Turquoise is more than just a cool blue-green shade in the German palette: turquoise marker lights in the brand’s EQS sedan and S-class will indicate that the cars are moving autonomously. This will take place in California and Nevada. These are the first states in the United States to approve Mercedes’ SAE Level 3 self-driving system technology, known as Drive Pilot, for use on public roads.
After two years of testing, the program will launch in California with 2026 EQS sedan and S-class production models. The turquoise markers will appear in the California test vehicles’ headlights, taillights, and side mirrors. Mercedes hopes to “standardize” the turquoise signals in cars worldwide in the future.
Besides its distinctive appearance, Mercedes chose turquoise for its visibility and differentiation from the colors used for traffic signals and traditional vehicle lighting. They will also be used to alert other road users – as well as police – that the company’s SAE Level 3 autonomous-driving system is operational.
Mercedes claims that Drive Pilot will be available by early next year, allowing drivers to take their hands off the wheel and perform “secondary activities” on the car’s infotainment display, such as email sorting and online shopping. Mercedes claims that if any system fails, braking and steering fail-safes will safely maintain control of the car until the driver regains control.
