Mercedes took a bold step into the future of self-driving cars at CES with the introduction of the F 015 Luxury in Motion, a four-door concept that envisions how luxury self-driving cars might look and feel some time in the future.
Unlike Google’s self-driving prototype, the F 015 also includes a steering wheel for those “occasions when the driver wants to drive,” said Dieter Zetsche, Daimler AG chairman and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, during a keynote presentation at CES 2015.
Made from high-strength caron-reinforced polymer, the F015 is a little lower, shorter and wider than a current S-Class but around 40 per cent lighter. Mercedes claims 285PS and a 0-100kmh time of 6.7secs, as well as a touring range of more than 1,000km.
Inside, you will be greeted by a “lounge-like” cabin, thanks to four rotating seats that can face each other. An array of screens throughout the car let passengers interact with controls and entertainment, supporting not-quite-production features like gestures and eye tracking. The F 015 is purely a concept for now, but this heralds a new era of driverless cars and a host of other technologies, much like what the S-Class has been doing for the automotive industry with every iteration.
