- Mercedes has just presented the Vision Iconic EV in Shanghai
- The concept features solar paint and neuromorphic computing power.
- High levels of autonomous driving expected
Mercedes-Benz has been pushing design lately and is keen to flaunt the idea that it’s changing its style for an increasingly electric future.
The latest Vision Iconic EV is perhaps the boldest statement yet and could inspire future S-Class models, but it also wants to showcase the brand’s latest technology.
Long, low and with a very large front grille, the luxury coupe is inspired by classic Benzes of the past, including the W 108, W 111 and the 600 Pullman, and has a similar appearance to the recently launched GLC.
However, that huge illuminated grille doesn’t look so out of place on the German brand’s long two-door coupe. Additionally, the deep black paint job experiments with an active photovoltaic surface that could add range by harnessing the sun’s energy.
Inside the car, Mercedes’ Shanghai-based design team has taken inspiration from the Art Deco era, with a mix of analogue and digital displays.
The instrument clusters come to life as high-end chronograph watches when the door is opened, while one of the four clocks houses an artificial intelligence assistant that will take care of the car’s functionality without the driver having to lift a finger.
Mercedes says the spacious design, which has more than a touch of the Batmobile, will also house the company’s latest innovations in neuromorphic computing power, which apparently mimics the functions of the human brain for much faster decision-making.
Tesla has been using something similar to train its autonomous models, and Mercedes suggests its technology could be ten times more efficient than current systems.
This would allow the company to hypothetically introduce Level 4 autonomous driving, which would allow those behind the wheel to take their hands and eyes off the road when traveling on the highway, for example.
“It would also be possible and permissible to take a nap or get cozy while the latest fashion video is streaming, including an immersive ambient sound and light experience,” says Mercedes.
Hands-free parking as standard
Although the Vision Iconic Concept is just a design study for now, it shows off a number of technologies that Mercedes-Benz is working on.
Solid-state battery technology could provide monstrous range, while a steer-by-wire system, for example, will appear in the upcoming S-Class and eliminate any physical connection between the steering column and the wheels.
Combined with rear-axle steering, this allows large cars to maneuver more easily in tight urban environments.
But hey, you won’t have to worry about that, because the concept also suggests that the German brand is moving forward with greater levels of autonomous driving, claiming that a highly automated parking function that uses the car’s sophisticated sensor architecture will make the vehicle find its own way to a free space.
Probably for the best, given the size of the object.
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