“The single most important luxury goods of the 21st century are private space and time,” says Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “Autonomously driving cars by Mercedes-Benz shall offer exactly that. With the F 015 Luxury in Motion, this revolutionary concept of mobility becomes tangible for the first time.”
It’s a concept car. It’s not likely to go into production, but it does present a very good view of the future of mobility. Mercedes-Benz likes to pride themselves on developing the first automobile back in 1886, and it is in that spirit that they premiere this all new vehicle- this autonomous vehicle.
The F015 follows on from the S 500 INTELLIGENT DRIVE that Mercedes-Benz displayed 2 years ago. Where the S 500 was a proof of concept for autonomous driving in the real world, the F015 takes this a step further by introducing the idea of being transported around in entirety without the need for human intervention.
What’s special about the F015? There are 4 wheels, like any other car really. There are 4 seats, but here’s where it gets interesting. The front seats can rotate to face the rear, and with the coach style doors, it makes entry and egress extremely easy- no B pillar to get in the way either. The idea behind this development and engineering is to maximise comfort and time efficiency for occupants in the vehicle, allowing them to relax or work as they see fit without the interruptions of the daily commute.
In addition to this there are 6 digital screens within the F015 that allow occupants to interact with the vehicle through gesture controls, eye tracking, and touch screens. The F015 is designed to be truly connected with the outside world.
It may not be a concept that’s agreeable to everyone, especially the driving enthusiasts among us. After all, what is a car without the driving involved? But ultimately if the majority of the population views driving as a point A to point B affair, then the F015 Luxury in Motion provides a pretty realistic view of the future of transport.
