Mercedes-Benz to open German orders for MB.Drive Assist Pro point-to-point assistance in first half of 2027

Ordering and early access timeline

Mercedes-Benz announced on 21 October 2026 that MB.Drive Assist Pro, its system for advanced urban partially automated driving (SAE Level 2), will be available to order in Germany from the first half of 2027. The company says this will make it the first car manufacturer to offer such a point-to-point system in Germany, in addition to China and the United States. Automotive World reported the announcement in the same week. ¹²

Before general ordering opens, Mercedes-Benz plans a special early access programme. From the end of 2026, selected customers in Stuttgart and Munich whose cars have the necessary hardware will be contacted individually and receive access via an over-the-air update. The company says these customers' real-world experience can contribute to the system's continuous improvement. ²

Models and pricing have not been confirmed. Mercedes-Benz states that further details will be announced ahead of the respective market launches, and that availability will depend on the model and be rolled out across its passenger car and van portfolio. A complimentary one-month trial is planned via the Mercedes-Benz Store for customers whose cars carry the necessary equipment. ²

What the system does

According to Mercedes-Benz, MB.Drive Assist Pro extends assistance across the entire navigation route rather than only on motorways, assisting when leaving the motorway and navigating dense urban traffic. Activation is via a button on the steering wheel during active navigation, and the company says it makes changing lanes, merging, turning at junctions, and braking and moving off at traffic lights easier. Automotive World's report describes the same scope of functions. ¹²

The system uses a hands-on cooperative steering concept, which Mercedes-Benz says lets the driver provide steering input at any time. As an SAE Level 2 system, it requires the driver to remain continuously attentive, staying in control of and responsible for the vehicle at all times. ²

Hardware and software architecture

The system uses 27 sensors, comprising ten cameras, five radar sensors and twelve ultrasonic sensors, which supply raw data to a high-performance computer capable of processing up to 254 TOPS (trillion operations per second), according to Mercedes-Benz, a figure Automotive World also reports. ¹²

On the software side, Mercedes-Benz says MB.Drive Assist Pro combines its MB.OS operating system with NVIDIA's Hyperion in-vehicle compute and sensor architecture, Halos full-stack safety system and Alpamayo Stack software. NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang said in the announcement: “Mercedes-Benz has shaped the automobile for generations, and together we're helping shape its future.” ²

Regulatory basis and potential for further markets

Mercedes-Benz says the system has been developed in line with the updated UN Regulation 171 on Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS), which the relevant UNECE working group previously approved and which sets stringent safety requirements. The company welcomes the harmonised framework as a foundation for safe introduction of advanced driver assistance functions. ²

Because of this regulatory basis, Mercedes-Benz says the function could be introduced in all EU markets in future without further regulatory approval, avoiding country-by-country homologation. Automotive World reports the same stated position. The company also says the framework opens the potential to make these technologies available in further markets. ¹²

Existing customers and company reaction

Existing customers with eligible vehicles will be able to install the function via an over-the-air update, bringing it directly to their cars, provided their Mercedes has the necessary equipment. Availability will depend on the model as the function is rolled out across the passenger car and van portfolio. ²

Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group, said in the announcement: “MB.Drive Assist Pro gives our customers a new level of safety, intelligence and confidence behind the wheel. Its launch in Germany underscores our determination to play a leading role in automated and assisted driving.” ²