Vehicles traveling on a different line
DISTRONIC PLUS may not detect vehicles trav-
eling on a different line. The distance to the
vehicle in front will be too short.
Other vehicles changing lanes
DISTRONIC PLUS has not detected the vehicle
cutting in yet. The distance to this vehicle will be
too short.
Narrow vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS has not yet detected the vehi-
cle in front on the edge of the road, because of
its narrow width. The distance to the vehicle in
front will be too short.
Obstructions and stationary vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS does not brake for obstacles
or stationary vehicles. If, for example, the detec-
ted vehicle turns a corner and reveals an obsta-cle or stationary vehicle, DISTRONIC PLUS will
not brake for these.
Crossing vehicles
DISTRONIC PLUS may detect vehicles that are
crossing your lane by mistake. Activating
DISTRONIC PLUS at traffic lights with crossing
traffic, for example, could cause your vehicle to
pull away unintentionally.
Blind Spot Assist
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Blind Spot Assist does not react to:
Rvehicles overtaken too closely on the side,
placing them in the blind spot area
Rvehicles which approach with a large speed
differential and overtake your vehicle
154Driving systems
Driving and parking
As a result, Blind Spot Assist may not give
warnings in such situations. There is a risk of
an accident.
Always observe the traffic conditions care-
fully, and maintain a safe lateral distance.
Blind Spot Assist is only an aid. It may fail to
detect some vehicles and is no substitute for
attentive driving.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can be
impaired if:
Rthere is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
Rvisibility is poor, e.g. due to fog, heavy rain or
snow
Rthere is a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g.
a motorcycle or bicycle
Rthe road has very wide lanes
Rthe road has narrow lanes
Ryou are not driving in the middle of the lane
Rthere are barriers or other road boundaries
iUSA only:
This device has been approved by the FCC as
a "Vehicular Radar System". The radar sensor
is intended for use in an automotive radar
system only. Removing, tampering with, or
altering the device will void any warranties,
and is not permitted by the FCC. Do not tam-
per with, alter, or use in any non-approved
way.
Any unauthorized modification to this device
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
General notes
Blind Spot Assist uses a radar sensor system to
monitor both the left and right sides of your
vehicle. It supports you from a speed of approx-
imately 20 mph (30 km/h). A warning display in
the exterior mirrors draws your attention to
vehicles detected in the monitored area. If you
then switch on the corresponding turn signal to change lanes, you will also receive a visual and
audible collision warning. For this purpose, Blind
Spot Assist uses sensors in the rear bumper.
Monitoring range of the sensors
Blind Spot Assist monitors the area up to 10 ft
(3 m) behind your vehicle and directly next to
your vehicle, as shown in the diagram.
If the lanes are narrow, vehicles driving in the
lane beyond the lane next to your vehicle may be
indicated, especially if the vehicles are not driv-
ing in the middle of their lane. This may be the
case if the vehicles are driving on the inner side
of their lane.
Due to the nature of the system:
Rwarnings may be issued in error when driving
close to crash barriers or similar solid lane
borders.
Rthe warning is canceled when driving for an
extended period next to long vehicles, such as
trucks.
The two sensors for Blind Spot Assist are inte-
grated into the sides of the rear bumper. Make
sure that the bumper is free of dirt, ice or slush
in the vicinity of the sensors. The radar sensors
must not be covered, for example by rear bicycle
racks or overhanging loads. Following a severe
impact or in the event of damage to the bump-
ers, have the function of the radar sensors
checked at a qualified specialist workshop.
Blind Spot Assist may otherwise not work prop-
erly.
Driving systems155
Driving an d parking
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