2016 Detroit motor show preview: star cars

That won't be the case for the new E-Class; Mercedes says the luxury sedan will only require a few software adjustments to its DRIVE PILOT control system in order to pilot Nevada's roads on its own. Thomas Weber says, meanwhile, that being awarded the first such licence shows that Mercedes is a step ahead of competitors and that the new E-Class is "another big step to the fully automated vehicle".

Mercedes is due to present the new E class at the Detroit auto show next week. The company has also teased the new Multibeam LED headlights that feature 84 individually-controlled high-performance LEDs.

There are expected to be a number of four and six cylinder versions of the new E Class as well as a plug in hybrid model the E350e. A plug-in hybrid is also said to be on its way.

Interestingly, Toyota's luxury brand, Lexus, saw an impressive 24.2 per cent rise in year-to-date sales in 2015.

With this, the carmaker's Indian arm - Mercedes-Benz India - will have posted its highest-ever sales in a calendar year: an estimated 13,506 units in 2015.

Three of the German manufacturer's E-Class cars have been approved for operation on city and secondary roads in Nevada, which already allows self-driving cars on its interstates and state highways.

S. luxury segment in 2015 for its fourth luxury-sales crown in five years.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia's compact vehicles maintained a steady sales growth with a combined double-digit increase of 21%.

"Nevada is proud to serve as the location where Daimler, an global automotive leader, can explore and test the possibilities of its cutting-edge autonomous vehicle", said Governor Brian Sandoval. According to the Global Media Site of the company, Mercedes-Benz recorded an overall 1,871,511 vehicles sold worldwide in the year that just ended.

The C-Class followed closely with positive sales figures of 2,697 units, a 56 per cent increase from 2014.