Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) is among the top names that come to mind when you think of driver assistance technology – otherwise known as “autopilot” or in the case of the EV maker, “full self-driving”.
However, the company’s advanced driver assistance system does not even rank in the top 5 currently, according to recent data from an American non-profit.
“It’s not nearly as good as what you might think it is,” says Kelly Funkhouser, associate director of vehicle technology at Consumer Reports.
Tesla stock is down more than 10% versus its year-to-date high at writing.
Tesla ranks 8th in driver assistance technology
Tesla’s autopilot ranked eighth on a recent list by Consumer Reports.
Detroit automakers Ford and General Motors, German makes like BMW and Volkswagen, and even the Japanese manufacturers Nissan and Toyota ranked higher than Tesla on that list.
Note that advanced driver assistance system is an umbrella term that covers various features in automobiles that offer electronic assistance to drivers or even automate a few tasks for them.
These include automatic emergency braking or lane centering for improved safety.
Naturally, the cost of these systems failing is enormous and has resulted in several probes into Tesla Inc.
Tesla stock is currently up 170% versus its 52-week low.
Mercedes is particularly good at autopilot
Among names that Consumer Reports ranked higher in terms of driver assistance systems, Mercedes-Benz Group (ETR: MBG) came out particularly strong.
The autopilot technology on its EQE 350 SUV is far better than almost every other contender in executing common features and even has a few new ones that are not even present in rivals’ cars, according to the non-profit.
Additionally, the Mercedes system, unlike that of Tesla, is more collaborative and enables drivers to take over the wheel without shutting down entirely.
The only area where it lacks is the driver monitoring camera that’s available on Ford’s BlueCruise and GM’s Super Cruise.
“If it were to have that driver monitoring camera, it would easily be number one,” Kelly Funkhouser added.
Is Mercedes stock worth owning in 2025?
Mercedes may be beating rivals in driver assistance technology, but its stock is a different story.
Last month, analysts at Goldman Sachs downgraded Mercedes stock to “neutral” and lower their price target to €59, citing concerns about its EV transition and sales of its high-end luxury vehicles.
The investment firm turned dovish even though Mercedes sold a record 625,800 cars in the final quarter of 2024.
At the time, its chairman Ola Kallenius told investors:
We continue to consistently strengthen our portfolio with the biggest product offensive in our company’s history starting this year with the all-new CLA.
Mercedes stock does not, however, pay a dividend at writing.
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