Mercedes-Benz CL-Class Protects Drivers With Pre-Safe System

The anticipatory Pre-Safe protection system is included in the standard safety equipment for the new CL-Class, which makes its market debut in the autumn of 2006. This award-winning technology goes into action if an accident is imminent and protects the occupants of the new luxury coupe against the effects of an impending collision. Available as an option is the Pre-Safe brake, an additional new feature that automatically slows the CL-Class down when the risk of an accident is recognised. No comparable safety technology is found in any other car in this vehicle class.

With Pre-Safe, Mercedes-Benz ushered in a new era of passenger car safety. For the first time, this system is able to create a synergy between active and passive safety: on the basis of sensor information from active handling safety systems, which register the danger of a skid or very heavy braking within milliseconds, Pre-Safe uses the time between detection of a potential accident and activation of the protective systems in the vehicle interior. During this interval, Pre-Safe prepares the occupants for the impending collision as a precaution.

In other words, Pre-Safe gives the car reflexes. When danger is detected, the new CL-Class responds as reflexively as a living being and activates the appropriate protective measures to avoid the risk of injuries or reduce their severity. This Mercedes invention is in line with the findings of accident researchers, which show that more than two-thirds of all serious accidents are preceded by critical driving maneuvers that allow an impending collision to be predicted in advance.

In the new CL-Class, Pre-Safe uses this advance accident detection phase, which can have a duration of several seconds in some cases, to:
• move the front passenger seat to a more favorable position with respect to height and fore-and-aft adjustment, as well as cushion and backrest angle, during emergency braking, so that the seat belt and airbag are able to work most effectively during an impact, and to inflate the air chambers in the dynamic multi-contour seats (optional) to support the driver and front passenger and press them more firmly into their seats.
• additionally close the front side windows and sliding sunroof if the car starts to skid, so that the occupants are not thrown out and the windowbags have better support during a side impact or rollover.

Automatic partial braking when a collision is imminent
The newly developed Pre-Safe brake system improves this preventative occupant protection even further. This unique system automatically brakes the CL-Class before an impending accident and operates in tandem with the Brake Assist PLUS (BAS PLUS) system introduced last year, which warns the driver of an imminent rear-end collision with visual and audible signals and automatically calculates the required braking pressure to prevent an accident. This braking-power support is available as soon as the brake pedal is operated.