Sailor…Mercedes has been testing this technology (fully electronic brakes & steering) for at least 10 years. I believe they do/did have a fully electronic brake system in a production car. I remember reading about it a few years back.
They aint testing it if they don’t intend to use it.
Just a quick Google search - 1st one I found…
2002 SL500
Faster, Smarter Braking with World’s First Electronic Brake System
The company that invented ABS anti-lock brakes, traction control and ESP stability control will launch the world’s first production car equipped with an electronic brake system - which provides faster, more sure-footed brake response, especially in emergencies.
The brake pedal on the 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL works with a computer that tells four fast-acting valves exactly how hard to apply the brakes on each wheel. A backup hydraulic master cylinder comes into play only if there’s an electrical failure.
With split-second accuracy, the system can change brake pressure on each wheel over uneven surfaces and can even increase brake pressure on the outside wheels when braking in turns. If the driver switches his foot quickly from accelerator to brake pedal, the electronic brake system recognizes the early signs of an emergency and reacts instantly by raising hydraulic pressure and skimming the pads against the discs, which are applied with full force as soon as the brake pedal is pressed. At highway speeds, this pre-loading of the braking system reduces stopping distance by about three percent - enough to turn an accident into a close call. In addition, the system automatically senses wet conditions and indiscernibly applies the brakes just enough to keep the discs dry, so that brake operation is instant in the rain.
http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/index.cfm?NewsID=93&id=2959
http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/index.cfm?NewsID=91&id=2959
It does state that there is a hydraulic master cylinder for backup, but how long before they trust it that they do away with the mechanical backup?
It’s coming whether we like it or not.