Merc brake test was a sham
TV test cock-up results in sackings
Don't try this at home
We ran the story a couple of weeks ago and reported that: "Mercedes brought three of its range-topping cars for a demonstration of its safety radar, which is designed to ensure that, when the car in front brakes hard, so does yours. You won't rear-end anyone, is the claim.
"Sadly, that's exactly what happened. The £50,000+ cars crashed into each other when Mercedes put the three cars in line astern and got the first to brake heavily. The two behind didn't stop, with obvious results." The cars were driven by a journalist from German motoring publication AutoBild.
It turns out the whole event was a fake, information that's been revealed as a result of an audio tape recorded by the journalist involved, Michael Specht, who conducted the test on Stern TV. The tape shows that the shunt was in fact an accident, but not the accident that was planned to happen.
Early reports that the system won't work in a steel hall are correct. Mercedes knew that before it ran the tests and decided to fake it: Specht would brake manually. They placed a plank of wood along the run so Stern would know when to brake. But the S Class's suspension foiled the plan as Specht could not feel the car run over it, was unsighted by the smoke emulating fog, and didn't brake in time -- right in front of the rolling cameras of Stern TV, who didn't know about the plan.
Specht has since been fired, while several Mercedes engineers could suffer a similar fate, according to one report.
Links
This shows mercedes in a poor light not just there cynical ploy but the way there now firing all the people on the ground rather than those that actually made these stupid descisions no wonder the companys doing so crap with managment like that, sorry but they derseved to be made to look stupid my only sympathy is with the scapgoats made to carry the can
"Mercedes knew that before it ran the tests and decided to fake it."
The original story says:
"Mercedes engineers knew the radar technology wouldn't work in the steel warehouse the demo was supposed to take place in, but they were bullied into 'simulating' the test by AutoBild journalist, Michael Specht, according to reports."
Two completely different interpretations. Yours was apparently written without any insight except that gained from reading the original report on The Register. Even then, you still managed to twist the words to give them a different meaning. Don't let the facts get in the way, eh? I hear The Sun might be hiring.
steve-p said:
Your story says:
"Mercedes knew that before it ran the tests and decided to fake it."
The original story says:
"Mercedes engineers knew the radar technology wouldn't work in the steel warehouse the demo was supposed to take place in, but they were bullied into 'simulating' the test by AutoBild journalist, Michael Specht, according to reports."
Two completely different interpretations. Yours was apparently written without any insight except that gained from reading the original report on The Register. Even then, you still managed to twist the words to give them a different meaning. Don't let the facts get in the way, eh? I hear The Sun might be hiring.
Mercedes didn't have to say yes, It was their decision to fake it, not Specht's.
>> Edited by manek on Wednesday 30th November 16:19
pasthim said:
So you develop ground breaking (sic) anti-crash technology and showcase it somewhere you know it won't work, using three of your most expensive cars and let the cameras film it. If I ran Mercedes I would have sacked the management involved instantly. This is hugely embarrassing for them and a huge error of judgement. Someone at Merc was repsonsible for overseeing that and letting it happen. Stunning.
Agreed!
Even if the "crash" hadn't happened, there's still a chanced it may have leaked out that the test was faked, and that would have proved embarrassing anyway.
Presumably there's a warning in the driver's handbook on these cars that says the system can't be relied on on all circumstances ...
drcarrera said:
So you develop ground breaking (sic) anti-crash technology and showcase it somewhere you know it won't work, using three of your most expensive cars and let the cameras film it. If I ran Mercedes I would have sacked the management involved instantly. This is hugely embarrassing for them and a huge error of judgement. Someone at Merc was repsonsible for overseeing that and letting it happen. Stunning.
Agreed!
Even if the "crash" hadn't happened, there's still a chanced it may have leaked out that the test was faked, and that would have proved embarrassing anyway.
Presumably there's a warning in the driver's handbook on these cars that says the system can't be relied on on all circumstances ...
Ground braking technology?
The system is affected by surrounding steel structures?
So what happens when you drive over a steel constructed bridge or into a tunnel? Not so bad if the system doesn't brake as you should take over but what if the system gets confused and brakes for no reason? No doubt this is impossible.....
Gassing Station | Mercedes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff