This Cutting-Edge Driving Simulator Helps Prevent Car Crashes Before They Happen

This video is sponsored by Mercedes-Benz.

Driving simulators are usually associated with video games, but they're also saving lives. Car companies use them to conduct tests in controlled environments, allowing them to build safer cars. And one of the most powerful driving simulators in the motor industry - a 1,700-horsepower production - belongs to Mercedes-Benz.

The German manufacturer has established itself as a pioneer in vehicle safety. From developing the "safety cage" construction with front and rear crumple zones in 1951 to being the first company to standardize the emergency brake assist in 1998, Mercedes has long placed safety at the forefront of its approach to vehicle development. According to a study from iSeeCars, Mercedes boasted the lowest overall recall rate of any car manufacturer between 1985 and 2014.

At the end of 2010, at its headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, Mercedes rolled out its latest effort in improving vehicle safety: a $34 million driving simulator.

The simulator, a six-legged hexapod anchored to a 12-meter rail (it looks a little like a giant UFO), can fit an entire Mercedes model inside. Weighing over 300 tons, the simulator features a 360-degree projection screen and the ability to mimic extreme driving situations. As the driver accelerates and brakes inside the simulator, the display screen changes to reflect different types of road conditions, including factors such as traffic and pedestrians. Meanwhile, a control center triggers maneuvers, communicates with the driver, and moves the vehicle through its software.

Mercedes' driving simulator allows the company to improve its models long before the hardware prototypes are even available. As a result, safer cars can be developed in a shorter amount of time.

Watch the video above to see the simulator in action and learn more about how it works.

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