Merc's night vision a hit

MERCEDES-BENZ says more than 30 per cent of new S-class customers have specified the company’s Australian-first Night View Assist technology since the car’s release in February.

M-B says the high-tech system’s popularity augers well for its Distronic Plus proximity control system, which will combine the previous (circa 1998) Distronic radar (77 GHz) with a new close-range radar (24 GHz) to extend its range from 0.2 to 150 metres and its operating speed from standstill to 200km/h – but won’t become available until late 2006.