What happened
Euro NCAP, the European New Car Assessment Programme, released its assisted driving grading for the Mercedes-EQ EQE on 12 October 2022. It tested an EQE 350+ with Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC. The car responded to avoid a collision in most of the adaptive cruise control scenarios and scored 37.6 of 40 points. It stayed within its lane through an S-bend at all test speeds. For an unresponsive driver, it moved to the slowest lane and made a controlled stop. If the radar or camera was blocked, it warned the driver and prevented activation. An internal camera checks for microsleep, and the car combines this with steering input to monitor the driver. Euro NCAP scored the system 100% for safety backup and 85% for assistance competence and graded it Very Good. No crash outcome on public roads is reported. Euro NCAP does not say how the camera detects microsleep or mention machine learning.
Sources
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Assessment report, by authors with no tie to the system.
The EQE from Mercedes-EQ provides very good Vehicle Assistance with a similar level of Driver Engagement. Combined with excellent safety back-up, the system, overall, offers Very Good highway assistance.
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Assessment report, by authors with no tie to the system.
Euro NCAP. Mercedes-EQ EQE - Assisted Driving Datasheet 2022 (version 051022), October 2022. The tested car was an EQE 350+.
In case of an unresponsive driver, the EQE automatically moves to the slowest lane and performs a controlled stop.
Details
AI system
- Workflow
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The EQE combines map-based speed limit information with real time camera inputs. An internal camera checks for microsleep, and the car combines this with steering wheel input. The system adapts speed for curves and junctions ahead.
Follow-up
- Conditions for replication
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The driver knows the system's limits, which the promotional material and the handbook state. The radar and camera are unblocked, since the car prevents activation when they are blocked.
Entry details
- Sector
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Road vehicle crash avoidance / assisted driving.
- Purpose
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Mercedes-Benz built Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC to help the driver control speed, distance and steering.
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Cite this record
Peter H. Vartanian. (2026). Euro NCAP rates DISTRONIC on the Mercedes-EQ EQE Very Good (AIBD-0937). Artificial Intelligence Benefits Database, edition of 1 November 2026. https://petervartanian.xyz/aibd/records/AIBD-0937.html (archived at https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/AADSII, version 7.0)