Similar to the 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class tries to cleared the path with regards to inside luxurious, it additionally goals to be a pioneer in infotainment know-how. To perform this, Mercedes rolled out a brand new model of its MBUX software program with an also-new display to go along with it.
We’ve had misgivings about MBUX up to now. Most of them revolve across the consumer interface being troublesome to navigate, forcing you to take far too many swipes/steps to execute what could be a easy job in different infotainment methods. Fortunately for us, Mercedes attended to this precise criticism with the brand new model of MBUX. As a substitute of a revolving door of potential menus to swipe via, the brand new design takes a one-screen method by together with icons for each potential submenu on the principle house display. Yeehaw!
The brand new one-screen technique is made potential because of each a brand new {hardware} design and, crucially, a brand new user-interface philosophy. All earlier MBUX software program performed on a widescreen format that confirmed solely three big icons on its house display at a time. It regarded fairly, however was irritating to make use of, as you needed to consistently swipe forwards and backwards via the carousel of icons. That is gone now, changed by a 12.8-inch portrait-oriented OLED that makes use of its additional actual property extra effectively. There are eight icons as an alternative of three, which is a extra helpful and typical quantity, however as a result of the display is so massive, the brand new UI would not abandon the earlier display’s aesthetic benefit. Your incessantly used choices are actually staring you immediately within the face upon startup in an easy-to-read format, which is simply the way in which it ought to be.
To our delight, Mercedes didn’t repair what wasn’t damaged. In the event you have been accustomed to the feel and appear of MBUX in different fashionable Mercedes merchandise, you’ll even be accustomed to this infotainment’s finer factors. You’ll even be exhausting pressed to run throughout a nicer wanting interface than MBUX, because it communicates the right Mercedes feeling of luxurious and extra via the gorgeous graphics and transitions.
Mercedes tried to retain the bodily really feel of luxurious with a haptic response to your display inputs, too. It’s comparatively weak haptic suggestions, but it surely does enhance the expertise over a display with out it. Similar to we talked about in our full S-Class inside evaluate, lots of Mercedes’ top-notch buttons and switches are deeply missed right here. The touchscreen local weather controls are simple to make use of on the MBUX display, however they provide not one of the appeal or really feel we’re accustomed to from Mercedes’ historically nice switchgear.
What we get as an alternative are devices and gizmos aplenty. Severely, you’re in all probability going to be discovering new options and capabilities inside this infotainment system for months, if not years, after you purchase the automobile.
Even when you’ve disliked voice controls in earlier automobiles, you’ll need to give Mercedes’ voice assistant a go. It’s much more succesful on this newest model of MBUX, increasing its skill to know context and have a dialogue within the automobile. You may ask it about buildings in your space (the automobile understands the place it’s), random basic information questions, and it’ll even present examples of animal noises if you need it to. Mainly, the system is getting nearer to Apple’s Siri or Google’s Assistant with every passing yr. Riders within the backseat may have simply as a lot management and entry to the automobile’s settings through voice management, too, since many S-Class homeowners really journey within the backseat.
Talking of the again, when you possibility the rear seat leisure bundle, Mercedes provides 11.6-inch touchscreen tablets to the rear of the entrance headrests and a 7-inch pill in between the seats. From right here, you possibly can management any side of the automobile you’d like.
One other neat innovation is discovered within the S-Class’ instrument cluster, which is an extension of the infotainment system with a mess of customizable screens to cycle via. Mercedes applied 3D show know-how that makes the display seem as if it’s bodily coming out at you such as you’d expertise in a 3D film (Genesis has one thing related). Utilizing specifically designed cameras, the automobile will monitor your face and consistently regulate the show to make it seem 3D with out you needing glasses to make it work. We discovered it to be barely distracting at first, however rapidly grew to become accustomed to the know-how. It doesn’t quantifiably enhance your life over a regular digital display, but it surely certain is cool, and you’ll flip the 3D mode off if you need a traditional display expertise. The place you may see improved efficiency is from the superior cameras’ different makes use of. For instance, Mercedes makes use of these cameras as a part of its biometric authentication system (face-recognition tech) and for improved drowsiness detection to be sure to’re not falling asleep on the wheel.
The final little bit of tech that’s certain to blow your thoughts upon attempting out this newest MBUX variant are Mercedes’ new augmented actuality capabilities. Use the in-car navigation system, and as you method a flip/merge, a dwell digicam feed pops up within the infotainment system with arrows overlaid on the highway telling you the place to go. This half is rather like Cadillac’s new AR navigation. Nonetheless, Mercedes takes it a step additional by additionally making use of AR to the large head-up show. No must take your eyes off the highway for a second, as a result of each distances and arrows are “projected” onto the highway in entrance of you to speak the place the flip is. It’s undoubtedly probably the most luxurious and high-tech navigation system we’ve ever skilled. This characteristic sounds much more helpful on tight metropolis streets with turns close to one another the place a conventional navigation system may trigger some confusion as to precisely which flip to take.
In fact, Mercedes supplies among the fundamentals we wish in an infotainment system with the newest MBUX, too. You get wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The smartphone interface takes up the complete display house that isn’t utilized by the local weather controls, too, so that you’re maximizing the usefulness of stated options. Mercedes doesn’t accommodate for many who like to have the ability to cut up the display to have CarPlay/Android Auto on one half and audio controls on the opposite. With the local weather controls all the time dwelling on the backside of the display, splitting it will make for some comparatively tiny tiles for each the cellphone projection and radio controls, even with the display being as huge as it’s.
By and enormous, now we have few complaints with the brand new MBUX software program. It fixes the worst issues of earlier than, and whereas some menus can nonetheless be fairly maze-like, the system is rather more usable. This provides us hope that the brand new C-Class — and different future Mercedes merchandise — with a sized-down model of the S-Class infotainment system will make us simply as joyful.
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