among the most notable honorees for this year was Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s Vice President of AI Software, who received a Pioneer Award for his role in advancing artificial intelligence and autonomy across the company’s vehicle lineup.
Tesla also secured recognition in the Expert category, with Lawson Fulton, a staff Autopilot machine learning engineer, honored for his contributions to Tesla’s driver-assistance and autonomous systems.
Tesla’s software-first strategy
While automakers like General Motors, Ford, and Rivian also received recognition, Tesla’s multiple awards stood out given the company’s outsized role in popularizing software-defined vehicles over the past decade. From frequent OTA updates to its data-driven approach to autonomy, Tesla has consistently treated vehicles as evolving software platforms rather than static products.
This has made Tesla’s vehicles very unique in their respective sectors, as they are arguably the only cars that objectively get better over time. This is especially true for vehicles that are loaded with the company’s Full Self-Driving system, which are getting progressively more intelligent and autonomous over time. The majority of Tesla’s updates to its vehicles are free as well, which is very much appreciated by customers worldwide.
Elon Musk
Judge clears path for Elon Musk’s OpenAI lawsuit to go before a jury
The decision maintains Musk’s claims that OpenAI’s shift toward a for-profit structure violated early assurances made to him as a co-founder.
A U.S. judge has ruled that Elon Musk’s lawsuit accusing OpenAI of abandoning its founding nonprofit mission can proceed to a jury trial.
The decision maintains Musk’s claims that OpenAI’s shift toward a for-profit structure violated early assurances made to him as a co-founder. These claims are directly opposed by OpenAI.
Judge says disputed facts warrant a trial
At a hearing in Oakland, U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated that there was “plenty of evidence” suggesting that OpenAI leaders had promised that the organization’s original nonprofit structure would be maintained. She ruled that those disputed facts should be evaluated by a jury at a trial in March rather than decided by the court at this stage, as noted in a Reuters report.
Musk helped co-found OpenAI in 2015 but left the organization in 2018. In his lawsuit, he argued that he contributed roughly $38 million, or about 60% of OpenAI’s early funding, based on assurances that the company would remain a nonprofit dedicated to the public benefit. He is seeking unspecified monetary damages tied to what he describes as “ill-gotten gains.”
OpenAI, however, has repeatedly rejected Musk’s allegations. The company has stated that Musk’s claims were baseless and part of a pattern of harassment.
Rivalries and Microsoft ties
The case unfolds against the backdrop of intensifying competition in generative artificial intelligence. Musk now runs xAI, whose Grok chatbot competes directly with OpenAI’s flagship ChatGPT. OpenAI has argued that Musk is a frustrated commercial rival who is simply attempting to slow down a market leader.
The lawsuit also names Microsoft as a defendant, citing its multibillion-dollar partnerships with OpenAI. Microsoft has urged the court to dismiss the claims against it, arguing there is no evidence it aided or abetted any alleged misconduct. Lawyers for OpenAI have also pushed for the case to be thrown out, claiming that Musk failed to show sufficient factual basis for claims such as fraud and breach of contract.
Judge Gonzalez Rogers, however, declined to end the case at this stage, noting that a jury would also need to consider whether Musk filed the lawsuit within the applicable statute of limitations. Still, the dispute between Elon Musk and OpenAI is now headed for a high-profile jury trial in the coming months.
Tesla’s Elon Musk: 10 billion miles needed for safe Unsupervised FSD
Tesla earns top honors at MotorTrend’s SDV Innovator Awards
