Mercedes 2015 Annual Report Download - page 32

Mercedes-Benz Marco Polo
On the road with a safety pioneer
DAIMLER | INNOVATIVE. DIGITAL. LEADING. 37
Daimler’s vision of accident-free
driving promotes the development of
outstanding safety technologies, and
the Marco Polo from Mercedes-Benz
Vans is no exception.
Daimler already builds the world’s safest vehicles — and
we still have plenty of ideas about how to make passenger
and road freight transport even safer in the future.
Safety first: setting the pace and the standards
Our development work on safety systems takes into
account not only future legal requirements but also the
actual situation on roads and highways. This approach has
proven to be very successful, as our assistance systems
in vehicles with the star and those built by other Daimler
brands are virtually synonymous with top-class safety.
Close cooperation between our automotive divisions and
between those divisions and Daimler Group Research have
given us a considerable edge over our competitors. This in
turn offers a major advantage, especially in terms of vans,
whose technological similarity to Mercedes-Benz pas-
senger cars allows innovative technologies in cars
to be quickly transferred. This is also the case with the
Marco Polo and Marco Polo ACTIVITY models from
Mercedes-Benz Vans.
The Marco Polo: exemplary safety confirmed by TÜV
The compact camper van combines maximum functionality
with style and aesthetic appeal. It also offers a level of
safety above and beyond the legal requirements — a fact
that was confirmed in August 2015, when Mercedes-Benz
Vans was presented with a seal of quality for Occupant
Protection in the Marco Polo by the TÜV Rheinland tech-
nical inspection agency. It is the first and, to date, only
camper van manufacturer to ever receive such an award.
The Marco Polo is also the first camper van to demonstrate
exceptional occupant protection and installation stability
through participation in a crash test in addition to legally
required safety tests. During a collision at 56 km/h, the
vehicle structure was able to absorb all impact forces with-
out any deformations in the interior. All of the installations
also remained undamaged and the doors of the furniture in
the interior stayed closed.
Safe feeling as standard: Marco Polo with unique
driver assistance systems
The Marco Polo, which is based on the Mercedes-Benz
V-Class multipurpose vehicle, perfectly combines leisure
and daily use. In addition, a total of 11 assistance systems
ensure a high level of safety with the help of state-of-the-
art radar, cameras and ultrasound sensors based on the
Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Drive concept.
The range of standard equipment in the Marco Polo is
exemplary and includes ATTENTION ASSIST, which detects
signs of driver fatigue, and Crosswind Assist, which can
reduce the negative impact of dangerous wind gusts by
supporting the driver by means of targeted braking — a
unique feature in the compact camper-van segment.
Additional optional assistance systems
Other ultramodern assistance systems are available in the
Marco Polo as options. These include Active Parking Assist,
a 360-degree camera, DISTRONIC PLUS proximity cruise
control, the COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST distance warn-
ing system, Traffic Sign Assist with a wrong-way warning
function, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Assist, the LED
Intelligent Light System and Adaptive Highbeam Assist.
The PRE-SAFE® system familiar from passenger car models
is also available in the Marco Polo. This is the first time
such a system has been offered in the compact camper-van
segment. In the event of an impending collision, the system
ensures that the seat belts and airbags offer the best pos-
sible protection.
“Safety is one of the fundamental
brand values at Daimler.”
Mercedes-Benz Marco Polo
on track for success
The Marco Polo is extremely successful. Demand
for the camper van continues to rise and the model
has received awards from two trade journals. The
camper van took first place in the readers’ choice
competition of AUTO BILD REISEMOBIL magazine
for the “Goldene AUTO BILD Reisemobil 2015”
award, while readers of promobil named it “Compact
Camper Van of the Year” in 2016, as they had in the
previous year.