Revolution in the cockpit.

MBUX is used in the entire new compact car generation from Mercedes-Benz and will enter series production in spring 2018 in the new A-Class. Its highlight is the comprehensive touch operation concept – the combination of a touchscreen, touchpad on the centre console and Touch-Control Buttons in the steering wheel. In addition to the intuitive operating experience, less driver distraction is another advantage.

The operating system on the free-standing Widescreen Cockpit comprises three levels with increasing information density:

On the first level you find what is known as the Homescreen. This is where, alongside the freely selectable main applications (e.g. telephone, navigation and radio), the most important information (such as arrival time, song currently being played etc.) is displayed.

The next level – the Basescreen – with the display and controls for one main application respectively, such as Media and Navigation, is only one step away. The most important information and control options respectively are attractively presented at this level. Important functions such as destination or music search are grouped at the bottom edge of the screen.

For seldom-used information and settings there is the Submenu on the final level.

Operation is horizontal and makes optimum use of the widescreen format of the display. The fully digital instrument cluster can be configured virtually entirely according to personal preferences. As an alternative to the classic speed display in the left-hand tube, displays such as Analog Clock, From Start, From Reset, Range or Information on the current radio station / media title can be placed there. In the right-hand tube, in addition to the rev counter, an assistance graphic, the current consumption, the ECO display or a navigation map can also be displayed.

In Fullscreen Mode the entire area of the instrument cluster is used for displaying Assistance, Journey or Navigation:

Conventional voice control systems in cars call for certain fixed commands from their users. Thanks to natural speech recognition, MBUX's LINGUATRONIC, on the other hand, obeys virtually every command, recognises and understands nearly all sentences from the fields of infotainment and vehicle operation. For example, “Will the sun be shining tomorrow in Miami? ” is now as easily understood as “Do I need sunglasses tomorrow in Miami? ”. The intelligent language assistance is activated either via a button on the steering wheel or with the keyphrase “Hey Mercedes”.

The voice control is also capable of learning. On the one hand it attunes to the user and her voice and also understands non-native speakers better; on the other hand the software models on the server learn new buzzwords or changing use of language with time. The system also no longer answers stereotypically, but varies in the dialogue output too.

Alongside the intelligent voice assistance the MBUX operating concept includes a touchscreen. The new A-Class is the first Mercedes ever to have such a touch-sensitive screen. This touchscreen is part of the comprehensive touch-control concept – a triad consisting of the touchscreen, touchpad and Touch-Control Buttons. With the touchpad on the centre console the information in the media display can be changed intuitively as on a smartphone. The contents can simply be enlarged or moved, and in particular the navigation map can be zoomed in and out, via gestures with several fingers. A haptic feedback accompanies every input. The touchpad also recognises handwriting. This means that addresses or telephone numbers can be input conveniently.

The Touch-Control Buttons in the steering wheel facilitate operation of the infotainment (right-hand button) and the instrument cluster, as well as the head-up display (left-hand button) via finger-swiping movements, without the driver's hands needing to leave the steering wheel.

New and improved Mercedes me connect services are being launched with the new infotainment generation MBUX. These include, among others, navigation functions based on Car-to-X communication (information on road conditions such as slippery roads or snow or approaching emergency vehicles is shown on the map) and vehicle locating, which makes finding a parked vehicle easier, as well as a message in case something has bumped into the parked vehicle or it has been towed away. The Mercedes me App sends a reminder to leave on time so as to arrive at the next appointment punctually, taking traffic conditions into account.

Using “prediction features”, MBUX anticipates what the user would like next. For instance, anyone who often telephones their mother on Tuesdays during the journey home will receive her telephone number as a suggestion on the display on this day of the week. Anyone who regularly switches over to a radio station with news at a certain time also receives this as a suggestion.

The customer also has the opportunity to choose from three display styles: alongside Classic and Sport, the Understated style is also offered as a special feature – all displays are reduced to what is absolutely essential here.

All settings (e.g. seating position, ambient lighting, favourite radio station, orientation of the navigation map right through to personal predictions) can be saved in a profile. If two drivers share a car, each can call up his/her favourite setting easily.