As Mercedes-Benz prepares to introduce an all-new concept at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), it seems that it's possible our friends from Stuttgart may introduce something groundbreaking. That's because Mercedes' vague hints about this vehicle are suggesting it will change the way we interact with vehicles.
It could be software and interface related, but there's also a chance it may deal with something the three-pointed star has wrestled with before. Different controls.
Rather than rely on the steering wheel, multiple pedals and a shifter, why not consider something simpler? Something that frees up more space in the cockpit? A new standard that will make bigger screens easier to see and use?
Seen previously in a concept from the mid 1990s, we're left wondering if Mercedes-Benz was LIGHT YEARS ahead of its time with the F200 Imagination concept car. As electric vehicles and autonomous driving features become more normalized, perhaps it's worth considering that we ditch the traditional controls in exchange for something more relevant?
What say you, Spies?
Mercedes-Benz F200 Imagination Concept - four-seater coupe with a glass roof and doors of "gull wing". Drag coefficient - 0.28. This concept - experiment with new control systems, in particular with the "drive-by-wire" ( "by wire driving") technology. steering functions are performed by the joystick in place gearshift lever. Advantages: Car relieved due to the absence of mechanical and hydraulic actuators, ease of planting, a large risk of injury if the frontal impact, ease the transition with the left hand to right-hand traffic. Dashboard also unusual, the display is the full width of the cabin. The car is equipped with a 6-liter V-shaped 12-cylinder engine producing 398 hp e-automatic 6-speed gearshift.