There are large infotainment exhibits. And then there’s Mercedes-Benz’s ‘Hyperscreen’.
The German carmaker has just unveiled a giant, 56-inch touchscreen, starting in the upcoming EQS luxury electric sedan. The Hyperscreen is the centerpiece of the automaker’s second generation MBUX information system that avoids physical buttons in favor of a fully digital (and voice-controlled) in-car user experience.
To be sure, the hyperscreen is not one screen, but several screens embedded in one solid piece of curved glass that spans the entire stripe. Based on early images, there appear to be at least three screens in the screen: an instrument cluster behind the steering column, a central infotainment screen, and an extra screen looking at the front passenger.
The Hyperscreen first appears in the EQS, a luxury electric sedan that Mercedes says will be in production in late 2021. It is powered by MBUX, which is an abbreviation for ‘Mercedes-Benz User Experience’. Launched for the first time in 2018, MBUX is one of the most capable, manufacturer-manufactured, voice-controlled information systems on the market.
Mercedes says that the Hyperscreen contains something called ‘zero layers’, in which the user no longer has to scroll through a variety of sub-menus or give voice commands’, as the most important applications are always available in a situational and contextual way is. at the top of the driver’s field of vision. The car manufacturer gave some examples, including:
If you always call one specific person on the way home on Tuesday evenings, you will be asked to make a corresponding call on that day of the week and at that specific time of day. A business card will appear with their contact information and if it is saved, the photo will appear. All MBUX suggestions are linked to the user’s profile. If someone else runs the EQS on a Tuesday night, this recommendation will not be made – or another one will be made, depending on the preferences of the other user.
The Hyperscreen contains a total of 12 drives below the touch-sensitive surface for haptic feedback. It is said that two coverings of the cover plate reduce reflections and make cleaning easier. The curved glass itself consists of extremely scratch-resistant aluminum silicate. And analog air vents are embedded in the surface on either side, providing an interesting mix of digital and physical.
The Hyperscreen will first appear in a production car in the EQS release in 2021, but the new version MBUX will have its debut in the new S-Class, which was first launched late last year. With the updated infotainment system, drivers can store various preferences, such as seating settings, color of interior list, favorite radio station, and more. These personal profiles can be turned on or off using the new security features, or even loaded into other Mercedes-Benz vehicles. A fingerprint sensor on the main touch screen and voice recognition are standard, and there is also a PIN setting. Buyers can opt for a version of the car with cameras that allow face recognition.
Vehicle touch screens have gotten bigger over the years, and some car manufacturers assume that bigger equals better. Among production vehicles, the 2021 Cadillac Escalade’s 14.2-inch screen is particularly notable, as is the Ram 1500’s 12-inch screen. And the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq electric sport utility vehicle promises an astonishing 33-inch screen. The Tesla Model 3’s 15-inch screen, which floats above the dash rather than embracing the curves of the interior, set the bar high for electric cars – one that Mercedes eagerly looks like.
Of course, it remains to be seen how distracting for the driver all these screens will be. Without a robust driver monitoring system to ensure drivers stay focused on the road, these ultra-large screens can pose a major liability and safety risk. A recent study by AAA found that many digital infotainment systems popping up in newer cars could be distracting to increase the risk of accidents, especially for older drivers.
Mercedes says that the function of zero layer will hopefully reduce the distraction of drivers, but it needs to be proven. “The aim was a concept without distracting the driver or creating complicated operations,” said Sajjad Khan, board member of Mercedes-Benz AG and CTO about the new MBUX generation, in a press release. ‘We did not want to build the biggest screen ever in a car. Instead, we have developed special screens with a perfect ratio of size and functionality for maximum user-friendliness. ”