The current Mercedes-Benz E-Class houses a ton of tech, but the 2024 model promises even more.
We’re still a few months away from the revamped sedan making its full debut and arriving in dealer showrooms. Nevertheless, Mercedes saw fit to tease the new car’s interior and go through a veritable laundry list of technology it’s throwing at this car, as if the current model is seriously behind the times.
Actually, depending on what generation you’re targeting, the automaker’s approach here could be right on target. Let’s center on the the new E-Class’ massive array of infotainment displays, now called the “Superscreen”. Apparently Hyperscreen didn’t pass muster, but these displays take on a similar philosophy, sitting under one bit of glass. The instrument cluster in front of the driver is 12.3 inches on its own, while the center display is 14.4 inches and the passenger display is 12.3 inches. If there is no passenger to actually use that right-side screen, Mercedes says it becomes “a digital decorative feature for which the customer can choose various motifs like a night sky with the Mercedes-Benz pattern.”
Sounds fun, as long as it’s not too distracting. The 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class as a whole seems to pivot toward being an entertainment platform rather than a driving machine at its core. That’s not to say the updated model will miss the mark in the driving department: The current car is a well-sorted affair and we expect this new model to at least carry on that spirit. At the moment, though, we can’t gather driving impressions to say whether it is an unequivocal improvement, so let’s stick with the tech for now.
The Zoomer-focused tech update that stuck out to me was the new E-Class’ selfie and video camera sitting atop the dashboard.
Yep, your car can now take videos and photos. Not only that, but you can also host video conferences from your car using Zoom or Webex. You’ll only be able to do it when the car isn’t moving, though, so you won’t be able to sit in on meetings while blasting down the highway. The company also says, “New technologies must always meet the legal requirements of the different markets…We are currently looking into the approval situation in this respect.” So, whether you’ll actually be able to do this depends on where you live and whether your government thought of this scenario in its legislation.
On the entertainment front, Mercedes includes the ZYNC portal for streaming on-demand content and “interactive experiences”, and the car will include TikTok and Angry Birds at launch as part of the car’s app store portfolio.
As ever, the drive for AI continues in the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Now, the company says it already uses the technology in its MBUX infotainment system (so it can work out your likely behavior based on how you interact with the system). Now, though, there are so-called “Magic Modules” that will automatically offer certain suggestions like birthday reminders or setting the climate controls up a certain way, perhaps in tandem with the ambient lighting.
Speaking of the ambient lighting, boy is there a ton of it in the new E-Class. But don’t worry if it’s too much — you will have the ability to turn it off. Some folks like me will probably do just that, as I’m not a huge fan of my car being lit up like a nightclub when it goes dark. Then again, that could be the exact appeal for others to go nuts with it. The MBUX system is also bringing in a “Just Talk” feature that will listen out for your voice commands without having to say “Hey Mercedes”, if you feel weird talking to your car in such a chummy way.
We’ll learn more about the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class in time. Until then, though, take in all the details of the new technology on offer…because there will be a lot to learn.
