Safety and Security: Mercedes-Benz S550

The S-Class earned the Safety and Security Award for an array of sophisticated safety features. Mercedes S-Class 550 wowed the judges with state-of-the-art technology and a regal sticker price. Radar system warns if the distance to the vehicle in front is too small. Distronic Plus in the Mercedes S-Class graphically displays distance to the vehicle ahead. This sexy strongbox of a sedan wowed the judges for several reasons: It comes loaded with more goodies than Santa's sleigh; the S-Class practically drives itself; and — let's be honest — the $100,250 sticker made the judges feel like royalty during their brief reigns behind the wheel. The S-Class is as much about safety as it is luxury. A number of safety innovations first appeared on this model: computer-controlled Antilock Brake System (1978); Supplemental Restraint System, of which front air bags were one component (1982); and Electronic Stability Program (1996). Essentially, ESP works invisibly to help keep the car going where the driver points it. Using electronic sensors and computer logic, the system measures whether the car is going in the direction it is being steered. If there's a difference, the system corrects with split-second speed by applying one of the left or right-side brakes. ESP uses the angle of the steering wheel and the speed of the four wheels to calculate the path