Sound Drive Discontinued
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,908
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From: Tennessee
W214 E450
Sound Drive Discontinued
I just got this email from Mercedes. It was useless anyway and I only tried it to see what it was like. I won't miss it, but this is a good reminder that some features of your car can be removed pretty much whenever they want without much of a notice. In this case, just 2 days notice.
We would like to inform you that the Digital Extra "MBUX SOUND DRIVE” will be terminated on December 17th, 2025 and will therefore no longer be available for you to use from this date.
We are working to continue to offer you comparable, innovative services.
Kind regards,
Mercedes-Benz
We are working to continue to offer you comparable, innovative services.
Kind regards,
Mercedes-Benz
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 750
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From: Sweden
2023 EQE SUV 500 4Matic
I just got this a few minutes ago here in Sweden. I will miss it.
I admit, I was probably not using Sound Drive for what MB had originally intended, but I was still looking forward to more songs coming that take full advantage of the sound system in my car. The quality of the overall sound experience is much better than what I get from, say, Spotify.
And I agree with you -- two days' notice is amazingly abrupt. So, I too, wonder what the back story is on this. Probably some legal / licensing issue.
I admit, I was probably not using Sound Drive for what MB had originally intended, but I was still looking forward to more songs coming that take full advantage of the sound system in my car. The quality of the overall sound experience is much better than what I get from, say, Spotify.
And I agree with you -- two days' notice is amazingly abrupt. So, I too, wonder what the back story is on this. Probably some legal / licensing issue.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2022
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From: Sweden
2023 EQE SUV 500 4Matic
MBWorld God!
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I just got this email from Mercedes. It was useless anyway and I only tried it to see what it was like. I won't miss it, but this is a good reminder that some features of your car can be removed pretty much whenever they want without much of a notice. In this case, just 2 days notice.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,908
Likes: 665
From: Tennessee
W214 E450
Thanks for the heads up OP, interesting decision I thought they advertised it a lot, they even got Lewis if I recalled correctly to advertise this feature for them. On the forums, it was intensively discussed and people were excited for the latest MBUX version just to get this feature.
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Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
I think the only person who was truly excited about this was will.i.am who created it in collaboration with AMG. I watched the unveiling. He was super excited, because it was his music, but other people were just mostly politely nodding. I didn't follow it to see if any other artist signed up for this. It seemed to be a pet project of will.i.am that wasn't gonna go anywhere.
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MBWorld God!
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They may have been excited just because it was a new shiny thing but after experiencing it myself, it's pretty worthless. At best, it's a demo of the 4D Atmos sound system but unless you like the music they offer (I didn't) and you like to listen to a very limited set of music (I don't) then it's not likely something you would use. I have my own rather large collection of music and some of it is in Atmos or 5.1 Dolby which sounds just as good and much better music IMO. I wish they put their energy into making a better built in USB based media player with more advanced features than what they have now. I doubt they will though since there is an intentional push by all companies to get people away from owning things such as their own music media and move to renting such as streaming media.
I think the only person who was truly excited about this was will.i.am who created it in collaboration with AMG. I watched the unveiling. He was super excited, because it was his music, but other people were just mostly politely nodding. I didn't follow it to see if any other artist signed up for this. It seemed to be a pet project of will.i.am that wasn't gonna go anywhere.
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From: DFW Texas
GL450, E450, Porsche 718 GTS
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,908
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From: Tennessee
W214 E450
Well, it's the 17th and the day Mercedes-Benz discontinues SoundDrive in MBUX. I thought I heard a collective sigh from all the MB owners that will surely miss this feature. Then I realized it was just my dog passing gas.💩💨
Junior Member
Joined: May 2024
Posts: 61
Likes: 19
From: NorCal
S214
Driving yesterday and I see a truck ahead that is swerving back and forth like a formula one driver warming up the tires and pumping the brakes on and off... like, what the heck is this yahoo doing? Then at the stoplight I was alongside and could see that it was him and his two buddies that were rocking the truck to the music. All good fun... or just stupid and dangerous?
I hadn't been aware of sound drive (yeah, yeah... I gotta get out more!) but am thinking the last thing we need is some feature that encourages unpredictable driving.
I hadn't been aware of sound drive (yeah, yeah... I gotta get out more!) but am thinking the last thing we need is some feature that encourages unpredictable driving.
