While browsing Autoblog.it today, I stumbled upon a new S-Class story that gave me a good laugh.

As you probably know, the new S-Class features a host of safety features not found on any other vehicles, one of which is a new Brake Assist Plus feature.  If you're unfamiliar with Brake Assist Plus, it's a system that uses radar to detect traffic that may or may not be visible to the driver, and in the event that braking force is needed to prevent an accident, the Brake Assist system kicks in and supplies the necessary stopping power.

Mercedes recently decided to demonstrate this safety feature for Germany's Star TV, but unfortunately for the donor S-Class, all didn't go as planned.

To showcase the Brake Assist Plus feature, a test track was set up, complete with heavy fog and a hidden stationary test vehicle, to compare the previous S-Class to the forthcoming 2007 model.  The previous S-Class was then sent traveling down the track, which collided with the stationary vehicle due to the low visibility.

Next, it was time for the 2007 S-Class to perform the same test, but thanks to Brake Assist Plus, the safety system was supposed to kick in and stop the vehicle in time.  Guess what?  It didn't work.  The S-Class traveled down the track, collided with the previous S-Class, which then collided with the stationary test vehicle.

After closer inspection, the Mercedes engineers believe the failed test came as a result of the high steel and concrete construction of the testing facilities throwing off the Brake Assist Plus' radar, but assures drivers in real world conditions, the system will work as planned.

The moral of the story is this: if you're driving an S-Class, you're an intelligent individual. Regardless of whether or not the safety systems work, reading the Wall Street Journal, conducting a conference call and drinking a café latte while traveling at 70+mph is never a smart idea.  Remember kids, there's no substitute for safe driving.

To check out the full story over at Star TV, you can click here.  (Click the thumbnails below their story for a bunch of photos.) The story is translated from German, so it's slightly difficult to follow.