Mercedes-Benz will use turquoise colored lights during autonomous driving
Mercedes-Benz has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by obtaining permits for specialized exterior marker lights for automated driving in California and Nevada, making it the first automobile manufacturer globally to receive such approvals. The California exemption permit, initially valid for two years, allows vehicles to be tested with these marker lights. Simultaneously, the Nevada permit applies to Mercedes-Benz Model Year 2026 production vehicles and remains valid until the state legislature enacts a statutory modification.
The significance of these permits lies in their potential to provide valuable insights into the dynamics of interactions between automated vehicles and other road users. The incorporation of marker lights is expected to play a pivotal role in enhancing public acceptance of automated driving while contributing to overall road safety. These lights serve the crucial function of visibly indicating the status of the automated driving system from the exterior. This visibility informs pedestrians and other drivers about the vehicle’s autonomous mode. It enables law enforcement officials to identify the system’s status, ensuring compliance with regulations and determining whether drivers are allowed to engage in secondary activities during conditionally automated journeys.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
The turquoise-colored marker lights, designed under the SAE J3134 Recommended Practice, are integrated into the front and rear lights and the two outside mirrors of Mercedes-Benz testing vehicles in California. This innovative approach to exterior lighting aligns with the company’s commitment to setting new industry standards. It highlights their dedication to advancing communication and interaction between vehicles and the surrounding environment.
Photo: Mercedes-BenzÂ
Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Chief Technology Officer for Development & Purchasing, emphasizes the groundbreaking nature of this development, stating, “With the development of automated driving marker lights, Mercedes-Benz is once again setting new industry standards. We are the first automaker in the world to receive such approvals in the U.S., specifically in California and Nevada. The more automated driving vehicles populate the road, the more important communication and interaction between the vehicle and the environment become.”
Photo: Mercedes-BenzÂ
The initial application of these marker lights will be in vehicles equipped with DRIVE PILOT, the world’s first SAE-Level 3 system for conditionally automated driving with internationally valid type approval. DRIVE PILOT received certification in Germany in 2021 and in Nevada and California in 2023, where each state necessitates separate certification. The choice of turquoise as the marker light color is based on its visibility, ensuring reliable and rapid detection by other road users, and its differentiation from existing vehicle lighting and traffic signals.
Photo: Mercedes-BenzÂ
Furthermore, turquoise is optimal for automated driving based on physiological and psychological factors, as well as industry-recommended practices like SAE J3134. The development and approval of this innovative lighting concept involved collaboration across disciplines, including engineers, compliance managers, data protection experts, and ethics experts.
Mercedes-Benz is not only pioneering in the development and application of these marker lights but also actively advocating for standardization. The company aims to establish turquoise as the standardized color for visualizing the automated driving state, promoting global understanding and acceptance of this technology. While there is currently no general framework in the United States, China, or the UN-ECE for using turquoise lights in production vehicles, the exemptions granted by California and Nevada represent a crucial first step. Mercedes-Benz envisions a future of globally harmonized regulation for turquoise marker lights, providing a foundation for heightened safety for all road users and fostering continuous technical innovations in automated driving.
