Next Mercedes E-Class: Preview of own operating system MB.OS
Mercedes wants to use its own operating system in its cars from 2025. The new E-Class provides a first foretaste of this.
The Hyper Screen will also cost a hefty surcharge in the Mercedes E-Class.
(Bild: Mercedes)
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About two years ago, we asked somewhat provocatively whether Google's Android Automotive would give car manufacturers any chance at all in the area of car infotainment. Currently, it can be said that the car companies are at least not giving up without a fight. Mercedes is now following the old Chinese adage: "A hand you can't refuse, you have to shake." Google is being brought in for some navigation functions, but Mercedes is still keeping all the strings, they assure us. What will the new MB.OS operating system bring to customers? A first taste of it will be provided by the next E-Class, which should be in dealerships from the summer.
Profitable business with software expected
Consumer electronics in the car seem to be constantly evolving at a faster pace. Against this background, it is remarkable that a five-year-old voice control is still one of the best you can currently buy. It makes clear how big the step towards MBUX was at Mercedes. Of course, development hasn't stood still since then, neither at Mercedes nor at other manufacturers. Many see a lucrative business with data and software that can be rented or permanently activated long after the purchase. Mercedes itself anticipates up to one billion euros in earnings before interest and taxes in 2025, following around one billion euros in sales in this area last year alone.
The car manufacturers therefore have a strong interest in not letting this business simply slip out of their hands. Mercedes invests up to two billion euros a year in this area, and by the middle of the decade software is expected to account for around a quarter of the total development budget. Other manufacturers have also recognized the importance of this. By 2030, for example, Stellantis wants to generate sales of around 20 billion euros.
Mercedes with its own operating system
At Mercedes, the coming big step is its own operating system, the introduction of which is planned for 2025. The next generation of the E-Class offers a first taste of what this will entail. It will go on sale as a sedan in the summer, and the station wagon, which is still important in Western Europe, should follow in the fall. The biggest advance over its predecessor will be in the software area. In view of what Mercedes already currently offers in the E-Class, a system that is actually improved even further is unlikely to have much competition in the foreseeable future.
Highly automated to level 3
For the first time, the E-Class will offer highly automated driving at level 3 up to 130 km/h. Whether this will be available right at the start of sales is uncertain, but customers can be sure of one thing: The fun won't be cheap, even by Mercedes' usual standards. The price list for the S-Class can serve as a guide. There the assistance system "Drive Pilot" costs currently scarcely 6000 Euro and presupposes further extras compellingly. All in all, this must be worth more than 11,000 euros to the customer, provided it is available at all for the desired engine version. The Drive Pilot cannot be combined with the diesel engines in the S-Class.
Subsequently enabled functions
The business is being greatly expanded with functions that can be activated at a later date - either for a limited period by paying a monthly fee or by making a one-off payment for permanent use. Buyers of used cars are therefore no longer dependent on the first owner having ticked all the desired boxes when placing the order. Manufacturers hope for lasting customer loyalty, which will admittedly only be fulfilled if the offer is maintained for a long time and is financially attractive. Car manufacturers have a particularly hard time with the long-term maintenance of software, and Google has not necessarily been exemplary in this respect in the past. Rising sales figures could lead to a rethink for both.
Mercedes E-Class 214 (5 Bilder)
Google is in on it
Google only brings Mercedes on board for some of the navigation system's functions. These include, for example, current traffic information that is incorporated into the route calculation. Mercedes also wants to use the Google Cloud data processing platform to analyze fleet data. A new approach is to learn the driver's routines with the help of artificial intelligence and thus relieve him of repetitive tasks. Drivers can use predefined routines that are already stored in the car or create their own. Mercedes itself gives the following example of such a link: "Switch on seat heating and set ambient lighting to warm orange when the interior temperature is below twelve degrees Celsius."
Apps from other providers
As in Android Automotive, Mercedes will also offer the option to install some third-party apps. At launch, you can watch videos in the car via TikTok, confer via Zoom or Webex, surf the web with the browser Vivaldi, and play Angry Birds. Obviously, many of these functions only work when the car is stationary. A passenger can even watch movies on a separate display without having to use headphones. The driver will not be distracted by this, Mercedes assures, because there is "dual light control technology." It is designed to prevent dynamic content from being seen from the driver's seat. A camera records where the driver is looking.
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Wherever data is available, it will be delivered to the car via the 5G mobile communications standard. Since this will not be available nationwide in Germany for the foreseeable future, there is a fallback level to LTE. In many cases, this should be sufficient to provide relevant data sufficiently quickly. Despite all the prophecies of doom, at least 4G looks good in Germany according to the Federal Network Agency.
Light on the beat
Ambient lighting in time with the music. A fast beat means equally fast light changes, whatever that's good for. This is coupled to the most expensive sound system - and can of course be switched off. A little later, the infotainment system will be able to communicate with some Garmin watches, which will then exchange vital data about the driver. The driver will then receive tips on how to reduce stress. Some people might have the idea of cutting this connection as a first step.
Breathing exercises at the steering wheel
In the future, the range of breathing exercises will further reduce stress at the wheel. The display then shows when to breathe in and out. The "bio-feedback" adjusts the backrest if necessary, changes the color of the ambient lighting and fades in a wave sound to keep the driver fit. We can be curious to see whether and how this kind of attention maintenance will develop further. The unconditional will to progress sometimes reveals itself in surprising places.
(mfz)