Mercedes-Benz E-Class W214 interior has MBUX Superscreen, TikTok, Zoom, Angry Birds, selfie camera!

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the interior of the sixth-generation E-Class sedan (codename W214), due out this year. According to the German automaker, the W214 will arrive in European dealers in the summer before making its US market debut this fall.

In terms of design, the dashboard of the all-new E-Class appears to be inspired by the brand’s flagship EV sedan, EQS. Not like the present WORLD RANGE And Grade With individual ventilation holes, the E-Class integrates them into a thin bar that spans the width of the dashboard, extending slightly to meet the bottom of the dashboard.

This forms a frame for the two touchscreens, highlighted by the band of ambient light. You’ll find more light in the door panels, with the upper strip extending all the way from the A-pillar to near the base of the windshield. In this vicinity, you will also notice the selfie camera. Well, Mercedes-Benz has put a selfie camera inside its cars and we’ll talk about that later.

The discreet vents can be oriented manually or electrically if Thermotronic is optional, including a new comfort function called Digital Ventilation Control where each vent has two electric motor – one for vertical louvers and one for horizontal louvers.

Elsewhere, the driver is faced with a vertical digital instrument cluster (with Classic and Sport styling) and a steering wheel design common in the brand’s models today. There’s also a small row of controls just before you reach the center console for things like driving modes, driver assistance, media volume, fingerprint reader, what that seems to be related to. to charging and quick access to vehicle functions. Climate control has been integrated into the main infotainment display.

Going further, the center console is largely unremarkable, with the front storage compartment housing cup holders, while the rear armrest hides USB components in the storage space below. – there are also ambient lights here. As you’d expect, there’s no shortage of upholstery, colors and trim on offer so customers can personalize their vehicle to their liking.

While the interior design isn’t a radical departure from existing models, Mercedes-Benz has gone to great lengths to cram as much technology into the cabin as possible. “Customers can expect an especially immersive entertainment experience in the new E-Class,” the company said in a press release.

Remember that selfie camera? Well, it allows users to join online video conferencing and take photos or videos while the vehicle is stationary. This is part of the optional MBUX Super Monitor (not to be confused with the EQS MBUX Super Monitor) represented by a large glass-covered touchscreen in the center of the dashboard.

This version of the Mercedes-Benz User Experience is powered by a central computer with a single processor instead of multiple processors for different functions. The automaker says its new software-centric architecture allows for faster data transfers and updates to individual interior systems in the future. If it starts out looking like a smartphone, you’re not far off.

In fact, the software used for the infotainment system comes with a new compatibility layer that allows the installation of third-party applications. At launch, Mercedes-Benz says the E-Class will support TikTok, the Angry Birds game, the Vivaldi browser, as well as Webex and Zoom. The Zync Entertainment Gateway is also included for streaming services, although this requires the MBUX Entertainment Plus plan to import data up to 5G speeds.

The front passenger was not left out either. With the options screen located next to the main screen, the person can view content without distracting the driver. This is because the front-passenger display is convertible and has a function the automaker calls a visual shield that uses an advanced filtering concept to make sure the driver can’t see content. on that particular screen too.

The concept works in two stages, with the first being to recognize if the front passenger seat is occupied and either activating functions on the screen or turning it into a digital trim feature. If the front passenger wants to watch a movie, the display’s dual-light control technology prevents the occupant behind the wheel from seeing content in the periphery.

This function can be turned on and off, but the cameras (one in the instrument cluster and one at the top of the instrument panel) continuously monitor the driver’s eye movements and consider driving inputs to determine if the driver is distracted. If necessary, the brightness of the passenger display will be reduced.

Mercedes-Benz says the technology has been verified in extensive tests with test subjects and notes in the release that “authorities in the European Union, the United States, China, Na Uy, UK and Switzerland allow free audio enjoyment of dynamic content with this technology. system.”

One feature the new E-Class offers that all passengers can enjoy is the integrated rave light, also known by its marketing term: Active Ambient Lighting. Basically, Mercedes-Benz wants sound to be experienced with a third sense, which is vision. Thus, the bands of light we mentioned earlier act as visualizations corresponding to the type of music being played – the light changes rapidly to the fast beat and gently combines the mood of the light with the music being played. slower tempo.

In terms of sound, the E-Class is available with a Burmester 4D surround sound system that includes 17 large speakers, allowing it to have Spatial Audio built-in with Dolby Atmos from Apple Music.

Active ambient lighting will also visualize information from the parking assist system and can warn the driver when using Active Brake Assist’s Drive Away function to exit intersections. Highway with traffic crossing. In addition, the system is activated when the anti-motion sickness function of Energizing Comfort is activated.

Aside from entertainment purposes, the infotainment system also adapts to the owner’s personal habits thanks to artificial intelligence. This allows routines to be programmed or created automatically as the vehicle learns how it is used on a daily basis, although the latter is still under development. Similarly, in-app and functional recommendations are also presented according to the so-called layerless interface of MBUX that has appeared in EQS.

Are you impressed with the interior of the all-new E-Class? Are you looking forward to playing Angry Birds or conducting a video conference right from the driver’s seat?