Mercedes Assistance Graphic – What Is It For?
The Mercedes assistance graphic is a really underutilized feature that can make driving your Mercedes far easier and a far more relaxed experience. Any time some of the monotony of driving and the tedious aspects of the process can be reduced or removed should be seen as a win. For Mercedes, the assistance graphic setting is one such feature that does that.
Unfortunately, for many people, the darn thing simply doesn’t work properly so there is no wonder they can’t “utilize” it properly. This article will explain what the Mercedes assistance graphic is for, how it can help you, why it doesn’t often work properly, and potentially what you can do to fix it.
What Is The Mercedes Assistance Graphic For?
The Mercedes assistance graphic is designed to help you approximate your position relative to the road and the car, or cars, in front of you. This can be super useful for parking, ensuring you are driving straight and your vehicle’s directional thrust is correct, as well as determining whether you are a safe distance from the vehicle in front.
There are a variety of settings that can make driving easier by either warning you when you start to drift too far out of your lane or are getting too close to the car in front of you. If you take the example of your breaking distance varying based on road conditions into account it can be super helpful to know how close you are to the vehicle in front.
Some Mercedes even come with automatic braking assistance, which is fully integrated with the assistance graphic. If you get too close to the car in front your Merc may start to ease off the gas or even break on your behalf. It can also be used as an emergency brake system at lower speeds. If children, or an animal, for example, were to wander in front of your car the assistance graphic may even be faster at spotting them than you are.
What Should The Mercedes Assistance Graphic Look Like?
Your assistance graphic should look like a grey-ish hood of a car facing a darker gray tarmac road. There should be green lane markings (these are optional) that help you determine where the road markings are and where you are driving relative to the center of your lane. There are two little graphics at the top left and top right of the screen.
The left graphic should be a coffee cup that says either off or no and is referring to the attention assist function that can be used if you are feeling tired, or simply prefer to have it on. It can be toggled on and off easily and is excellent for long journeys on your own that can become dangerously boring. The right graphic shows two cars very close together and is demonstrating whether or not you have the automatic brake assist function activated or not.
Why Does The Mercedes Assistance Graphic Not Work?
Now, when it works the Mercedes assistance graphic is brilliant and can make driving not only easier and more enjoyable but substantially safer. However, it very frequently fails to operate properly. Unfortunately, given that it is a software-based system for the most part if you feel the display isn’t working properly then there is a good chance you will need to take your car into the shop to have it checked out, updated, etc.
There could potentially be an issue with the cameras that are trying to determine your position on the road relative to the road markings and the car in front.
What Is Distronic And How Does That Relate To The Mercedes Assistance Graphic?
Distronic is the Mercedes brand of adaptive cruise control which naturally accompanies the assistance graphic very well. Now, some cars come with one or the other while many come with both. The Distronic system can pair with the assistance graphic to help you slow down, brake, and potentially even turn off your cruise control if there are hazards ahead.
There is a very big difference between a self-driving car and the Merc Distronic system. However, the Distronic system paired with the Mercedes assistance graphic can make you feel like a lot of the high-pressure parts of driving are a lot easier. It certainly makes those long tedious drives far more tolerable, even perhaps enjoyable.
When Is It Worth Discussing The Mercedes Assistance Graphic With A Mercedes Technician?
If you feel that your assistance graphic isn’t working properly and you are unable to activate your braking assistance or attention assist functions then you are likely going to need to pay a trip to the technician. If you feel that your assistance system is working but is actually quite inaccurate this is far more urgent than if it isn’t working at all.
You can either stop using it or speak to a technician immediately. If your car is badly judging where it is and you rely too much on the assist features you are at risk of injuring yourself and others as well as damaging your car.
How Much Does It Cost To Fix The Mercedes Assistance Graphic?
If you are dealing with minor software issues it may not actually cost you a penny. It depends where you are in the world but for the most part, Mercedes is pretty good about putting their hands up and saying this isn’t working properly we will fix it for you.
If it requires new cameras and sensors on the front of your car, and you are out of warranty, it could unfortunately cost a few hundred to a thousand bucks. This isn’t the end of the world but it isn’t exactly cheap either.
Conclusion
The Mercedes assistance graphic is such a cool feature that Mercedes has rolled out that can make driving not only far safer but far more enjoyable. While many people never have an issue with the assistance graphic others swear that it has never worked for them.
If in doubt, speak to a Merc technician. Chances are they can fix it cheaply or even for free if it’s a minor issue. At the very least, they will be able to verify whether it is working or not.
