Mercedes-Benz E-Class Quiz
Safety

COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS. Adaptive brake light

In this manual: Safety
Introduction — 5At a glance — 6Safety — 25Opening and Closing — 17Seats, steering wheel and mirrors — 12Lights and windshield wipers — 11Climate Control — 11Driving and parking — 44On-board computer and displays — 29Stowing and Useful Information. Good to Know — 1Stowing and Useful Information. Storage Options — 10Stowage and convenience features. Convenience features — 7Maintenance and care — 11Roadside assistance — 13Wheels and tires — 13Technical data — 13
~6min read

The Mercedes E-Class (4th generation W212, 2009–2016) goes one step further with COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS in protecting against rear-end collisions. This article describes how warnings, automatic braking and intelligent sensor technology work hand in hand. Find out how your vehicle works in the background for your safety.

COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS

General Information

COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS consists of the distance warning function with autonomous braking function and Adaptive Brake Assist.

COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can help you minimize the risk of collision with a vehicle ahead or reduce the consequences of an accident.

If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS has detected a risk of collision, you are warned visually and audibly. If you do not react to the visual or audible warning, autonomous braking may be initiated in critical situations. If you brake yourself in a critical situation, Adaptive Brake Assist of COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS supports you.

Switching on or off

COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is switched on after every ignition cycle. You can switch COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS on or off using the on-board computer. Switching it off deactivates the distance warning function and the autonomous braking function.

If COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS is switched off, the symbol appears in the assistance graphic.

Important Safety Notes

Detection may be particularly limited in
  • dirty or covered sensors
  • snowfall or heavy rain
  • interference from other radar sources
  • strong radar reflections, e.g. in parking garages
  • narrow vehicles ahead, e.g. motorcycles
  • vehicles ahead that are offset from the center of your vehicle
  • new vehicles or after service work on the COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS system

    Observe the note in the chapter Running-in notes .

After damage to the front of the vehicle, have the adjustment and function of the radar sensor checked at a qualified specialist workshop. This also applies to low-speed collisions in which no damage to the front of the vehicle is visible.

Distance warning function

General information

The distance warning function can help you minimize the risk of a rear-end collision with a vehicle ahead or reduce the consequences of an accident. If the distance warning function has detected a risk of rear-end collision, you are warned visually and audibly.

Important Safety Notes

Info

Observe the section "Important safety notes" on driving safety systems .

WARNING

The distance warning function does not respond

  • to persons or animals
  • to oncoming vehicles
  • to cross traffic
  • in curves

As a result, the distance warning function may not warn in all critical situations. There is a risk of accident!

Always watch the traffic situation carefully and be ready to brake.

WARNING

The distance warning function cannot always clearly identify objects and complex traffic situations.

In these cases, the distance warning function can
  • warn unnecessarily
  • not warn.

There is a risk of accidents!

Always watch the traffic situation attentively and do not rely solely on the distance warning function.

Function

The distance warning function warns you from a speed of
  • from approx. 30 km/h if the distance to the vehicle ahead is too short for your driving speed for more than several seconds. The DISTANCE WARNING lampin the instrument cluster then lights up.
  • from approx. 7 km/h if you approach a vehicle ahead very quickly. You will then hear an intermittent warning tone and the DISTANCE WARNING lampin the instrument cluster lights up.
To increase the distance to the vehicle ahead, brake immediately.

or

Steer around an obstacle if this can be done safely.

Due to system design, warnings may also occur in complex but non-critical driving situations.

The distance warning function can use the radar sensor system to detect obstacles that remain in your path for an extended period.

The distance warning function can also react to stationary obstacles, e.g. stopped or parked vehicles, up to a driving speed of approx. 70 km/h.

Autonomous Braking Function

If the driver does not react to the distance warning in a critical situation, COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS can support the driver with an autonomous braking function.

Due to the autonomous braking function
  • the driver still has time to react to critical driving situations
  • the driver can avoid an accident or
  • reduce the consequences of an accident.
The autonomous braking function is available in the following speed ranges:
  • from 7 km/h to approx. 105 km/h for moving objects
  • from 7 km/h to approx. 50 km/h for stationary objects

If the autonomous braking function requests a particularly high brake pressure, preventive occupant protection measures (PRE-SAFE) are triggered at the same time.

Adaptive Brake Assist

Info

Observe the section "Important safety notes".

Adaptive Brake Assist supports you when braking in a hazardous situation at speeds above 7 km/h. The radar sensor system is used to assess the traffic situation.

WARNING

Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly identify objects and complex traffic situations.

In these cases, the Adaptive Brake Assist can
  • intervene unnecessarily
  • not intervene.

There is a risk of accidents!

Always watch the traffic situation carefully and be ready to brake. End the intervention in non-critical driving situations.

WARNING

Adaptive Brake Assist does not react

  • to persons or animals
  • to oncoming vehicles
  • to cross traffic
  • in curves

As a result, Adaptive Brake Assist cannot intervene in all critical situations. There is a risk of accident!

Always watch the traffic situation carefully and be ready to brake.

Due to system design, Brake Assist may also intervene in complex but non-critical driving situations.

If Adaptive Brake Assist is unavailable due to a fault in the radar sensor system, the brake system remains available with full brake boost and BAS.

Adaptive Brake Assist can use the radar sensor system to detect obstacles that remain in your path for an extended period.

If Adaptive Brake Assist has detected a risk of rear-end collision, it calculates the brake pressure required to avoid the collision. If you press the brake pedal firmly, Adaptive Brake Assist automatically increases the brake pressure to a value adapted to the traffic situation.

Keep pressing the brake pedal until the emergency braking situation is over.
  • ABS prevents the wheels from locking. The brake works as usual again when
    • you release the brake pedal
    • there is no longer a risk of a rear-end collision
    • no obstacle is detected in your path.

    Adaptive Brake Assist is then deactivated.

    If Adaptive Brake Assist requests a particularly high brake pressure, preventive occupant protection measures (PRE-SAFE) are triggered at the same time.

    Adaptive Brake Assist can react to objects up to a driving speed of approx. 250 km/h that have been detected as moving at least once during the observation period.

    Adaptive Brake Assist reacts to stationary obstacles up to a driving speed of approx. 70 km/h.

    Adaptive brake light

    Info

    Observe the section "Important safety notes".

    In an emergency braking situation, the adaptive brake light warns following traffic by:

    • flashing brake lights
    • Switching on the hazard warning lamps

    If you brake hard above a speed of 50 km/h or are assisted by BAS or BAS PLUS, the brake lights flash rapidly. This warns following traffic particularly conspicuously.

    If you perform this braking from above 70 km/h to a standstill, the hazard warning lights switch on automatically when the vehicle is stationary. When the brake is applied, the brake lights come on continuously again. If you drive faster than 10 km/h, the hazard warning lights switch off automatically. You can also switch off the hazard warning lights with the hazard warning button.

    COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST PLUS in the Mercedes E-Class W212 (model years 2009–2016) actively helps to prevent rear-end collisions. The combination of distance warning, autonomous braking function and Adaptive Brake Assist significantly reduces the risk of a collision.

    In addition, the adaptive brake light ensures that following traffic is warned more effectively during emergency braking. This gives the E-Class W212 maximum safety even in tricky situations in city and cross-country traffic.

    The comprehensive safety equipment makes the Mercedes E-Class one of the best choices when it comes to active accident protection.

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