FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) – Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz unveiled an essential component of the interior of its next luxury electric sedan: a large curved screen that covers almost the entire width of the car in place of a conventional dashboard.
The company’s CEO says it is not only a point of sale for customers, but also points to a potential source of new digital revenue.
The MBUX Hyperscreen option available in the EQS sedan that will arrive later this year uses artificial intelligence to learn what functions drivers use most, such as navigation and hands-free calling, so keep these functions highlighted on the display so that drivers don’t have to hunt .
Ola Kallenius, CEO of controller Daimler AG, said Thursday in a recorded video submitted online that the system is intended to be highly intuitive. “It just shows what is needed: no scrolling, no navigation,” he said.
“It is so intuitive that what you want to do, be it navigation or music or whatever you want to do, very quickly and intuitively, you have this thing at your fingertips. You don’t have to go through many different layers, ”said Kallenius during a conference call with reporters.
For example, if the driver often uses the hot stone massage function during winter, the system will suggest this comfort function during cold weather. Or, if the driver calls regularly on the way home, the system will suggest a call during normal hours.
The screen also allows the front passenger to watch television in some markets, while preventing the driver from seeing the passenger’s screen to avoid distraction. If the passenger seat is not occupied, that part of the screen changes to a decorative pattern only. The most essential functions appear at the basic level of the screen so that the driver does not have to search for them, and the system also uses voice commands.
Kallenius said that, in developing the screen, the company focused on eliminating information and activities that might worry drivers. “We wanted to reduce driver distraction and make the car safe,” he said.
The system also offers a chance to capture future digital revenue through subscription and streaming services available through the Hyperscreen option, as a live traffic service. Kallenius said such services would be “a growing pool of subscription revenues and profits” and that the company plans to increase digital revenues to 1 billion euros before interest and taxes by 2025.
Kallenius said the future EQS luxury sedan will show the company’s efforts in digitization and electrification, two trends that are shaking the industry. It is the first Mercedes car built in its all-electric structure instead of sharing components with an internal combustion model.
The EQS, the electric equivalent of the Mercedes S-Class with a conventional engine, is one of four battery-powered models to be launched this year, while German automakers are looking to challenge the Tesla electric carmaker.