This 2nd generation MBUX is all-encompassing through safety, convenience, and comfort.
MBUX will enable new levels of personalization and interaction.
Rear occupants will have equal access to Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX technology with up to three screens.
To fully read the Mercedes-Benz press release on the second coming of their MBUX technology is to take a step into the future. New features, new technologies, new interactions, and a sense that the car is now your best friend – all of this is included.
Most in-car infotainment systems are front-passenger centric. They have complete control over everything, while rear passengers, if they are lucky, may have a screen with a handful of apps to tinker. The 2nd generation of Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX system will give rear passengers as many features as those in front.
The new version of the learn-capable MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) will debut in the new S-Class. There is no better-suited car than the flagship luxury sedan to introduce technologies and functionalities that essentially put the rear passengers first, and establish an unmatched onboard experience for all.
The driver is obviously not overlooked. The latter will have access to an augmented reality head-up display and a 3D driver display. Yes, at the touch of a button, the driver will be treated to a spatial view. And this, without any old-school 3D glasses. It will combine a conventional LCD display with a special pixel structure and a controllable LCD aperture grille that will trick both the left and right eye into seeing different pixels, creating the illusion of 3D.
For both front and rear passengers, the voice assistant “Hey Mercedes” is ever more capable of understanding commands and has built-in intuition. For example, if the phone rings, MBUX will expect you to say something like “Accept call” without being prompted.
This level of interaction flows through the car as the MBUX will be able to recognize which occupant is calling upon it for something. For example, if a rear passenger says “I’m tired”, a wellbeing program will begin. If the driver utters the same words, an ENERGIZING comfort program will start. Indirect speech will also be recognized so it’s no longer necessary to specify a temperature – if a passenger says “I’m cold”, the system will adjust climate settings.
Extensive personalization will require only a Mercedes Me account and the Mercedes app. With a barcode, the car will immediately recognize the user and set all functions to the user’s preferences. And, as profiles are stored in the Cloud as part of Mercedes me, they can be used in any other Benz with the new MBUX system.
Rear passengers will be served by up to three screens, all completely configurable to taste. Content on these screens will be easily shared with other passengers and, from the rear, amendments to navigation destinations will be possible, and individual audio options are also available.
The new technology will go so far as to attempt to predict an occupants’ wishes through cameras in the overhead control panel. By interpreting head direction, hand movements, and body language, the car can turn the front passenger seat overhead light on if it detects that the driver is looking for something on the seat in the dark. Among the many recognized hand gestures is sunroof operation. And there’s so much more.
Safety, which remains a priority for the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, will also be enhanced by all this technology. For instance, the cameras can recognize that someone is desiring to leave the vehicle. If another road user is detected in the blind spot, the active ambient lighting becomes part of and exit warning system and flashes red.
This report is but a sampling of all the technologies and features that can be amalgamated into this 2nd generation of Mercedes-Benz MBUX. The possibilities seem almost endless and as though we’ve arrived in the future.