Andrew Heinzman
This stuff makes Star Trek look like child’s play. Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming 2022 EQS electric sedan will feature a massive 56-inch touchscreen display spanning the entire dashboard. The Hyperscreen is part of Mercedes-Benz’s second-generation MBUX infotainment system that replaces physical knobs and buttons with touch and voice controls.
Based on early images, the Hyperscreen appears to contain three distinct OLED displays. A display behind the steering column stands in for your typical instrument cluster, while a central infotainment screen gives you control over music, navigation, A/C, calls, and other non-essential items. A small screen facing the front passenger provides additional control and entertainment.
Mercedes-Benz notes that its Hyperscreen has a “zero layers” system, which is a fancy way of saying that there aren’t any distracting sub-menus. Important applications and information are always in your line of sight, so you don’t have to fight your way out of a call just to get back to navigation. Also, the second-gen MBUX system can store 7 profiles for drivers and passengers, which could help families hit the road without adjusting their massive digital dashboard.
As someone with a cracked instrument panel (don’t ask), I can’t help but wonder how many drivers will damage their 56-inch Hyperscreen. Mercedes-Benz says that its coated aluminum silicate glass is scratch and glare-resistant, but it ain’t idiot-proof. Plus, repairs or replacements probably cost a fortune, as the Hyperscreen is huge, curved, and even has cut-outs for two physical air vents.
The Hyperscreen debuts in Mercedes-Benz’s 2022 EQS electric sedan, which should begin production later this year. It may be the most advanced infotainment system yet, rivaling the massive displays found in Cadillac’s 2021 Escalade and Tesla’s line of premium electric vehicles.
Source: Mercedes-Benz via Roadshow by CNET
