Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT Gets Approval in California, Nevada for Turquoise Taillights

Onwards and forwards are the only way to go for Mercedes-Benz, and the renowned luxury car company recently got its approval to use a certain turquoise taillight color in California and Nevada for its DRIVE PILOT system. This new taillight color is an indication for other drivers and cars on the road, with the Benz car using its proprietary autonomous driving system.

Driving has always resorted to color to give people information while on the road, with green meaning go or red meaning stop, and the German car company using marker lights for its tech.

Mercedes-Benz DRIVE PILOT Turquoise Taillights Gets Approval

In a recent press release by Mercedes-Benz USA, the company announced the world's first approval for the use of special exterior marker lights, adding a new indicator alongside the taillights. This will be in a turquoise color, and it will be on whenever a driver opts to use the DRIVE PILOT system, the German car company's technology for autonomous driving.

Mercedes-Benz also flexed its "conditionally automated driving," featuring an SAE-Level 3 rating in the United States, particularly in California and Nevada.

Designed in accordance with SAE J3134 Recommended Practice, the turquoise-colored marker lights for automated driving in California are integrated into the front and rear lights as well as the two outside mirrors in Mercedes-Benz testing vehicles.

California, Nevada Allows Turquoise Taillight Markers

Mercedes said that its new marker lights would have a different use in the two states.

In California, Benz is allowed a permit to test the turquoise-colored marker lights in the vehicle's rear, centering on autonomous driving on the freeways only.

However, for Nevada, the new marker lights would only be allowed beginning with the 2026 EQS and the S-Class DRIVE PILOT vehicles, to continue until there are legislative changes.

Earlier this 2023, Mercedes-Benz was granted the permits necessary to use and test its DRIVE PILOT in California and Nevada.

Mercedes-Benz and its Driving Technologies

In its quest to make autonomous driving technology safer, Mercedes-Benz recently partnered with Luminar to expand more of the capabilities of its tech, centering on iris LiDAR for improvements. Through this feature, the vehicle will be better equipped with regards to driving the road using its system, adding better sensing to the cars, humans, and objects around, adding more to its features.

Additionally, the company has developed its operating systems meant to control its vehicles, centering on the MB.OS which is found on certain models now. In a bid to power its next-generation fleet, this new operating system will center on safety improvements, automated driving, and navigation, being an all-in-one system for all driving needs.

There are key features to Mercedes-Benz cars, particularly its electric vehicles, alongside the addition of Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio that add a different kind of experience for in-car entertainment. After its DRIVE PILOT was approved for use on roads with Level 3 autonomy, Mercedes-Benz is now looking to use a special turquoise color marker light that would inform drivers when it is sporting autonomous driving.