Mercedes-Benz has presented some details of the new E-Class. It might also be worth taking a look inside, because there are new apps.
Until now, apps have mainly found their way into the car by being mirrored into the infotainment system by the driver’s smartphone. Apple Car Play or Android Auto are such systems with which some functions of the mobile device can be used on the central display while driving.
The software developers at Mercedes-Benz have now developed a new compatibility layer that allows third-party apps to be installed.
For example, the driver can use the vehicle’s own selfie and video camera for the “Webex” collaboration application and the “Zoom” video conferencing app. To avoid driver distraction, image transmission is deactivated while driving. Another advantage: the new software architecture will allow apps to find their way into the vehicle more quickly in the future.
At the start of the new E-Class the following apps are in the portfolio:
- “TikTok”
- Angry Birds game
- Webex by Cisco cloud-based collaboration platform
- Video conferencing system “Zoom”
- Browser “Vivaldi”
The entertainment portal ZYNC is also on board. It offers video streaming, on-demand content, interactive experiences, local video programming, sports, news and much more in one user interface on the central and passenger displays (optional). Over 30 streaming services from partners are already available. Further partners and channels are constantly being integrated, such as the Mercedes-Benz Group.
The entertainment package (MBUX Entertainment Plus) will be available for the new E-Class. It includes Mercedes me connect services and a data package from a third-party provider. Depending on the market, a communication module with 5G is used as the transmission technology.
Mercedes-Benz and Google also announced a long-term strategic partnership. With this partnership, Mercedes-Benz becomes the first car manufacturer to develop its own navigation solution based on a new concept that combines new in-vehicle geospatial data and navigation capabilities of the Google Maps Platform. This gives the automobile manufacturer access to Google’s geo-information service.
This includes detailed information on points of interest, real-time traffic information and data on the forecast traffic situation, as well as automatic adjustment of route planning to the traffic situation. These functions will be integrated into the upcoming Mercedes-Benz operating system MB.OS.
In order to further enrich the user experience, access to the YouTube app will also be possible via the infotainment system in the future. In addition, Mercedes-Benz will use the information from Google Maps to further improve assisted driving functions such as automatically reducing speed at intersections, roundabouts or bends.
As a first step, Mercedes-Benz enables access to the POI information “Place Details” from Google in the vehicle. These provide details on more than 200 million shops and other places worldwide, such as opening times, pictures and ratings. This information is now available in numerous markets in all vehicles with the latest MBUX generation (all vehicles of the MBUX generation 2020 (NTG7) with navigation in Connect markets except China, Japan and Korea. Series: 223, 206, 295, 297, 296, 294, 254, 232, 177 (from production 12/2022, AJ code 053), W247 (from production 12/2022, AJ code 053), V167 (from production 12/2022, AJ code 053 )).
The E-Class launch starts with the sedan. The first models of the 214 series will come to European sales partners in the summer of 2023.
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