Don't know what else to say besides "good luck" to those to-be W221 owners.

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Automot.../News/P9D5R9E9

Technology Failure Embarrases (sic) Mercedes
David Richards - Thursday, 17 November 2005

Mercedes has been seriously embarrased be a massive brake failure that has cost them 3 cars and more than $500,000.

German auto technology it appears, is not cracked up to be as good as Mercedes make out. The new Mercedes S class has a sophisticated radar-based braking system when it works. But unfortunatly for Mecedes a recent demonstration in front of a German TV crew failed miserable ending up in a 3 car pile up.

The German television channel got there scoop when the 3 demonstrator Mercedes crashed into each other when the safety demonstration failed. Stern TV, who filmed the programme compares the failurev to the nasty falling-over tendency the early A-class Mercedes had.

In the demonstration Mercedes drives 3 S-classes behind each other. The first car hits the brakes, and the two following cars brake down automatically, to avoid a crash. In theory. In practice, the first car braked, and the two others continued right into the back of each other, resulting in a 3-car pile-up at the test site.

Mercedes security engineers soon discovered the problem: The test had been done in a hall which was made of steel. This confuses the radar, and the system doesn't work properly, causing more than $500,000 worth of cars to crumple into each other.

The system "works perfectly in all other circumstances", according to Mercedes. For now, though, it may be worth keeping your foot near the brake pedal.

 

Someone needs to get ahold of that video!!

 

So this happened with the radar cruise control that we were talking about earlier this week??

 

Yeah, I was wondering that too.

Meanwhile, anyone wanna make an OWNED or PRICELESS pic out of that media pic?

 

The question I have is why was the test done indoors behind walls made of steel. I think there may be some validity here. The test should have been done out doors in the open just like normal driving conditions. I'm not a radar expert but if radar was bouncing off of walls giving false readings, it could have lead to the accidents.

Mercedes has a lot of electrical nightmares on most of their production cars however, I don't think this test was fair. I guess only time will tell when we start to hear more stories.

 

haha this is soooo embarassing. the tv show should have shown this on tv still, maybe that will get mb to do more homework next time.

to me, the system should work "everywhere". yes, in a room with steel walls that might be an extreme, but hey, could be have been driving the s class in an old industrial area with a lot of steel buildings around and tons of machinaries too. the systems should not have been affected at all.

either way, it's sad...

 

There goes that german engineering. This is why Japanese cars > *

 

Indeed, especially considering that many tunnels are reinforced using steel frames along with concrete. They'd better make sure they put this fine print of "Radar Cruise Control may not work while cruising inside tunnels" in the W221 owner manual or be prepared to be sued.

 

they might just as well disable the whole system and not sell it

it's almost like saying "most of the time our cars will run, but under some weird condition, it doesn't" doesn't make sense to me

 

A big for MB

 

Or on any of those bridges that are erector set fabricated from I beams or being in traffic. I guess all the cars in Germany aren't made out of steel. Around here you might find yourself in a pretty good simulation of a steel walled hall on the freeway. Good thing Merc has all those buyers out there waiting to pay for the privilege of driving a science experiment.

 

Oh man, I can't stop laughing.
Now thats a big boo boo

 

ouch, but that is way to funny

 

It's not just German cars. I have an Infinity FX with "intelligent cruise control." It fails to see cars ahead of me on a fairly regular basis. Hopefully, I am awake enough to notice a car directly in front of me. Neverthless, it is a wonderful tool for highway driving and greatly decreases fatigue.

 

well, go ahead and ask your local tv station for a demo then