Mercedes to Offer Point-to-Point Driving in Germany First

Mercedes-Benz has announced that its MB.Drive Assist Pro will be the first system to provide point-to-point automated driving in Germany, ahead of Tesla.

The carmaker says it will begin an early access programme later this year in Stuttgart and Munich, with regular customers able to join from early 2027. Mercedes-Benz states MB.Drive Assist Pro was developed in line with the latest UNECE regulations and therefore does not require further regulatory approval in Germany.

Tesla has been pursuing approval for its Full Self-Driving software across Europe and earlier this month changed the name to Tesla Assisted Driving in response to regulatory concerns in Germany. Tesla won approval in the Netherlands earlier this year, and certification based on Dutch regulator RDW testing has been followed by national approvals in Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Belgium, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Croatia and Slovakia.

Despite those moves, a Europe-wide vote on Tesla's system has been postponed several times, with the next relevant meeting scheduled for December. German authorities expressed particular concerns about the system name and its handling of speed limits. Tesla agreed to cap the software's speed offset at 10 percent above posted limits. Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger said he would advocate for TAD approval across Europe "as quickly as possible."

How MB.Drive Assist Pro is built

Mercedes-Benz describes MB.Drive Assist Pro as a combination of the MB.OS operating system, Nvidia Hyperion computers and sensors, and the Alpamayo Stack software to enable automated driving features. The system, introduced last year on the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA EV, has been extended to 2027 models including the GLB, GLC EV, C-Class EV and other MY2027 vehicles.

Although Mercedes says the software is capable of driving without human intervention, the company markets MB.Drive Assist Pro as an advanced SAE Level 2 system that requires continuous driver supervision. Under supervision, Mercedes says the system can navigate heavy city traffic, handle traffic lights and execute lane changes.

Regular customer access is scheduled from early 2027.