When Was The First Autonomous Car Built?

Mercedes-Benz Whensday: The PROMETHEUS Project

Autonomous driving has gathered a lot of attention in the last few years. As we as a planet get closer to full autonomy, the dream turns into a reality and even the skeptics jump on board. Did you know, though, that the research for autonomous driving started more than 30 years ago? For Mercedes-Benz, it all started with the PROMETHEUS Project in 1986.

Pre 1980s Autonomy Dreams

EUREKA PROMETHEUS Launch: October 1986

The name PROMETHEUS sounds like a rocket or maybe even a missile, but it is actually something far more important to the sustainability of human culture. In fact, we would be years behind in the race to autonomy if it hadn’t been for Mercedes-Benz and the EUREKA PROMETHEUS project. Since 1986, the project has made many discoveries that are still used in autonomous applications today such as adaptive cruise control, vehicle tracking, and even making complete turns.

Semi-Autonomous Mercedes-Benz E-Class

We are no more than 10 years away from full autonomy in the automotive industry. It is probably more like five years, but just to be safe, we’ll say ten. Right now, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class can follow the flow of traffic, on the highway or not, stop itself, wait for pedestrians, and even park itself without anyone in the car! Of course, this system still needs an occupant who is awake and alert, but this is the closest any company has come to putting full autonomy in the hands of the everyday driver. If you have any questions or comments about the past, present, or future of autonomous driving, leave your thoughts in the comment section below!