Valeo’s 2nd gen LiDAR in new Mercedes-Benz S-Class with level 3 automation

Valeo is an automotive supplier, partner to all automakers worldwide. Valeo has 187 plants, 20 research centers, 43 development centers and 15 distribution platforms globally. The company is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange.

With the help of Valeo SCALA, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class will be able to drive in conditionally automated mode under controlled conditions – such as on the highway and in dense traffic (currently possible up to a limit of 60 km/h). In conditionally automated mode the vehicle takes full control of the driving, meaning the driver can temporarily take their attention off the road ahead.

During highway journeys, conditionally automated mode gives the driver time to relax or focus on tasks other than driving. (The driver must always be ready to take back control and drive if necessary, when the system asks the driver to do so or it is clear that the correct operating conditions of the autonomous functions no longer apply).

Authorized activities will include making calls, surfing the web or reading emails, all via the vehicle’s built-in infotainment system.

Level 3 automation can only be achieved using LiDAR technology combined with a series of sensors. Valeo’s LiDAR is the first series-produced laser scanner in the world to equip vehicles already on the market and to meet the demanding specifications of the automotive market, especially in terms of reliability. It offers unique perception capabilities in various situations and all weather conditions, scanning the area in front of the vehicle 25 times per second.

The device also combines a long detection range of over 200 meters with a broad field of vision. More than 150,000 units have been produced since it was launched in 2017. Valeo’s enhanced-performance, second-generation LiDAR hits the market in 2021 and the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the first vehicle in the world to be equipped with it.

It will also be the first car in the world to be equipped with Valeo’s new generation LiDAR cleaning system. Vehicle LiDARs require a clean field of vision in all seasons and road conditions. This is where Valeo’s system comes in, with two innovations demonstrated on the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class. First, the device offers a de-icing feature, which works by heating the telescopic nozzle that sprays the cleaning fluid. Second, it cleans the front of the LiDAR by spraying a curtain of liquid across its entire surface, rather than just spraying from a single point, as is the case when using a traditional nozzle. Designed to be built into the sensor itself, Valeo’s cleaning solution is invisible and does not affect the vehicle's appearance.

While Valeo’s driving assistance technologies contribute to automated driving, they also make mobility safer. Valeo is the global leader in this area, with its technologies integrated in one in three vehicles produced worldwide. Its portfolio includes ultrasonic sensors, cameras, radars, the first automotive-grade LiDAR on the market and related smart technology (algorithms and software for data fusion, 360° mapping of the vehicle's surroundings – which pinpoints the vehicle's location on the map – and safety functions).

MERCEDES-BENZ RECEIVES WORLD'S FIRST INTERNATIONALLY VALID SYSTEM APPROVAL FOR CONDITIONALLY AUTOMATED DRIVING

Mercedes-Benz is the first automotive company in the world to meet the demanding legal requirements of UN-R157 for a Level 3 system. The German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) has granted system approval for this on the basis of the technical approval regulation UN-R157, thus paving the way for offering such a system internationally, provided that national legislation allows it.

Germany has taken a pioneering role in this with the opening of the Road Traffic Act (StVG) for Level 3 systems in 2017. This is why the first customers will be able to buy an S-Class with Drive Pilot in the first half of 2022, enabling them to drive in conditionally automated mode at speeds of up to 60 km/h in heavy traffic or congested situations on suitable stretches of motorway in Germany. The special Drive Pilot equipment takes the strain off the driver and allows him or her to perform ancillary tasks on the central display such as online shopping or processing e-mails in the in-car office. The system approval also applies to the EQS.

"For many years, we have been working to realise 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," says Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Purchasing.