We can all feel under pressure when driving; in an emergency situation, imagine a car that can assist a mind caught off guard to steer out of harm's way.

In the event of a potential collision with either a passenger crossing the road or standing in the road in front of you, the Mercedes-Benz Evasive Steering Assist system in the new S-Class helps you avoid a collision. During an emergency situation, all the driver’s force is applied to braking full pressure and not enough force, or attention, remains to steer. The Mercedes power assisted steering system detects that the driver no longer requires braking, but rather car steering. It therefore releases the brakes and provides the driver with extra torque upon steering in order to help the driver evade the pedestrian. The amount of torque applied is precisely calculated by the collision avoidance system itself. As soon as the collision has been avoided, the steering system assists with straightening up once again. The driver assist system is able to detect pedestrians by their shape, their size, their radar reflectivity, and most importantly the movement of their legs. Both the radar and the camera can detect the moving legs of a pedestrian's body and therefore distinguish that it’s a relevant object to be avoided. The complete Mercedes driver assistance package helps the driver avoid collisions by means of both a radar and a camera, helping to keep both passengers and pedestrians safe inside and out.

Exploring the latest of technology and engineering, Veritasium brings you exciting demos, interviews, experiments and discussions in the world of science. As part of the “Veritasium meets Mercedes-Benz” series, we present five episodes exploring Mercedes’ latest innovations in the automotive industry. To find out more about intelligent driving and features such as an adaptive cruise control that automatically accelerates and decelerates accordingly in traffic, or a pre-collision system that is activated to help keep passengers safe, then watch the full series.