Car makers want your set of wheels to be like your phone – a device for business, entertainment, social media and more.
Mercedes customers will be able to access video conferencing, games and social media feeds in their cars as part of a new “Supergreen” in their latest models.
Set to debut in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class later this year, the luxury car’s dashboard includes a wild array of features that aren’t available in rival models.
Mercedes-Benz has updated the E-Class for 2023.
Mercedes says the car’s driver-facing selfie camera allows access to apps such as Zoom or WebEx, but only while the car is parked.
But passengers will be able to watch movies and engage with content from apps such as TikTok, thanks to a clever “visual shield” that prevents the driver from watching.
A selfie camera above the dashboard allows the driver to participate in video calls.
While rival brands such as Range Rover have used a hologram-like lens to prevent drivers from watching the same content as the passenger, Mercedes uses a camera to watch the driver to make sure they don’t glance toward the screen. If they do, the screen goes blank until their eyes are on the road once again.
The Mercedes ‘superscreen’ spans the full width of the dashboard.
Benz says drivers will be able to set rules and routines for the car, instructing it to “switch on the seat heating and set the ambient lighting to warm orange if the interior temperature is below twelve degrees celsius”.
It even links with fitness wearables from the likes of Garmin to tell the car whether the driver has slept well.
Star-like tail-lights feature on the new model.
Mercedes owners will also be able to use their iPhone or Apple Watch as a key.
The tech is wrapped in the new-look E-Clas, which borrows styling from Mercedes’ EQS electric car.
As a high-end luxury sedan, the E-Class is available with air suspension, rear-wheel-steering and sophisticated hybrid powertrains with up to 280kW and 650Nm.
Keyword: Mercedes unveils new E-Class sedan