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The Sprinter benefits both from its passenger-car-like driving style and the development of driver assistance systems for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Their safety technology has also been introduced and adapted to the special requirements and conditions of vans.
Mercedes-Benz Vans has been present in the Middle East since 1998, as part of Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East. The Sprinter has enjoyed huge success in the MENA region since its introduction, proving popular for a wide number of applications such as ambulances, school buses and passenger transport.
Serkan Sarikaya, head of sales, Mercedes-Benz Vans Middle East and North Africa (MENA), said: “With each generation, the Sprinter has remained at the forefront of innovation to take the safety offered to our customers, their passengers and other road users to a new level, making it the world’s safest, most reliable and versatile large van.”
In 1995, Mercedes-Benz presented a newly developed van that quickly advanced to become the reference model for an entire vehicle category. From the start of the Sprinter’s development, it was clear that both active and passive safety would be central components of its concept. The Sprinter included disk brakes all-around, an ABS anti-lock braking system as standard, automatic brake differential, a driver’s airbag on request, three-point seat belts adjustable in height and seat belt buckles attached to the seat.
In 2000, the Sprinter was given more powerful headlamps as part of an extensive facelift. In addition to active safety, Mercedes-Benz continued to advance passive safety too. The driver’s airbag was now included as standard equipment, while a co-driver’s airbag was optionally available. The large double airbag was designed to protect both passengers occupying the co-driver bench seat. The redesign of the driver cockpit maintained the driver’s level of fitness with the appearance of a passenger car. The gear stick was redesigned as a control lever and relocated to an easy-to-reach height to further improve ergonomics – and in turn safety. The next safety feature, windowbags, were introduced in 2001.
The Sprinter was further refined in 2002 with many new safety features including a more powerful brake booster and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP), installed as standard initially in the closed variant of the Sprinter up to a gross vehicle mass of 3.5 tonnes. Two years later, ESP was included in the standard equipment of all Sprinter chassis up to a gross vehicle mass of 3.5 tonnes.
The second-generation Sprinter in 2006 boasted a significantly increased cargo capacity. A GFRP transverse leaf spring at the front axle and new parabolic springs at the rear axle were complemented by an optional air suspension that improved both comfort and safety. As the ESP was adapted to various loading conditions thanks to mass and centre of gravity detection, vehicle control was made more precise and specific in critical driving situations. The ESP was optionally enhanced with start-off assist to prevent the vehicle from inadvertently rolling backwards while pulling away on an incline. Additional adjustable wide-angle mirror glass in the new outside mirrors provided the best possible view to the rear, plus static curve lights were available on request. A rain and light sensor took care of switching the windscreen wipers and driving lights on and off. All Sprinter vans came fitted with 16-inch wheels, the pre-requirement for brake disks with a large diameter and the corresponding performance. As a preventive measure, thoraxbags were also available in addition to the front airbags.
In 2009, the ESP received another function – trailer stabilisation. Furthermore, Mercedes-Benz introduced adaptive brake lights and the front fog lamps were relocated to a lower position to better illuminate the road. The start-off assist was now included with the optional automatic transmission.
In 2013, the new Sprinter launched with world-leading driver assistance systems for vans. Crosswind Assist celebrated its debut and showcased its ability to almost completely compensate the effects of gusts of wind on the vehicle as far as physically possible. This feature is standard equipment on all closed variants, and soon became available for Sprinters with separate bodies such as box bodies or camper vans.
Collision Prevention Assist comprises the functions of warning of a fast decrease of distance to the vehicle ahead, adaptive braking assistance system Brake Assist Pro and a further warning stage in the event of an acute risk of collision. Blind Spot Assist warns drivers of vehicles in the neighbouring lane or in the so-called blind spot when changing lanes. Lane Keeping Assist warns the driver about leaving the lane inadvertently by monitoring the roadway ahead and its markings. High Beam Assist ensures that the lane is optimally illuminated with conditional activation and deactivation of the main beam headlamps. As a result, it became almost impossible to dazzle approaching vehicles or those driving ahead.
In 2018, the third generation of the Sprinter raised the vehicle to a new level of safety. Active Distance Assist Distronic, for example, relieves the driver by automatically maintaining sufficient distance to the vehicle ahead from a speed of 20 km/h. A radar sensor in the front bumper determines the data required for this. The system detects lane changes or braking manoeuvres of other road users and can react immediately – in an emergency the active distance warning assistance system can bring the Sprinter to a standstill.
Other driver assistance systems introduced to the new Sprinter include a reversing camera with an image in the inside rear-view mirror and a modern parking package with 360-degree camera, providing all-around visibility. A rain sensor and wipers with integrated Wet Wiper System provide for optimum visibility even when the windscreen is being cleaned.
