Style: September 06, 2019

118 STYLE | motoring
WHY, HELLO THERE,
MERCEDES
Kate Preece finds herself talking to her car.
They say madness is not talking to yourself, but when
you start responding. But, with technology becoming
cleverer with every upgrade, it becomes acceptable to
have open dialogue with inanimate objects, right?
Ask the Mercedes-Benz A200 what the speed limit
is and she’ll tell you. Ask her to turn on a reading light,
the front window heating, the heated seats, and she’ll
do so instantly. Once you find yourselves on the same
wavelength, you’re away laughing.
“Hey Mercedes, what’s the temperature?”
“The outside temperature is 15 degrees.”
“Hey, Mercedes, call Gran.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t know your grandmother’s name yet.”
She’s smart alright.
This new Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX)
and its ‘Natural Voice Control’ accompanies the latest
update, first rolled out in the top S-Class models last
year. It includes a touchscreen dashboard that spreads
like an elongated tablet from in front of the steering
wheel to the centre position, with two 10.25-inch digital
screens. From here you can control everything from
colour themes, to your car’s climate. Further controls
on the steering wheel are small square touch sensors
that you can swipe over to change your display. Flick
through options that show consumption, trip details, your
navigation, a Nm/G-force dial, analogue clock and more.
Too much? Simplify back to full-screen graphic detailing
your trip itinerary, with an icon to show how far your fuel
will take you. (If you’d rather keep your eyes on the road,
ask Mercedes, she’ll tell you too.)