# 2023 MERCEDES-BENZ EQE 350+ — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
> NHTSA complaint `2170071` · 2026-01-26 · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** Yes
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCEDES-BENZ
- **Model:** EQE 350+
- **Year:** 2023
- **Manufacturer:** Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
- **Component:** FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
## Narrative
Description of Incident: On January 19, 2026, this vehicle was involved in a severe frontal collision. Despite significant structural damage resulting in a total loss (GEICO Claim: 0445628610101151), multiple critical safety systems failed to activate.  Specific System Failures:  SRS (Airbags): None of the 10 airbags deployed despite a high-energy impact that met deployment thresholds.  Active Brake Assist: The system failed to monitor traffic or apply autonomous braking to reduce impact severity.  Steering/Stability Assist: No steering intervention or collision warnings were provided during the pre-crash phase.  GUARD 360: Collision detection monitoring failed to log the event.  Safety Risk: The failure of the airbags to deploy during a high-energy impact represents a catastrophic failure of safety systems mandated by FMVSS 208 and directly increased the risk of occupant injury.  Warning Symptoms: The dashboard was clear of all safety faults. No SRS or restraint system warning lights were present prior to the incident.  Inspection Status: As of January 22, 2026, the vehicle is being held at Mercedes-Benz of Stevens Creek (San Jose, CA). It is awaiting a formal technical inspection from Mercedes-Benz Corporate. The vehicle is available for NHTSA inspection.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*