Mercedes-Benz announced on Monday that it will introduce an advanced driver-assistance system in the United States later this year. The system, called MB.DRIVEASSIST PRO, allows vehicles to operate autonomously on city streets under driver supervision. It can navigate intersections, make turns, obey traffic signals, and drive from parking lots to destinations, offering urban autonomy beyond typical highway-focused systems.
This move positions Mercedes as a direct competitor to Tesla, the only automaker currently offering city-driving autonomy in the U.S. through its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. While Tesla has marketed FSD aggressively, Mercedes plans a controlled rollout that emphasizes safety and regulatory compliance.
Advanced Urban Driving Technology
Mercedes-Benz first launched MB.DRIVEASSIST PRO in China late last year. The system relies on about 30 sensors, including cameras, radar, and ultrasonic devices, feeding data to a computer capable of processing up to 508 trillion operations per second. These sensors allow the system to detect pedestrians, cyclists, traffic signals, and other complex urban scenarios.
The U.S. version of MB.DRIVEASSIST PRO will be available for $3,950 for a three-year package. Customers will also have the option of a monthly or annual subscription, though pricing for these options will be announced later. For comparison, Tesla’s FSD costs around $8,000 as a one-time purchase or $99 per month as a subscription.
Mercedes emphasized that drivers must remain attentive and ready to intervene at all times, similar to Tesla’s approach. Unlike highways, city streets present unpredictable challenges, which is why full autonomy without supervision remains limited.
Mercedes Enters Competitive Autonomous Market
Mercedes’ push into city-driving assistance reflects a growing trend of automakers moving autonomous technology from testing toward commercial availability. Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously promised a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles capable of city navigation without human intervention, but that vision has not yet materialized. Tesla has instead focused on incremental updates to FSD and a small robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, supervised by safety monitors.
Investors continue to see autonomous driving technology as a long-term revenue driver for the automotive industry. Mercedes’ system supports over-the-air updates, ensuring that the vehicle’s software can improve over time.
Cutting-Edge Hardware and AI Support
The first U.S. vehicle to feature MB.DRIVEASSIST PRO will be the new Mercedes-Benz CLA, built on the MB.OS platform. Nvidia’s “DRIVE AV” software powers the system, combining AI infrastructure with accelerated compute for real-time decision-making. This technology allows Mercedes to maintain precise control in urban environments while offering future software upgrades that improve performance and safety.
By entering the U.S. urban autonomy market, Mercedes-Benz seeks to challenge Tesla’s dominance and offer consumers a more affordable and technologically advanced city-driving assistant. With this launch, autonomous vehicle technology is moving closer to practical, real-world use for everyday drivers.
