Mercedes CLA MB.DRIVE ASSIST Pro preparation 2026: price, availability and what it includes

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Mercedes-Benz has started offering factory-installed preparation for the MB.DRIVE ASSIST Pro system on the new CLA Coupé. The option can be added to an order at no extra cost. For the CLA Shooting Brake and the new GLB, this option is not yet available.

The preparation includes two additional cameras in the front fenders, the required control units, wiring and increased computing power. Mercedes confirms that MB.DRIVE ASSIST Pro on the CLA uses two extra side cameras and is designed for advanced driver support in city traffic. The system relies on about 30 sensors in total, including ten cameras, five radars and twelve ultrasonic sensors.

MB.DRIVE ASSIST Pro itself is not yet available in Mercedes’ European digital services store, and its price and launch date have not been announced. the system is already being prepared for launch in the US — there it’s offered on a subscription basis. Buyers can skip the factory preparation, but installing the full hardware set later will likely be too technically complex and economically unreasonable. So the free option effectively preserves the owner’s ability to buy the feature once it launches.

The assistant is classified as SAE Level 2: the car can help with acceleration, braking, steering, lane changes and navigating city routes, but the driver must constantly watch the road and remains fully responsible. This is a key difference from Mercedes’ Level 3 Drive Pilot system.

For buyers, this means Mercedes is willing to install a chunk of expensive electronic hardware for free upfront and collect the revenue later through a software activation. This approach makes the car technically upgradeable, while also tying the owner more tightly to the manufacturer’s paid digital services.