- DRIVE PILOT: Conditionally automated driving at speeds of up to 95 km/h on German highways
- Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX): AI upgrade for personalised and intuitive control
- New MANUFAKTUR options: Over 50 new paint colours and 25 exclusive interior designs available worldwide
- S-Class Edition: Sporty elegance with exclusive design highlights
- Brand campaign with Roger Federer: The S-Class as the star of “Because it’s Mercedes Benz”
Mercedes-Benz is refining the S‑Class with updates for the 2025 model year. Conditionally automated driving is now available at higher speeds in Germany, new colour tones and materials enhance customisation options, and the infotainment system responds even more intelligently to its users. With these advancements, the S‑Class continues to set the benchmark in its segment.
DRIVE PILOT: The world’s fastest system for conditionally automated driving
The current S Class sets new benchmarks in conditionally automated driving for the luxury segment. On highways in Germany and the U.S., DRIVE PILOT can take over driving tasks under certain conditions. Previously, this was limited to speeds of up to 60 km/h in traffic congestion. Now, DRIVE PILOT can operate at speeds of up to 95 km/h in regular traffic flow, following a vehicle ahead in the right-hand lane on the German Autobahn.
This allows customers to drive in conditionally automated mode more frequently and for extended periods, making better use of their time on the road. When DRIVE PILOT is active, drivers are legally permitted to engage in other activities – watching movies, reading newspapers, working, or simply relaxing while the S‑Class drives conditionally automated.
Safety remains Mercedes-Benz’s top priority with this enhanced version of DRIVE PILOT. The system is designed with redundancy, meaning that critical functions such as electrical systems, steering, and braking have backup components. If necessary, the system is always capable of handing control back to the driver.
Should the driver fail to respond, DRIVE PILOT will perform a safe, controlled emergency stop. Over 35 sensors are utilised, including cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and LiDAR. These sensors operate on different physical principles, creating redundancies that ensure precise real-time environmental detection. At SAE‑Level 3, Mercedes‑Benz considers LiDAR essential for safe automated driving.
A unique positioning system, combined with highly detailed digital mapping, enables DRIVE PILOT to determine the exact lane the vehicle is in – with accuracy down to just a few centimetres. To provide additional transparency to other road users, Mercedes-Benz is currently testing special turquoise-coloured indicator lights in the U.S. and Germany, which signal the status of the conditionally automated driving system.
Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX): AI Upgrade for an even smarter S-Class
Mercedes-Benz enhances the digital experience in the S‑Class with a suite of new digital features via over-the-air updates for the MBUX infotainment system. These updates refine navigation, expand the AI-powered voice assistant, and introduce additional digital functions – delivering an even more intelligent and intuitive driving experience.
A standout feature is the integration of ChatGPT into the voice assistant via Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. This integration makes it even more natural and versatile: drivers can retrieve accurate and up-to-date answers to a wide range of knowledge questions via Microsoft Bing and engage in context-aware conversations while keeping their hands on the wheel. It also allows for seamless interaction with dialogue history, enabling follow-up questions and continuous communication.
Navigation has also been enhanced with Google’s satellite view, which provides a high-resolution bird’s-eye perspective for better orientation, especially in complex environments.
Furthermore, the entertainment offering is expanding: The Entertainment Package Plus is now available via the Mercedes-Benz Store, enabling customers to access popular streaming services such as the YouTube Web App or Sony Pictures Entertainment’s RIDEVU video streaming service directly in the vehicle. In the rear of the S-Class, RIDEVU transforms the journey into an exclusive cinematic experience, offering a rich selection of movies and series for unmatched entertainment on the move
More personality, more exclusivity: new MANUFAKTUR Options now available worldwide
With the global expansion of the MANUFAKTUR program, the S‑Class now offers even more opportunities to express individuality. Over 50 new MANUFAKTUR paint colours and 25 additional interior options provide an unprecedented level of customisation. From meticulously handcrafted textiles to premium leather combinations and exquisite wood inlays, the S-Class allows owners to personalise their vehicles to match their unique preferences. These new options are available worldwide as of today.
In Sindelfingen, the birthplace and production hub of the S‑Class, the MANUFAKTUR program creates bespoke interior elements and handcrafted paint finishes. Expert craftspeople meticulously assemble each detail – whether it’s precision stitching or upholstering a multi-piece headliner by hand.
Mercedes-Benz has been offering tailor-made vehicles for over 120 years. In fact, the brand itself was born from a customer request – the first-ever Mercedes, the 35 PS model, was designed specifically for its owner. A tradition that continues to this day.
Exclusive S-Class Edition: expressive and elegant
With the new S-Class Edition, Mercedes-Benz presents a refined expression of sporty elegance and exclusive design. Offered with AMG Line and Night package, the model is available in five carefully curated paint finishes, including MANUFAKTUR night black magno and MANUFAKTUR opalite white bright.
Exclusive to this Edition are the door handles in dark shadow gloss and black door sill panels featuring illuminated “Mercedes-Benz” lettering – details that add to the vehicle’s sophisticated character. The interior includes Nappa leather in three colour variants, complemented by a head-up display and the Burmester® 3D Surround Sound System. Completing the high-end specification are 20‑inch AMG light-alloy wheels and DIGITAL LIGHT with projection function. A digital edition emblem embedded in the Mercedes‑Benz User Experience (MBUX) – for the first time in an S-Class – reinforces the model’s distinctive identity.
The Edition will be available with a variety of powertrain options from the current S‑Class portfolio, offering customers the freedom to pair design exclusivity with their preferred drivetrain.
Brand Campaign with Roger Federer: Because it’s Mercedes-Benz
The S-Class represents the perfect blend of craftsmanship and technological excellence. These values take centre stage in the continuation of the brand campaign “Because it’s Mercedes-Benz,” which features brand ambassador Roger Federer in a key role.
The campaign highlights what makes a Mercedes-Benz genuinely unique. Striking film sequences showcase the precision craftsmanship within the MANUFAKTUR program, from the finest leather upholstery to intricate handcrafted stitching. The S-Class embodies this philosophy like no other model – especially with the global expansion of the MANUFAKTUR program.
