--- title: "Mercedes Wants Its Future Cars to Dodge Rock Chips All on Their Own" description: "A patent that's just been granted to Mercedes would leverage lidar and microphones to help cars steer out of the way of impending paint blemishes." date: "2024-11-01" modified: "2024-11-01" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/mercedes-wants-its-future-cars-to-dodge-rock-chips-all-on-their-own" categories: - "Car Tech" - "Mercedes-Benz News" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Patents" - "Self-Driving Tech" tags: - "luxury car" - "Mercedes" --- # Mercedes Wants Its Future Cars to Dodge Rock Chips All on Their Own ![]() *\Mercedes-Benz\* In a perfect world, [Mercedes]() would make sure you never have to deal with pesky rock chips on the front of your car again. A patent filing recently granted by the [German Patent and Trademark Office]() and discovered by *[CarMoses]()* envisions a future where Mercedes equipped with self-driving features can leverage their [lidar]() sensors to steer away from oncoming road debris. The system would work by using lidar to generate a point cloud—a representation in data of where debris is located ahead of the car. Based on the information the sensors glean, the car would make a determination. If the particles ahead are like water spray or dust and not harmful to the body, nothing happens. But if they're, say, stones, the vehicle will check to see if a lane change is possible, and execute one if so to avoid damage. You might assume that Mercedes developed this technology for larger, more dangerous objects, but the patent specifically calls out rock chips and scenarios like following "unclosed vans" and "grave loaders" as a priority. The application also specifically mentions building this tech into "automated" vehicles. That could mean modern cars with Level 2 driver assistance functions, or truly autonomous cars that don't exist yet—it's unclear. ![]() **Mercedes-Benz** Could such a system really work? It seems almost impossible for sensors to determine whether a small object is flying at the vehicle, scan its surroundings for a safe lane change, and then steer into another lane *all in the time* it takes a rock to pop up and leave a mark in your paintwork. However, the system's value may not be so much in preventing damage, but minimizing it. Imagine prolonged situations, like when you're on a stretch of road with more gravel than usual, or stuck behind a truck that's leaving debris in its wake. And even in cases when the next lane over isn't available, the system could simply increase the following distance to the ongoing source of debris ahead. Mercedes even raises the possibility of using microphones to determine the frequency of chips; once the pitter-patter dies down, the car will maintain its spot. Still, I have to laugh at the image of Mercedes swerving all over the road just to avoid a couple of pebbles. Of course, the system probably wouldn't work so chaotically, but if the maneuvers were as sudden as I'm imagining, new Mercs would terrorize the [New Jersey Turnpike]() attempting to weave between all those construction vehicles. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()