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"Those critical tasks include the direction indicators, hazard light activation, honking a horn, turning on the rain wipers, and activation of an SOS function to automatically call emergency services in a serious event. To be clear: the new tests are guidelines to a full five star rating; automakers are not legally required to comply, but they won't get the top safety rating from NCAP testing if they don't."
Sadly they don't include climate control and volume knobs, navigation, etc. and as another forum member mentioned, it doesn't define a button as if it has to be physical pressed or capacitive as a button (and not just on a touch screen).
Well, in the case of Mercedes, the best or nothing so they definitely don't want to have less than 5 stars, as long as they don't earn 0 stars. Mercedes is also not guilty of having non physical turn switches, horns, wipers, SOS buttons. So this doesn't affect Mercedes... yet.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
"Those critical tasks include the direction indicators, hazard light activation, honking a horn, turning on the rain wipers, and activation of an SOS function to automatically call emergency services in a serious event. To be clear: the new tests are guidelines to a full five star rating; automakers are not legally required to comply, but they won't get the top safety rating from NCAP testing if they don't."
Sadly they don't include climate control and volume knobs, navigation, etc. and as another forum member mentioned, it doesn't define a button as if it has to be physical pressed or capacitive as a button (and not just on a touch screen).
Well, in the case of Mercedes, the best or nothing so they definitely don't want to have less than 5 stars, as long as they don't earn 0 stars. Mercedes is also not guilty of having non physical turn switches, horns, wipers, SOS buttons. So this doesn't affect Mercedes... yet.
I think the most interesting thing in the article is where they talk about the increased number of accidents caused by distracted drivers and how simple things like adjusting the A/C or the radio have become tasks that cause many drivers to take their eyes off the road. I know they would all like us to "talk" to our cars, but knobs, buttons & switches are MY preferred ways of communicating with my car.
I think the most interesting thing in the article is where they talk about the increased number of accidents caused by distracted drivers and how simple things like adjusting the A/C or the radio have become tasks that cause many drivers to take their eyes off the road. I know they would all like us to "talk" to our cars, but knobs, buttons & switches are MY preferred ways of communicating with my car.
I don't know about you but "Hey Mercedes" she likes to throw a tantrum sometimes...
That said, it does seem like that facelift W223 spy shots shows some buttons so I see some light through this tunnel, it is a step in the right direction.
Thats not what they said. They said screens alone are not luxurious, which is true. You need to have premium materials and textures and good switchgear etc alongside the screens. Screens aren't going anywhere.
Thats not what they said. They said screens alone are not luxurious, which is true. You need to have premium materials and textures and good switchgear etc alongside the screens. Screens aren't going anywhere.
I read the article, I am not saying they will get rid of it, I was saying they realized screens are not luxurious, I fully understand automakers are not getting rid of screens sadly. Sorry for the confusion.
I read the article, I am not saying they will get rid of it, I was saying they realized screens are not luxurious, I fully understand automakers are not getting rid of screens sadly. Sorry for the confusion.
They didn't say screens weren't luxurious...that implies that replacing screens with something else would be more luxurious. This is the quote from Gordon Wagener:
You have a better — and bigger — TV at home, right? And every car has a big screen. So we have to create luxury beyond the screen. That's why I talk about craftsmanship and sophistication. There's so much emphasis on making [Mercedes] vehicles better/
What he's saying is screens alone don't make a car luxurious.
Personally I don't want screens to go away. There is no way to control all of the features and functions of a modern car without screens.
They didn't say screens weren't luxurious...that implies that replacing screens with something else would be more luxurious. This is the quote from Gordon Wagener:
What he's saying is screens alone don't make a car luxurious.
Personally I don't want screens to go away. There is no way to control all of the features and functions of a modern car without screens.
Thanks for explaining, looks like I have reading comprehension issues.
Demanding the addition of buttons, stalks, or dial controls is great, but I am not against large screens though. I do want buttons, but I also wouldn't mind a well designed large screen. I LOVED my large Tesla screen, it was VERY functional and I believe probably the best UI system I ever dealt with despite the lack of buttons after iDrive-7. The 8 numbered physical buttons (1 to 8) in most idrive-7 cars which you can customize to whatever you want is the best trick I've ever seen as far as physical buttons functionality.
The layout of W222 screens and buttons was screen. The horizontal layout if iDrive-7 and NTG6 in some cars with physical buttons is also ideal. W223 is just around the edge and probably still within the acceptable balance despite capacitive touches. BMW went waaaaay too far with idrive-8. Mbenz seems to be following the same. If they can at least implement a good UI, I'd be okay with it (Tesla did that), but right now that's not the case.
I will say that now I have gotten used to the portrait screen vs the landscape screen I do prefer the portrait screen. Much better for navigation etc as you can see further down the road.
2025 Maserati Grecale Folgore and 2024 Jaguar F-PACE SVR
I feel the opposite. Don't like portrait screens because I have to look too far down. Two screens stacked on top of each other is even worse. With my new Grecale there's absolutely no way to keep your eyes on the road while using the bottom screen. It's much more dangerous than texting while driving, but legal.
Yeah, I'm not against screens at all, but there needs to be physical controls for common used features and buttons you can operate w/o taking your eyes off the road. I find the widescreen with physical steering wheel and center console buttons for the important functions the sweet spot. For the less used features, and obviously things like navigation etc. you need a screen. It's like my desk setup. I have a 2-in-1 laptop where I can detach the screen and use it as a tablet for simple tasks. But most of the time I have it connected to an Ultrawide 21:9 external monitor and I use a BT keyboard and mouse to actually be productive. It's similar in the car. There are certain functions I regularly operate such as changing driving modes and others. Those need to be easily accessible. Even turning the assistance options on/off should be buttons as they are in my current car, so I don't have to dive into the screen just to turn off the parking sensors for example if they go off when I don't want, and I can easily turn on LKA on a long drive if I wish while keeping it off most other times. It's ultimately all about the right balance.
I feel the opposite. Don't like portrait screens because I have to look too far down. Two screens stacked on top of each other is even worse. With my new Grecale there's absolutely no way to keep your eyes on the road while using the bottom screen. It's much more dangerous than texting while driving, but legal.
I can see this...but I haven't found it to be a problem
Where the climate controls are located on the hyperscreen, I am ok with. What I miss the most, what I would pay good money for and what I consider luxurious is a damn volume knob.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by teksurv
Where the climate controls are located on the hyperscreen, I am ok with. What I miss the most, what I would pay good money for and what I consider luxurious is a damn volume knob.
The last generation of MB steering wheels & volume control knobs was “THE” best ever, in my opinion. The knurled roller controls were absolutely perfect. Going one step further, in my opinion, the cockpit controls for most everything were “just right” in the W222. My feeling is that the current setup was driven almost entirely by trying to produce the car less expensively. They nickel & dimed their flagship sedan and SOMEONE should have said HALT, before the design was green lighted. Just my opinion, of course.
Certainly reduction is cost was one goal, but it wasn't the only goal. I loved my W222 and I love my W223, but they have very different feels inside. The 223 feels way more modern and more youthful inside, that is by design not by accident. No question the 222 was screwed together better.
I will say the 223 gets way more "wows" when people get in it than the 222 ever did.
The last generation of MB steering wheels & volume control knobs was “THE” best ever, in my opinion. The knurled roller controls were absolutely perfect. Going one step further, in my opinion, the cockpit controls for most everything were “just right” in the W222. My feeling is that the current setup was driven almost entirely by trying to produce the car less expensively. They nickel & dimed their flagship sedan and SOMEONE should have said HALT, before the design was green lighted. Just my opinion, of course.
I completely agree.......It's just even more impressive that this design, and this car, was out on the roads 13 years ago!!!!!!!!. The facelift W222 in 2018 has definitely improved the steering wheel design even more. I'd say that only downside is that the infotainment system was far behind the competition (especially during the facelift years, it felt like driving a 5-years old car technology wise at that time even when new). One reason I love our current GLS is the dashboard, steering wheel and central console as well as the screens design, yet in a better MBUX package technology wise. I was really sad to see the new steering wheel though for the facelift with those capacitive touch buttons.
I've had so many cars in my life, most of them were pretty new or flashy in their time, but there has never been any car that I felt was as exciting and impressive as when I got my 1st W222 (probably my 2nd one too though the design has grown on me already by then). But looking at the press release in 2013, this car (cabin specifically) was just out of this world. No car has ever touched my emotions the same way as the W222 cabin. It was one of those things that I felt would even fit well as a desktop background photo if I had been younger by then.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
