Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Technology ahead of the times
Mercedes-Benz S-Class
In the history of the automotive industry there are few vehicles that have made an impact quite like the MercedesBenz S-Class. Redefining luxury, advancing telematics and setting new benchmarks across all segments, the S-Class extends the boundaries of technology on many levels. It is not just a technological spearhead for Mercedes-Benz, but for automotive development as a whole.
As with every generation before it, customers expect the SClass to set standards across the board to retain its accolade as “the best automobile in the world”. Rather than focusing purely on safety or aesthetics, power or efficiency and comfort or dynamism, the S-class embodies ‘the best or nothing’ in every respect.
“Within the Mercedes-Benz portfolio, the S-Class is the purest embodiment of our brand promise. It offers the best and latest technology, complete efficiency, pure LED lighting and more functions and features than ever before. It’s no wonder it maintains its position at the top of the luxury segment, completely redefining benchmarks at every turn,” said Michael Ruehle, Chief Executive Officer, Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Company.
LED technology: The first ever car
without a single light bulb 100 years or so after the introduction of electric lighting in motor vehicles, Mercedes-Benz made a complete switch to LED technology with the S-Class as the first vehicle in the world whose interior and exterior do without a single light bulb. The lighting’s multi-level functionality is another world first: out of consideration for any road users behind, the intensity of the brake lights is reduced at night or while waiting at traffic lights, for example. Almost 500 LEDs illuminate the road, the vehicle, the interior and the boot. Depending on equipment, these include: * Headlamps: Each with up to 56 LEDs * Tail lights: Each with up to 35 LEDs (plus 4 for the rear fog lamp)
Interior (including ambience lighting): Approx. 300 LEDs
Visibility is enhanced by two assistance systems that have undergone some key improvements - Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus and Night View Assist Plus. Thanks to a new stereo camera and multi-stage radar sensors, the S-Class has 360degree all-round vision and detects potential dangers on the road better.
Suspension: The world’s first suspension with “eyes”
The S-Class is the world’s first car to be able to detect bumps on the road ahead. If ROAD SURFACE SCAN detects such unevenness by means of the stereo camera, MAGIC BODY CONTROL instantaneously sets up the suspension to deal with the new situation. This innovative suspension system is available as an option for the eight-cylinder models. Standard equipment for the S-Class includes the continuously operating Adaptive Damping System ADS PLUS and an enhanced version of the full air suspension system AIRMATIC.
Control and display concept: Elegant
new command centre
Two high-resolution TFT colour displays in 8:3 format with a screen diagonal of 30.7 cm (12.3 inches) form the new information centre in the S-Class. The left-hand display performs the functions of the previous instrument cluster, providing the driver with all relevant information. The right-hand display allows the convenient control of infotainment and comfort functions. For the S-Class, the constantly increasing need to integrate additional functions into the vehicle led to a further development of the entire operating logic. Here ergonomics, operating convenience and safety along with attractiveness and aesthetics were the main considerations.
The aim in designing the control and display features was to group controls and display functions together in a coherent manner in terms of both design and functionality. Apart from the new displays, the metallised switch surfaces and solid aluminium controls are visual highlights of particularly high quality. Thanks to the fine structuring on the metal surfaces, each individual control has the sound, feel and attention to detail that makes a Mercedes-Benz so special.
The new control features include a touch-sensitive telephone keypad and an extended favourites function with twelve freely selectable memory places. The principal control element is the rotary pushbutton, with the usual direct access keys in the centre console for the most important functions and a toolbar for the driving assistance systems.
Voice entry using LINGUATRONIC via the Speech Dialog System allows complete addresses to be spoken in one go, for example (one-shot input). The telephone and audio systems can also be voice-controlled. The option of having text messages (SMS) or emails read out is a new feature.
Multimedia features: Mobile concert hall
A completely new multimedia generation with intuitive operation and particularly tangible functions thanks to visualisation and animations celebrates its debut in the S-Class. Other innovations include the multi-user system, which allows independent access to the media sources of the entertainment system from any seat.
The innovative Frontbass system developed by MercedesBenzand used for the first time in a saloon car is a feature common to all the audio systems: the woofers are housed in the firewall, and use the almost 40-litre space in the crossmember and side member as a resonance chamber. Conventional woofers in the doors are therefore unnecessary. The mid-range speakers in the doors are relocated upwards. This improves the soundscape and allows additional stowage space in the doors.
As alternatives to the standard sound system with ten loudspeakers, two very high-quality audio systems are available which were developed together with the high-end audio specialist Burmester: the Burmester Surround Sound system and the Burmester High-End 3D-Surround Sound system.
The interactive presentation of content is a prominent new feature of the navigation function. The new navitainment functions include an animated compass, the “Driveshow” for passenger information as in an aircraft, and the display of Google Maps on the head unit and in the rear. Information on the traffic situation is shown with hatched lines (rather than with vehicle silhouettes as before). With the new Live Traffic Information service, traffic data are transmitted in real time. As a result, the navigation system is better informed about the situation on the roads. (Depending on service availability).
Customers can visit Abdul Rahman Albisher & Zaid Alkazemi Company’s showrooms to book a test drive and experience the innovation of the S-Class. Existing Mercedes-Benz customers can avail 24 hours test drive by appointments.