What Is It?
Mercedes-Benz F500 Mind Concept
What's Special About It?
As Tokyo Motor Show concepts go, there's nothing particularly remarkable about the F500 Mind's shape, as the car appears to be another in a long line of crossover wagons and SUVs. However, the styling of this concept is not of particular importance to Mercedes; rather, the F500 is a testing laboratory for new technology likely to show up in future production vehicles.
The biggest news here is the concept car's hybrid drivetrain, something that Mercedes seemed not to have taken great interest in until now. Unlike other hybrids, though, the F500 has a diesel/electric system that combines the efforts of a 250-horsepower, 4.0-liter diesel V8 (already in use in European S-Class sedans) with a 50-kilowatt electric motor. As in Toyota's Prius, the electric motor alone propels the car off the line and in low-speed, stop-and-go driving, while the diesel engine takes over when more power is required. The electric motor's 300-volt battery pack is recharged during braking. The company claims that this hybrid setup results in 20-percent better fuel economy compared to that of a car with an unassisted version of the 4.0-liter diesel engine.
Inside the F500 Mind, conventional brake and accelerator pedals have been replaced by pressure-sensitive surfaces that use electrical impulses to activate braking and throttle. Mercedes says that this innovation opens up more space in the cabin by allowing the front occupants to sit farther forward. Additionally, the doors can be opened in the normal forward manner, or drawn apart at the center — creating 74 inches width for exceptionally easy entry and exit. This flexible door design precludes the use of traditional B-pillars, so engineers created a rigid center pillar that connects the car's floor pan with the roof structure.
In an effort to reduce driver fatigue, displeasure and distraction, the instrumentation and navigation displays are positioned at eye level and are supposed to give the driver a great deal of flexibility to decide how the information should be presented. The switchgear in the F500 uses sensors to detect an approaching hand, according to Mercedes, so that the desired information immediately comes up on the center display. And the voice control system is equipped with ultrasound technology so that nav and traffic information can easily be heard by the driver but does not disturb the vehicle's other occupants. Finally, the company is testing out a laser-based Night Vision system that, like the one in the Lexus LX 470, would provide black-and-white images of obstacles ahead (within a range of about 492 feet, says Mercedes).
Why Should You Care?
Mercedes is not known for building fuel-efficient vehicles, at least not in the United States, and the idea of a V8-powered sedan that actually turns in decent mileage numbers is not an unpleasant proposition. Electronically controlled "pedals" might have seemed like a futuristic marvel a few years ago, but now that several Mercedes vehicles have electronic control for both brakes and throttles, doing away with the pedals altogether doesn't seem far-fetched. Given that the COMAND system in current-production Mercedes vehicles is outdated, it's not surprising to hear that the company is rethinking its approach to controls, either. And with both Lexus and Cadillac offering night vision systems, Mercedes' own system is likely just around the corner for the S-Class. Bottom line: You'll never see an F500 Mind out on the road, but you will see much of its technology in future production vehicles. — Erin Riches
Mercedes-Benz F500 Mind Concept
What's Special About It?
As Tokyo Motor Show concepts go, there's nothing particularly remarkable about the F500 Mind's shape, as the car appears to be another in a long line of crossover wagons and SUVs. However, the styling of this concept is not of particular importance to Mercedes; rather, the F500 is a testing laboratory for new technology likely to show up in future production vehicles.
The biggest news here is the concept car's hybrid drivetrain, something that Mercedes seemed not to have taken great interest in until now. Unlike other hybrids, though, the F500 has a diesel/electric system that combines the efforts of a 250-horsepower, 4.0-liter diesel V8 (already in use in European S-Class sedans) with a 50-kilowatt electric motor. As in Toyota's Prius, the electric motor alone propels the car off the line and in low-speed, stop-and-go driving, while the diesel engine takes over when more power is required. The electric motor's 300-volt battery pack is recharged during braking. The company claims that this hybrid setup results in 20-percent better fuel economy compared to that of a car with an unassisted version of the 4.0-liter diesel engine.
Inside the F500 Mind, conventional brake and accelerator pedals have been replaced by pressure-sensitive surfaces that use electrical impulses to activate braking and throttle. Mercedes says that this innovation opens up more space in the cabin by allowing the front occupants to sit farther forward. Additionally, the doors can be opened in the normal forward manner, or drawn apart at the center — creating 74 inches width for exceptionally easy entry and exit. This flexible door design precludes the use of traditional B-pillars, so engineers created a rigid center pillar that connects the car's floor pan with the roof structure.
In an effort to reduce driver fatigue, displeasure and distraction, the instrumentation and navigation displays are positioned at eye level and are supposed to give the driver a great deal of flexibility to decide how the information should be presented. The switchgear in the F500 uses sensors to detect an approaching hand, according to Mercedes, so that the desired information immediately comes up on the center display. And the voice control system is equipped with ultrasound technology so that nav and traffic information can easily be heard by the driver but does not disturb the vehicle's other occupants. Finally, the company is testing out a laser-based Night Vision system that, like the one in the Lexus LX 470, would provide black-and-white images of obstacles ahead (within a range of about 492 feet, says Mercedes).
Why Should You Care?
Mercedes is not known for building fuel-efficient vehicles, at least not in the United States, and the idea of a V8-powered sedan that actually turns in decent mileage numbers is not an unpleasant proposition. Electronically controlled "pedals" might have seemed like a futuristic marvel a few years ago, but now that several Mercedes vehicles have electronic control for both brakes and throttles, doing away with the pedals altogether doesn't seem far-fetched. Given that the COMAND system in current-production Mercedes vehicles is outdated, it's not surprising to hear that the company is rethinking its approach to controls, either. And with both Lexus and Cadillac offering night vision systems, Mercedes' own system is likely just around the corner for the S-Class. Bottom line: You'll never see an F500 Mind out on the road, but you will see much of its technology in future production vehicles. — Erin Riches
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