Gallery: Mercedes' Next Flagship Does the Commuting for You
Daimler AG - Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars0107-2014-merc-s-class-early
__You Suck at Parking__ No, you really do. So Mercedes is just going to take the pesky task of parallel and perpendicular parking away from you. Lexus, Ford and other automakers have had this functionality for a while, but what sets the Mercedes system apart is not only will it detect if a space is big enough for your S, it will automatically steer, accelerate and brake both into and out of the spot.
Daimler AG - Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars0206-2014-merc-s-class-early
__Avoiding Bambi and Grandma With Night View Assist Plus__ Driving at night poses challenges that even the best headlight technology can't overcome, so a few years back Mercedes introduced a night vision camera that takes place of the speedometer. In this third generation of Night View Assist, the system automatically detects everything from pedestrians to large animals (think deer and cows) anywhere between 330 and 525 feet away. Combined with the latest detection and braking systems, the S-Class will be able to stop itself before taking out both bipeds and quadrupeds.
Daimler AG - Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars0305-2014-merc-s-class-early
__Don't Know the Speed? Look at the Dash.__ Stereo cameras mounted on the windshield also keeps track of road signs, displaying speed limits, construction warnings and other information on the dashboard for quick reference. And if you want to pass another car in a no-overtaking zone, you'll get a warning and even a subtle nudge through the wheel.
Daimler AG - Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars0404-2014-merc-s-class-early
__Avoid the T-Bone__ Automatic braking isn't anything new for Mercedes. But with the latest brace of sensors and cameras, the new S-Class does more than keep you from whacking the car in front or getting rear-ended by the moron behind. It also prevents you from getting hit from the side. Brake Assist Plus with Cross-Traffic Assist alerts the driver if he's about to get broadsided with visual and audible warnings. If he doesn't take action – or applies too little brake pressure – the S will stop itself.
Daimler AG - Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars0503-2014-merc-s-class-early
__Inching Towards Autonomy__ For years, Mercedes has offered a radar-based cruise control system that allows the driver to set a speed and never touch the brakes, even in start-and-stop traffic. Now Distronic Plus is going a step forward with steering assist and semi-autonomous following. The steering tech helps you stay centered in the lane by boosting the sensation of torque through the steering wheel whether traveling on a straight strip of freeway or along a country road. The following tech is far more interesting, and finally delivers on the promise of a way to make traffic-clogged commuting slightly more bearable. Using the steering assist system, a set of stereo cameras and radar sensors at the front and rear of the car, the S-Class will follow the vehicle ahead and the road markings (even detecting broken lines) without you doing anything. It's functional at speeds between 20 and 124 mph, but don't plan on double-fisting your iPhone and venti latte on the way to work — the system detects when the driver's hands have been removed from the wheel and automatically shuts down. Lame.
Daimler AG - Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars0602-2014-merc-s-class-early
__No Bulbs for You!__ LED technology has been infiltrating cars for nearly a decade, appearing first in Audi's odd illuminated eyebrows and then filtering down to the most plebeian Hyundais and Hondas. But Mercedes is going all in, replacing every single bulb in its new S-Class with LEDs. All told, the Germans claim there are nearly 200 LEDs illuminating not just the road, but the interior and even the luggage compartment. Engineers love LEDs because they're miserly with power and throw far more light than traditional incandescent bulbs. Mercedes' engineers have used the tech to create, essentially, permanent high-beam headlamps. The headlamps are always going full-blast, but when of the car's cameras detects another vehicle, it automatically dims the bulbs so as not to blind the poor sap behind the wheel. The same tech is used on the taillights, which decrease in brightness during the day and increase in intensity when the pedal is stabbed at full-force.
Image: BAE Systems0701-2014-merc-s-class-early
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been the pinnacle of high-tech luxury for going on three decades. But the democratization of technology means that the S-Class' breakthrough feature a decade ago is now available on the lowliest of Korean econoboxes. Mercedes needs to up its game to keep pace with its cross-town rivals, so the all-new S-Class – due out sometime next year – will drive itself in traffic, bend its light beams around oncoming cars, prevent you from taking out a cow and have pyrotechnically deployed seat belts. Just to give you an idea of the depth and breadth of the S-Class' tech, here's how it keeps track of the world around you: It has two short-range radar sensors up front, another two at the rear, a long-range sensor mounted in the grille, a stereo camera mounted behind the rear-view mirror, four cameras positioned around the vehicle to provide a 360-degree view and 12 (12!) ultrasonic sensors mounted at strategic points around the sedan. But what it doesn't have is a single light bulb...
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__A Smarter Seat Belt__ Mercedes engineers were obviously looking for something – anything – else to tweak on the new S-Class, so they decided to take a stab at the lowly seatbelt. First, each belt buckle is equipped not just with a light, but a motor that extends the buckle up from the seat so you'll never hunt for that interminable little slot again. But there's a safety aspect matched with the convenience. It's part of Mercedes' new Pre-Safe Impulse system, which actively pulls occupants away from the direction of the impact when the crash occurs, then automatically retracts the belt slightly to dissipate the energy. When the vehicle comes to a rest, the belts provide slack to allow movement and to help emergency workers extricate passengers. And if that's not enough, the S now features airbags in the seatbelts to triple its size to dissipate even more energy. And Mercedes claims it's more comfortable to boot.
