Mercedes-Benz 2017 E-Class Ad Revealed, Pulled Out For Misleading 'Autonomous Driving' Caption?

Mercedes recently released an advertisement for its new 2017 E-Class, but was immediately pulled out. According to reports, the pulling out was due to complaints from US-based Consumer Reports saying that it was misleading. The ad has suggested that the new 2017 E-Class has autonomous driving capability even though it does not have that feature as stated in the fine print.

The Mercedes-Benz 2017 E-Class features driver assistance systems such as active cruise control and automatic steering on highways. The ad starts with an introduction saying, "Is the world truly ready for a vehicle that can drive itself? Ready or not, the future is here." It then shows the car steering and parking itself when the driver removes his hands off the steering wheel, Electrek reported.

The company also released print ads showing driver's hand off the steering wheel. There is, however, a fine print on both TV and print ads at the bottom reminding that "Vehicle cannot drive itself, but has automated driving features." It is said that the ad has violated the law on the use of fine prints since the fine print contradicts what is stated in the ad.

Mercedes' spokeswoman Donna Boland made a statement to Automotive News that it will pull out the E-Class advertisement because it may cause confusion between the self-driving capability of the Mercedes-Benz F015 and driver assistance feature of the new 2017 E-Class. The F015 is a concept car, which is capable of autonomous driving, Reuters reported.

Mercedes clarified that drivers should always be in control of their cars and that the system in the 2017 E-Class was only designed to assist the driver and not fully replace the functions of the driver. Mercedes-Benz said that while the new E-Class has a host of technology which has the function as the building blocks for increasing levels of autonomy, it is not an autonomous vehicle and they are not positioning it as such.