Updated on September 8, 2017
Mercedes-Benz Rules Out Autonomous Vehicles; Adds Second Steering Wheel Instead
Mercedes S550 equipped with the duplicate steering wheel option
Daimler AG announced today it has dropped plans to build a self-driving vehicle and will instead offer an optional second steering wheel for the passenger side.
“We want people driving our cars, not some electronic widget,” explained Mercedes spokesperson Tulpe Huber. “If the driver doesn’t want to steer, maybe one of the passengers will.”
At $7,700, the second steering wheel isn’t cheap, but it is heated and includes a massage feature that makes your knuckles tingle (for those who like that sort of thing). A set of duplicate throttle and brake pedals can be added for an additional $5500, according to Mercedes.
