A Mercedes-Benz magazine ad this summer described a new sedan as a “self-driving car from a very self-driven company.” On television, the Daimler AG luxury brand showed a prototype autonomous car with passengers facing one another before cutting to a current vehicle with limited automatic steering. “Is the world truly ready for a vehicle that can drive itself?” asked the television commercial’s narrator, adding that the future had...
Mercedes recently had to launch an advertising campaign which showed one its new sedans was a self - driving car , despite the fact that its self - driving capabilities were limited to lane changing and brake assistance . The campaign ended soon after consumer advocates wrote the head of the Federal Trade Commission voicing concerns that the vehicle was being falsely represented as a driverless car . Tesla has had a well - publicised similar experience which led to the death of a driver claiming it ’s “ Autopilot ” technology , and as a result automakers are encountering growing complaints about misleading customers and giving them a false sense of security regarding “ self - driving ” capabilities . “ These companies are in an exciting race to get the technology out there and demonstrate they have superior engineering , ” a lawyer said to the WSJ , “ … There is a lot of potential for misuses and misunderstanding . ”