Photo: Mercedes-Benz
If you hate taking the trash out or washing dishes, tough luck, there's nothing the 2025 S-Class can do to help, but if you really resent the dry cleaners and yet must wear that suit on the weekend, then that's one worry it can take off your head.
The latest in the series of things people imagine cars will be able to do in the near future is them becoming our personal assistants. What does that mean? Well, in short, their main purpose in life will be our wellbeing. At least that's what Daimler CEO, Dr. Dieter Zetsche, told everyone gathered at the IFA consumer electronic show in Berlin.
His vision isn't entirely new, but hearing it from a man of decision at one of the most technologically advanced companies sure adds more weight to the idea. However, in order for any of it to function, tomorrow's vehicles will have to be fully autonomous on the one hand, and interconnected on the other.
The most immediate way in which cars will be able to help us and offer us more free time is by parking themselves. After dropping their occupants off at the desired destination, they will then set off in search of a parking spot. Well, we say "in search," but they will instantly know where the closest vacant spot is thanks to the ability to communicate with other vehicles. Something similar to this is already happening in Germany
“We’ve already begun testing community-based parking in Stuttgart together with our partners at Bosch,” Dr. Zetsche said. “It works using car sensors that can find empty spaces along a road and then share the information with the Mercedes back-end database. That information is then shared with other Mercedes cars.”
Once autonomous vehicles become the norm, we will be forced to rethink the way we relate to our vehicles. Dr. Zetsche believes they will become our personal assistants, running all sorts of errands while we're at work and, why not, maybe even earning some money by acting as a taxi.
And as far as Mercedes-Benz is concerned, its vehicles would offer quite a ride. The CEO insisted that the highest level of comfort for the passengers is one of the company's biggest priority. “It's our goal that a passenger gets out of a Mercedes-Benz in better condition than when they got in,” he said. “The car will use its sensors to monitor the health and wellbeing of passengers, and then adjust settings to improve your situation and blood pressure.”
If you find this vision of the future a little scary - not having enough time to drive your kids to school and allowing what is essentially a robot to do it might be a little disturbing (have a look at this short film if you need any persuasion) - you can probably rest assured: at least during our lifetimes, it's most likely we will continue to have a choice over whether we want to drive or not. Even Dieter Zetsche wants us to know that: “But that time [the free time provided by the autonomous vehicles] will always include driving a car for pure pleasure. We will certainly never forget that at Mercedes,” he said.
His vision isn't entirely new, but hearing it from a man of decision at one of the most technologically advanced companies sure adds more weight to the idea. However, in order for any of it to function, tomorrow's vehicles will have to be fully autonomous on the one hand, and interconnected on the other.
The most immediate way in which cars will be able to help us and offer us more free time is by parking themselves. After dropping their occupants off at the desired destination, they will then set off in search of a parking spot. Well, we say "in search," but they will instantly know where the closest vacant spot is thanks to the ability to communicate with other vehicles. Something similar to this is already happening in Germany
“We’ve already begun testing community-based parking in Stuttgart together with our partners at Bosch,” Dr. Zetsche said. “It works using car sensors that can find empty spaces along a road and then share the information with the Mercedes back-end database. That information is then shared with other Mercedes cars.”
Once autonomous vehicles become the norm, we will be forced to rethink the way we relate to our vehicles. Dr. Zetsche believes they will become our personal assistants, running all sorts of errands while we're at work and, why not, maybe even earning some money by acting as a taxi.
And as far as Mercedes-Benz is concerned, its vehicles would offer quite a ride. The CEO insisted that the highest level of comfort for the passengers is one of the company's biggest priority. “It's our goal that a passenger gets out of a Mercedes-Benz in better condition than when they got in,” he said. “The car will use its sensors to monitor the health and wellbeing of passengers, and then adjust settings to improve your situation and blood pressure.”
If you find this vision of the future a little scary - not having enough time to drive your kids to school and allowing what is essentially a robot to do it might be a little disturbing (have a look at this short film if you need any persuasion) - you can probably rest assured: at least during our lifetimes, it's most likely we will continue to have a choice over whether we want to drive or not. Even Dieter Zetsche wants us to know that: “But that time [the free time provided by the autonomous vehicles] will always include driving a car for pure pleasure. We will certainly never forget that at Mercedes,” he said.
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