Video of Mercedes Distronic pile-up

Germany's Stern TV has posted a video on its website of the mishap involving a failed demonstration of the Mercedes Distronic automatic braking system. Last week, we posted a follow-up report on the incident, which turned out be the result of an AutoBild journalist's attempt to fake the demonstration, rather than a technical failure of the radar system. According to recent published reports, Mercedes engineers realized the hall in which the test was to be performed would foil the demonstration. However, Michael Specht, anxious for a scoop, convinced the Mercedes team to fake the demonstration "” manually braking the cars instead of letting the automatic system attempt the task. The scheme didn't go according to plan, and the journalist, who was piloting the test car, crashed it into the back of the parked car ahead.