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Mercedes pulls confusing autonomous car ad
Mercedes has pulled its 2017 E-class sedan ad after critics pointed out that it could mislead people into thinking it's an autonomous vehicle. In the commercial, you'll see the E-class sedan on the road, overtaking the automaker's F015 autonomous car concept -- the same futuristic car we previewed last year that looked like it came right out of Minority Report. A voiceover then says "Is the world truly ready for a vehicle that can drive itself? Ready or not, the future is here" You'll also see the sedan's driver taking his hands off the wheel while the car is in motion.
6 of the world's wildest self-driving cars
By Cat DiStasio Last week, US officials said that the computer in Google's self-driving car can legally be considered the "driver" -- a decision that could serve as a stepping-stone to making driverless cars legal on American roadways. Companies like Google and Ford are busy testing self-driving car technology, and Tesla's Model S already has some autopilot features to assist drivers. But just how far will automakers take autonomous technology? Read on for six of the world's wildest self-driving vehicles, from a car that moves like a crab to a vehicle with a built-in bed.
Riding in Mercedes' luxurious, self-driving car of the future
A four-wheeled vision of gleaming silver glides toward me, shining brightly under the warm California sun. The vehicle looks otherworldly against the empty backdrop of the former naval base in Alameda, a site perhaps more famous for Mythbusters stunts than automobile demonstrations. This, however, is no ordinary automobile. The curvature of metal heading in my direction is more reminiscent of zeppelins and supersonic spacecraft; the stuff of childhood dreams and science fiction. This is the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion, a concept car representing the future of autonomous vehicles. And I'm about to go for a ride in it.
Best of CES 2015 Awards, Automotive: Mercedes F 015 concept car
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The long road to self-driving cars
Automakers are big on self-driving cars this year. Audi, fresh from breaking both the autonomous speed and distance records (and driving me around a track at over 120MPH), announced the Prologue piloted-driving concept, and although Ford didn't have a new car to show, it still proclaimed it would strive to be the first to offer an autonomous vehicle "to the masses." But it's Mercedes-Benz that has stolen the show so far with its jaw-dropping, but unfortunately named F 015 Luxury in Motion concept. The F 015 is full of awesome and downright ridiculous technology. The front grille lights up to show if the car is in autonomous or manual mode, and can also project turning signals, pedestrian crossings and other information to the outside world. Its rear does something similar, lighting up to spell out words like "stop" and "slow" to tailgaters. The exterior itself resembles something between a Prius and a child's imagining of what a future car should look like, and its interior is similarly striking.
