New from the Mercedes’ 2024 E-class: Angry Birds
CNN, CNN BUSINESS
By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN Business
For those who have ever felt the urge to whip off a TikTok video from inside their car, Mercedes-Benz owners might be able to do that from inside the 2024 E-class without even having get out their phones.
That means dance moves could be possible using both hands, as long as the car is parked, according to Mercedes.
More in keeping with the brand image, Mercedes drivers will also be able to participate in important business-related video meetings without having to open a laptop. They can also sling Angry Birds when things get boring.
Software in the car enables the installation of apps like Zoom, Webex and TikTok without going through an in-car intermediary like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, although those options will still, presumably, be available. The small camera built into the top of the dashboard facing the occupants can also be used for general selfie-taking. Video conferencing and photography will only be possible when the car is stopped, however, according to Mercedes-Benz.
For now, the TikTok app can only be used to view videos, not make them, but “Mercedes-Benz is working to make this possible for the customer,” Mercedes spokesman Andrew Brudnicki wrote in an email to CNN Business.
A web browser is also available for download. While some car models already on the market, including Teslas and some other Mercedes models, have built-in web browsers, this one will be available to the person in the front passenger seat has their own dedicated touchscreen as an available option.
Tesla also recently announced that their vehicles will have Zoom conferencing capabilities.
Like some of Mercedes’ electric models, such as the new EQE, the E-class will be available with a fully glass dashboard that includes a passenger touchscreen as well as technologies that Mercedes says is designed to reduce potential driver distractions. A camera will detect how often and for how long the driver is glancing in the direction of the screen, and will dim the passenger screen if needed. Meanwhile, passengers will be able to watch videos, stream music and browse the Internet while the car is underway.
The new E-class will also include artificial intelligence capabilities that will allow the car “learn” the driver’s preferences for things like climate control, interior lighting colors and sunshade deployment during different times of the day and weather conditions, according to Mercedes. Owners can also set up their own “routines” for specific situations, such as changing the interior lighting to a warm color, opening the sunshade in the roof and turning on the heated seats whenever the temperature is below a set limit. It’s a more complex set of responses than the typical automatic thermostat setting many cars have.
These features will be part of the new 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-class, a redesigned model that will be fully revealed later this year. The E-class is Mercedes’ mid-level model, larger than the entry-level A-class and the more compact C-class, but smaller and less expensive than the ultra-luxurious S-Class.
Mercedes has not yet announced pricing for this new version, but prices for the 2023 E-class start at around $56,000.
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