As the year draws to an end, 2021 marks 25 years the Mercedes-Benz Vito. Just as the van celebrates a quarter of a century since its global market launch, it is now available with Blind Spot Assist. In line with this year’s facelift, Mercedes-Benz Vans introduced safety and driver assistance systems for the Vito.
Active Distance Assist Distronic, Active Brake Assist and a digital inside rear-view mirror were all introduced to the range. Since the market launch of the first generation in 1996, more than 1,8 million units of the successful van model series have been sold worldwide
The Blind Spot Assist feature provides an extra pair of eyes, which help drivers to safely navigate a lane-change and to avoid accidents. With the Vito’s Blind Spot Assist, drivers receive an audio and visual warning when there is a vehicle or obstruction in their blind spot. Warning signals and a red triangle appear on the exterior mirror, allowing time to avoid a collision or accident.
The new Active Brake Assist can detect the risk of a collision with a vehicle driving ahead, and initially gives a visual and acoustic warning. If the driver responds, the assistance system builds up brake pressure appropriate to the situation. If there is no response, the system actively assists with braking manoeuvres. In urban traffic, Active Brake Assist also reacts to stationary obstacles or crossing pedestrians.
“We chose to use Mercedes-Benz Vitos as they are reliable vehicles for our funeral undertaking business, which is built on a reputation of being reliable. We particularly noticed just how durable it is, allowing us to access the most difficult terrain as we assist our clients during their time of loss. Even more impressive is how fuel efficient the Vito is, especially as the price of fuel keeps increasing,” says Muzi Mkhize, owner of Khayelihle Funerals, based in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.
“Running such a durable van is not only an advantage for us as a business, but for our clients as well. We have a number of clients who use our services only because they know they can trust the Mercedes-Benz Vito when they need it most,” he concludes.
