MOTORING NEWS - Mercedes-Benz has been a pioneer of many driving developments since its first Benz Patent Motor Car in 1886 and the company believes the next quantum leap is likely to be automated driving.
At the launch of the Mercedes-Benz F 015, the company showed its latest thinking on self-driving cars and the changes it may mean to society. The media reports say it is significant that the car was launched at a technology show in Las Vegas rather than a conventional motor show.
"Anyone who focuses solely on the technology has not yet grasped how autonomous driving will change our society. The car is growing beyond its role as a mere means of transport and will ultimately become a mobile living space," said Dr Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
Completely autonomous cars are not as far in the future as our readers might think, and even now vehicles from Mercedes-Benz are capable of detecting many different hazardous situations out on the road and reacting as the situation demands.
From the current C-Class through to the S-Class, there are already Mercedes-Benz models driving with semi-autonomous systems, equipped with features such as DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and the Stop&Go Pilot semi-autonomous traffic jam vehicle following function. Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC allows parking with active steering and brake control in both parallel and end-on parking spaces.
With the huge amount of space in its lounge-like interior, the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion promises luxury and innovation. The four-seater is said to be a forerunner of a mobility revolution, and this is supported by its futuristic looks.
The F 015 has unusual proportions (length: 5 220mm, width: 2 0 18mm and height: 1 524mm) and a seamless, monolithic exterior. The large LED light modules at the front and rear dominate the design and a range of different lighting functions can be provided.
The vehicle communicates and interacts with the outside world by means of the LED fields. These fields show if the F 015 is driving autonomously (blue) or is controlled manually (white).
The front end is low and the car has a smooth and streamlined roof line, flat front windshield and road-hugging rear end. The F 015 Luxury in Motion has an unusually large wheelbase of 3 610mm combined with short overhangs that show that the design focus was on providing the maximum possible space for passengers.
The interior of the F 015 Luxury in Motion is a lounge-like space with warm, organic materials such as open-pore walnut wood shaped into a three-dimensional veneer and soft ice white nappa leather contrasted with clearly defined metal and glass surfaces with a cool and technological feel.
The seating system can be changed thanks to four rotating lounge chairs that allow a face-to-face seat configuration. In order to make getting in and out of the car easier, the electrically powered seats swing outwards as soon as the doors are opened. If necessary, the driver and front-seat passenger can also turn their eyes and attention towards the front when driving manually (the car will insist).
The steering wheel extends automatically from the dashboard.
The leather-covered cushions of the lounge chairs are set in curved mounts of highly-polished aluminium. Each mount has a contrasting light band of blue LED lights and can also be manually swivelled.
One key aspect of the research vehicle is the continuous exchange of information between vehicle, passengers and the outside world. This is facilitated by six display screens harmoniously integrated into the instrument panel and the rear and side panels, which turn the interior of the F 015 Luxury in Motion into a digital arena.
Passengers can interact with the connected vehicle through gestures, eye-tracking or by touching the high-resolution screens. Sensors recognise the passengers' hands and offer them user interfaces within convenient reach.
The high-strength body of the F 015 Luxury in Motion ensures optimum safety and supreme comfort for its passengers. New materials and structures were used to develop the highly efficient Smart Body Structure (SBS) of the F 015. By combining carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), aluminium and high-strength steels, the lightweight body shell is 40% lighter than current production vehicles.
Another key element of the body design concept is the innovative saloon-door-style door system featuring rear-hinged rear doors. The front and rear doors can be opened and closed independently. B-pillars were not needed. A very sturdy interconnected system with mechanical locking elements ensures exemplary safety standards. The resulting composite load path allows a high amount of energy to be absorbed in the event of frontal or side impact, with minimal intrusion into the passenger compartment.
A PRE-SAFE structure was previously shown on the ESF 2009 Experimental Safety Vehicle and is now further enhanced, offering maximum safety while taking up minimum space. With a side-on collision, these bodywork elements 'inflate' just like an airbag, allowing them to absorb as much impact energy as possible.
