Modern automobiles are becoming just as technologically complex as computers or smartphones, and in some cases, more. Between advanced navigation and safety functions to complete connectivity to our personal tech, automakers are increasingly focusing on what’s inside the vehicle as much as what compels them on the open road. As the head of one of the leading global luxury auto brands, Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius wants to morph the company into a software company by “[putting] supercomputer-like performance into every single Mercedes.”
Mercedes-Benz is actively working with partners to create enhanced infotainment features and advanced safety features, all of which will run on its own MB.OS platform, which it plans to debut by the end of 2024. In its efforts, the automaker has teamed up with companies such as NVIDIA and Google Maps to create an original platform that belongs entirely to the company, giving it the flexibility to continue to improve it over time.
Despite the expectation to integrate the driver’s smartphone into the vehicle’s interface, Mercedes-Benz hopes drivers will prefer its software and platforms when they’re behind the wheel. It also aims to attract new drivers with features such as the massive, vivid, and interactive Hyperscreen instrument panel and infotainment interface, which it hopes will set it apart from other automakers and from smartphones.
