Last week at the San Diego Auto Show, luxury auto maker Mercedes-Benz USA announced the expansion of their Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy to teens in Southern California.

The program, which is currently operating in Los Angeles and will expand to San Diego in 2014, pairs teens who are learning to drive with certified Mercedes-Benz driving instructors who teach students responsible driving while behind the wheel of a luxury sedans or SUV. It’s an effort that makes Mercedes one of few socially responsible luxury brands.

For a price, students can train on specialized driving courses or take to the freeway, country, or downtown settings for real life driving instruction in one of the most acclaimed automobiles on the planet.

This is the automaker’s first foray into what some experts call “cradle-to-grave” branding — providing one-of-a-kind experiences for teens and young adults in the hopes of kindling brand loyalty from a young age, and fostering a customer for life.

This recent expansion of the Driving Academy may be the start of something huge for M-B USA, where teen drivers in affluent zip codes all across the country will have their first experience behind the wheel of a Mercedes that’s not Mom’s or Dad’s.

Regardless of the sales M-B USA converts as these teens grow into adults with real buying power, this is a home run Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) effort by the company that will undoubtedly lead to further positive PR, and stronger brand loyalty among repeat buyers.