Technology on expensive cars almost always tends to filter down into more mainstream cars as time goes by. This is why we always look with interest at the latest whiz bang advances presented by manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and their peers.
MERCEDES-BENZ’S E-Class will offer a higher degree of ability and safety technology than any commercial passenger car that has gone before it, when it launches in 2017.
An array of on-board cameras and sensors, including a pair of stereo cameras, keep the E-Class in its own lane and at a safe distance from other traffic at speeds of up to 200km/h. It can also steer the car by itself for a period of up to 30 seconds.
The fourth generation system is able to use solid objects like railings and other cars for reference at speeds up to 130km/h.
Braking performance in an emergency is maximised via a new Active Brake Assist system.
The E-Class also has a ‘brake or avoid’ mode and after detecting a stopped car ahead it measures the speeds and distances involved before deciding which course of action is safest.
The new E-Class will also use networking functionality to ‘talk’ to similarly equipped cars in its immediate vicinity, sharing information on traffic conditions, accidents and weather. Dubbed Car-to-X Communication, the system works via an on-board SIM card and Mercedes-Benz’s own database of owners.
The smartphone tech extends outside the car too, allowing the driver to hop out and park the car via a compatible phone’s screen. The car can be moved back and forth in ‘Exploration’ mode up to ten metres, as long as the operator is within three metres of the car.
Even the E-Class’s lighting system is integrated into the Intelligent Drive system, with more lighting power provided in poor weather, or when approaching the outskirts of a city.
In the cabin, new air bladders in the seat bolsters are able to push an occupant away from the impact point of a side-on crash, while belt-bags – as seen on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and more recently on the Ford Mondeo – will also be offered on the E-Class.
We can only wait and wonder as the technology envelope continues to be pushed in the race for vehicle supremacy.
goauto.com.au