We prioritise safety in our vehicles – beginning with the standard equipment. Proven systems support you in complicated situations that you can be faced with daily in road traffic.

The braking system increases driving comfort and safety. On the one hand it helps to perform critical braking manoeuvres with the basic function of the ABS anti-lock braking system while convenience functions make coping with daily driving situations easier on the other.

By priming the brakes the brake linings are already brought close to the discs should the driver takes his foot abruptly off the accelerator. The valuable time won as a result shortens the brakes' response time and can thus reduce the stopping distance.

The system also intervenes to support the driver on uphill gradients, thereby helping to make the journey more relaxed. The Hill-Start Assist function prevents the vehicle from rolling back when moving from the brake to the accelerator pedal The HOLD function can keep the vehicle stationary without having to maintain constant pressure on the brake pedal.

And finally, the "brake drying" function provides a further boost to safety: In the wet it carries out brief braking impulses, imperceptible to the driver. This enables the water film which has built up on the brake discs to be eliminated which significantly reduces the response time of the brakes.

The flashing brake lights can help in an emergency situation to significantly shorten the reaction time of road users following behind. The LED adaptive brake lights thus make an important contribution to preventing rear-end collisions.

Not available for AMG models.

Driving is often a hectic affair. In particular, searching for a place to park can be stressful. With this system we reduce the burden on you, the driver. You have less stress and more comfort and safety.

The system makes finding a parking space as well as parking in both parallel and transversal spaces easier; it also assists when leaving a parallel parking space. It automatically steers the vehicle into parking spaces and frees the driver from having to steer and brake.

The system indicates with a "P" symbol and a direction arrow in the multifunction display of the instrument cluster that it has located a suitable parking space. By default the system looks on the right side of the road, when the left-side turn indicator is activated also on the left side of the road.

The steering manoeuvre is carried out automatically, but the driver can intervene at any moment. The driver only needs to operate the accelerator and brake pedal; parking is complete in a maximum of seven moves. 

The PARKTRONIC electronic parking aid monitors the front and rear of the vehicle when manoeuvring and warns the driver if it detects a danger of collision.

We always keep an eye on you. Using an analysis of your driving behaviour at speeds between 60 and 200 km/h, ATTENTION ASSIST can prompt you to take a break in good time. For your own safety.

In particular on long trips and when driving at night this system can increase driving safety. Based on the driver's actions ATTENTION ASSIST recognises typical signs of fatigue and severe inattentiveness and issues visual and audible warnings of impending microsleep.

In spite of all precautions, critical situations can arise when driving in road traffic. For example, if the vehicle travelling ahead suddenly slows down. In this case, the Brake Assist function supports the driver providing the brake pressure adequate to cope with the dangerous situation that has arisen. 

The system can recognise an emergency stop by the driver and increases the brake pressure within fractions of a second to shorten the stopping distance. To do so, Brake Assist interprets the speed at which the brake pedal is depressed.

The anti-lock braking system (ABS) simultaneously meters the braking power up to the slip threshold so that the vehicle remains steerable. As soon as the driver releases the brake pedal, the automatic brake boosting is turned off again.

In critical handling situations the Electronic Stability Program ESP® can keep the vehicle from skidding. With targeted brake interventions on individual wheels ESP® reduces oversteer or understeer tendencies and thus increases handling safety.

Watch how your vehicle also watches. And responds: Different weather, light and driving conditions mean different demands on vehicle lighting. 

For better visibility on country roads and motorways, when turning or cornering, the LED Intelligent Light System adapts to light and driving conditions. In addition to its distinctive visual appeal, LED technology delivers a greater light intensity combined with reduced glare; and there is no requirement to change lamps through the life of the vehicle.

This system uses country road lights and motorway lights instead of the low-beam headlamps. It gives brighter and more extensive illumination of the road nearside than conventional low-beam headlamps. This helps the driver to orient himself better and react sooner.

Other system equipment includes:

• Active light function for significantly extended illumination when cornering
  
• Enhanced fog lamps for improved orientation in poor visibility
  
• Independently activated cornering light function

Standard equipment for AMG models.

Focus on the essentials: On what's happening in front of you. Even if you should really be looking behind you. Reverse parking and manoeuvring is considerably easier and safer using the rear-view camera. 

It automatically switches on when reverse gear is engaged and shows the driver the surroundings behind the vehicle with dynamic guidelines on the CENTRAL MEDIA DISPLAY.

In this way the driver has a clear overview of driving manoeuvres. Moving and stationary objects are also shown on the display. In combination with an optional trailer coupling, the system provides an additional function that simplifies the operation/coupling of a trailer using special guidance lines and a zoom mode. 

In strong gusts of crosswind the system can help the driver to stay on course. Targeted brake interventions significantly reduce the vehicle's lateral drift. This enhances the driver's sense of security and helps prevent undue reactions.

Mercedes-Benz stands for automotive safety. That's why our vehicles can support their passengers even in critical driving situations, so that every journey is as safe as it can possibly be.

Mastering critical situations even more effectively: To do this, Mercedes-Benz engineers further improved a system which had already been acclaimed for decades. The vehicle can be controlled even if the situation becomes highly critical. 

In particular during emergency braking the anti-locking braking system (ABS) provides more driving safety by preventing the wheels from locking. This assists the driver in maintaining control of the vehicle, for instance during evasive manoeuvres or when braking on a slippery road.

Moving off or accelerating on wet roads or loose ground – under these conditions ASR acceleration skid control reduces wheel slip to prevent the vehicle from skidding.

The system uses speed sensors to monitor wheel slip. If the Acceleration Skid Control system detects that a wheel is starting to spin, it corrects the wheel speed by braking and intervening in the engine management system. This reduces wheel slip and minimises wheel spin. 

This automatic and autonomous system can, within a given speed range, use brake interventions to keep individual drive wheels from spinning when starting off or accelerating or both drive wheels from momentarily spinning on bends. 

Decades of experience in safety technology have gone into every Mercedes-Benz vehicle – making critical situations more and more unlikely. If despite this a critical situation should ever arise, this system will assist you with preventive and protective measures. 

The PRE-SAFE® system combines passive and active features. Seat belts and airbags can protect vehicle occupants more effectively if they incorporate active systems such as driving assistance packages or Brake Assist. 

To do this, PRE-SAFE® continuously evaluates sensor data from other systems, such as the Electronic Stability Program ESP® and BAS Brake Assist, and can identify scenarios such as heavy over/understeer and emergency braking.

The system is able to identify critical handling situations in advance and initiate preventive measures for occupant protection in the event of an impending accident. These include e.g. the reversible belt tensioning or the automatic closing of any open windows.

The system has the following functions:

• Extended occupant protection through the deployment of protection mechanisms
  
• Occupant protection against intrusion of objects and objects flung around
  
• Support of protective function of belts and airbags

Cars from Mercedes-Benz have a host of safety systems to prevent accidents. Should the worst come to the worst, however, a number of occupant safety measures are activated. They include protection for the vehicle occupants as well as for other road users.

Our vehicles offer a wealth of safety technology. Some of which you'll never get to see. And this is as it should be - for these systems are only there for worst-case scenarios. To protect yourself and your passengers.

In a collision the airbags help to protect the torso and head of driver and front passenger. They also help to stabilise the whole body. This can mitigate the risk of severe injuries in an accident. The deployment of the airbags is commensurate to the severity of the impact.

Our vehicles are designed to actively intervene in the event of danger or when a collision can no longer be avoided. To limit the consequences as far as possible. The Active Bonnet function is one of these many systems.

Should a pedestrian collide with the front end of the vehicle, the rear section of the engine bonnet is raised. The increased distance to the engine compartment assemblies creates additional deformation space, which can reduce the risk of injury to the pedestrian in certain scenarios.

Not available for AMG models.

The driver's-side kneebag helps to protect the legs in a collision and also stabilises the entire body. It can thus help mitigate the severity of injuries sustained in an accident.

A highly sturdy side wall assembly offers occupants the best possible protection in the event of a side-on collision.

In a side-on collision the side airbags help to protect the upper torso and pelvic area of driver and passenger. They also help to stabilise the whole body. This can mitigate the risk of severe injuries in an accident. 

The chests of rear-seat passengers are protected by the sidebags in a side-on collision. They are integrated in the rear side panelling and deploy at chest height between the side of the vehicle and the occupants.

Mercedes-Benz takes a further step towards total safety with its front crash and roll-over sensors. In a frontal collision or the vehicle overturning the system ensures that the restraint systems, e.g. airbags and seat belt tensioners, are deployed swiftly and appropriately to the situation.

The up-front sensors can reduce the time between the impact and the triggering of the seat belt tensioners. The airbags, too, are deployed in two stages, sooner and in accordance with the situation. 

The control unit uses the data from the roll-over sensors to activate the seat belt tensioners and trigger both windowbags that place themselves as a protective curtain between the occupant and the side windows. In the event of a side-on collision only the windowbag located on the impact side is triggered.

In a side-on collision the window airbag covers the side windows and can help reduce the risk of the head impacting the sides of the vehicle or intruding objects. This protects driver and passenger.

To reduce consequential damage after an accident and support the work of the rescue services, a number of different actions are initiated, depending on the type and severity of the impact registered by the system:

Best possible protection: the engine can be turned off automatically and the fuel supply can be cut off.

Eye-catching lighting: hazard and emergency interior lights can activate automatically to lower the risk of accidents and help locate the car.

Automatic ventilation: if an airbag is deployed, the power windows are lowered automatically.

Easy opening: after an accident the doors are unlocked automatically to make it easier for the occupants or rescue workers to open the doors.

Measures to aid rescue: integral crash joints between the wing and the door can make opening the doors after a frontal collision easier.

Helpful connection: In the event of an accident the Mercedes-Benz emergency call system can help to speed up the arrival of the rescuers at the accident scene decisively. The data is transferred via a mobile connection provided by a communications module with its own SIM card. The emergency call is therefore independent of the readiness of a mobile phone that might have been damaged or have an empty battery.

Every second counts when it comes to occupant rescue after an accident. That's why Daimler has devised the rescue sticker, a small but effective innovation that gives emergency services immediate access to safety-relevant vehicle-specific design details at the scene of the accident. The QR code stickers are affixed to the vehicle's fuel tank cap and the B-pillar on the opposite side. They can easily be retrofitted and are part of the series specification for all new vehicles. In an emergency, rescue services personnel can scan the QR code with a smartphone or tablet PC to rapidly and reliably access the appropriate rescue card, which will assist them in their work.[1]