Move over, S-Class. Mercedes-Benz has a new technological tour de force and it’s expected to be revealed next month.
The 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQS will debut the brand’s new MBUX Hyperscreen, a full-width, curved-glass screen at the front of the cabin.
It visually combines the digital instrument cluster and central touchscreen, while also offering a screen for front-seat passengers.
The company has released a video on the Hyperscreen, which also gives us a slightly better look at the rest of the interior. Ironically, the video isn’t designed for wide screens.
Centralising everything from media to climate controls on the Hyperscreen has allowed designers to pen a swooping dashboard, with no controls below it bar the hazard button.
There’s an unadorned centre console that appears to rise up to meet the screen, and can be finished with wood trim.
The in-car tech is more than just a large screen. Mercedes-Benz has also expanded the use of gesture control, with a simple waving motion all that’s necessary to open the sunroof.
Like the S-Class, the EQS will also offer dual rear-seat entertainment screens.
Optional on the EQS, the MBUX Hyperscreen is “both the brain and nervous system of the car” according to chief technology officer Sajjad Khan.
The 141cm-wide screen is surrounded by a plastic frame finished in silver, with integrated ambient lighting on the lower part creating a floating effect.
The front passenger has their own display measuring 2432.11cm2, though the entertainment functions will be locked out while the car is in motion in many jurisdictions.
OLED technology is used in the centre and passenger displays, which means individual parts of the image are self-luminous and areas of the screen not being used appear deep black.
Hardware highlights include eight CPU cores and 24GB RAM and 46.4GB per second RAM bandwidth.
The screen is also coated twice to reduce reflections and aid cleaning, while the curved glass consists of scratch-resistant aluminium silicate.
In the event of a crash, there are predetermined breaking points alongside the side outlet openings.
Additionally, the company has released a photo of the EQS in the final stages of testing with little in the way of camouflage left.
It shows a car with a graceful fastback silhouette (it actually has a hatchback, too), relatively unadorned sides, and wheels pushed out to the far corners of the vehicle.
There are also trick pop-out door handles.
The EQS will have exactly the electric range promised by the Vision EQS concept when it’s introduced. That means a total range of 700km under stricter WLTP measures.
The concept featured a 100kWh lithium-ion battery and promised a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds.
It’s a big ‘un, too: the concept measured 5295mm long on a 3260mm wheelbase, with a total width of 2077mm.
For context, that’s 178mm wider and 51mm longer than the current long-wheelbase S-Class with a 35mm longer wheelbase.
