The two companies on Friday announced that they have formed a partnership in order to develop a next-generation camera system that can monitor the external environment and the driver's state.

Mercedes-Benz is already ahead of the curve when it comes to active driver aids and creature comforts. The current flagship S-Class can already automatically follow the car in front at a safe distance and take the strain out of stop-start traffic jam driving as long as the driver has one hand on the wheel. The car can also check for and automatically stop for vehicles crossing its path at an intersection and of course can facilitate parallel and perpendicular parking.

Likewise LG is already a leading supplier of autonomous driving and assistance system components, including single and stereo cameras for autonomous braking, pedestrian and cyclist avoidance and traffic light recognition, and driver state monitoring systems that can check attention levels, drowsiness and biometric state.

The long-term partnership will not only help bring truly autonomous cars to the market but is also expected to bring a tighter integration between in-car technology and mobile and home entertainment devices.