Mercedes F015 Luxury in Motion Concept Wallpapers
Mercedes F015 Luxury in Motion Concept Wallpapers
Mercedes F015 Luxury in Motion Concept Wallpapers
Mercedes F015 Luxury in Motion Concept Wallpapers
Mercedes F015 Luxury in Motion Concept Wallpapers
Mercedes F015 Luxury in Motion Concept Wallpapers
With
the S500 INTELLIGENT DRIVE and the Future Truck 2025, Mercedes-Benz has
already made the vision of autonomous driving become reality. The new
research vehicle F015 Luxury in Motion has its world premiere at the
Consumer Electronics Show, and provides a concrete example of the
visionary ideas the company is developing with regard to autonomous
driving of the future. With this self-driving luxury saloon
Mercedes-Benz illustrates how the car is growing beyond its role as a
mere means of transport and will ultimately become a private retreating
space. This new way of travelling gives passengers the freedom to use
their valuable time on the road in manifold ways.
Progressing from
the self-propelled ("automotive") to the self-reliant ("autonomous")
vehicle, Mercedes-Benz as a pioneer goes far beyond the purely technical
realisation of automated driving. The company's experts also have to
anticipate different outlooks and social trends. People are always at
the centre of such considerations. Just as the 1886 Benz Patent Motor
Car and its successors revolutionised personal mobility and, as a
consequence, society as a whole, the first self-driving cars will also
bring about major changes.
"Anyone who focuses solely on the
technology has not yet grasped how autonomous driving will change our
society. The car is growing beyond its role as a mere means of transport
and will ultimately become a mobile living space," explains Dr Dieter
Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of
Mercedes-Benz Cars.
Expressive forerunner of a mobility revolution
With
the huge amount of space in its lounge-like interior, the Mercedes-Benz
F015 Luxury in Motion takes the concepts of comfort and luxury to a new
level. Every facet of the vehicle reflects perfectly the Mercedes way
of interpreting the terms "modern luxury", emotion and intelligence.
This innovative four-seater is a forerunner of a mobility revolution,
and this is immediately apparent from its futuristic appearance.
It
is obvious that the F015 represents the vision of a brand new vehicle
concept just from its unusual proportions (length/width/height:
5220/2018/1524 millimetres), its seamless, monolithic exterior and its
large LED light modules at the front and rear. A range of different
lighting functions can be provided through these LED fields. At the same
time, the vehicle communicates and interacts with the outside world by
means of the LED fields. These LED fields show for example, if the F015
is driving autonomously (blue) or is controlled manually (white).
The
low-slung front end, smooth and streamlined roof line, flat front
windscreen and road-hugging rear end give the F015 Luxury in Motion an
extended and decidedly dynamic silhouette. The F015 Luxury in Motion's
unusually large wheelbase of 3610 millimetres in combination with its
short overhangs clearly show that the design focus was on providing the
maximum possible space for the passengers.
A lounge-like interior with an atmosphere of well-being
In
the interior of the F015 Luxury in Motion the designers have created a
lounge-like space with a feel-good ambience characterised by elegance,
quality and lightness. Sensual, flowing transitions and warm, organic
materials such as open-pore walnut wood shaped into a three-dimensional
veneer, and extremely soft ice white nappa leather contrast with
clearly-defined metal and glass surfaces with a cool and technical feel.
The
pivotal feature of the innovative interior concept is the variable
seating system, with four rotating lounge chairs that allow a
face-to-face seat configuration. In order to make getting in and out of
the car easier, the electrically powered seats also swing outwards by 30
degrees as soon as the doors are opened. If necessary, the driver and
front-seat passenger can also turn their eyes and attention towards the
front - a prerequisite for manual driving. To this end the steering
wheel extends automatically from the dashboard.
The
leather-covered cushions of the lounge chairs are set in curved mounts
of highly-polished aluminium. Each seating mount has a contrasting light
band of blue LED lights and can also be manually swivelled.
One
key aspect of the research vehicle is the continuous exchange of
information between vehicle, passengers and the outside world. This is
facilitated by six display screens harmoniously integrated into the
instrument panel and the rear and side panels, which turn the interior
of the F015 Luxury in Motion into a digital arena. Passengers can
interact intuitively with the connected vehicle through gestures,
eye-tracking or by touching the high-resolution screens. Sensors
recognise the passengers' hands and offer them user interfaces within
convenient reach that present appropriate operating options for each
particular situation. Particle streams on the displays visualise the
vehicle's movement.
Revolutionary vehicle structure
The
high-strength body of the F015 Luxury in Motion ensures optimum safety
and supreme comfort for its passengers. At the same time, the
bodyshell's structure provides the ideal basis for the door concept that
makes getting in and out especially easy, and for the
communication-oriented seating featuring four lounge chairs in a
face-to-face arrangement.
New materials and structures were used
to develop the highly efficient "Smart Body Structure (SBS)" of the
F015. By cleverly combining carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP),
aluminium and high-strength steels in a way that matches the varying
requirements exactly, the lightweight engineering experts were able to
make the bodyshell 40 percent lighter compared with today's production
vehicles.
Another key element of the body design concept is the
innovative saloon-door-style door system featuring rear-hinged rear
doors. The front and rear doors can be opened and closed independently
of one another. With an opening angle of 90 degrees for all doors, the
spacious interior can be easily and comfortably accessed on both sides.
B-pillars were not needed. A very sturdy interconnected system with
mechanical locking elements ensures exemplary safety standards. These
elements securely interlock the front and rear doors when they are
closed at the same time as fixing them firmly to the roof frame and side
skirts. The resulting composite load path allows an extremely high
amount of energy to be absorbed in the event of frontal or side impact,
with minimal intrusion into the passenger compartment.
The doors
themselves have a crucial role to play in the vehicle's passive safety
concept. The crash-responsive beltlines underneath the side windows are
vital here. The PRE-SAFE Structure, previously unveiled on the ESF 2009
Experimental Safety Vehicle and now further enhanced, offers maximum
safety while taking up minimum space: in a side-on collision, these
bodywork elements "inflate" in an instant, just like an airbag, allowing
them to absorb as much impact energy as possible.
In addition,
the bodyshell of the F015 Luxury in Motion was designed to allow the
impact-protected integration of an electric drive system with fuel cell.
This is based on the pioneering F-CELL PLUG-IN HYBRID system seen in
the F 125! research vehicle from 2011, and combines on-board generation
of electricity with an exceptionally powerful and compact high-voltage
battery. The pressure tank made from CFRP is designed to store the
hydrogen.
The vision: greater quality of life for all city dwellers
As
a foundation for creating the F015 Luxury in Motion, experts from all
areas of Mercedes-Benz developed a future scenario entitled "City of the
Future 2030+", which considered many aspects of mobile living.
The
greater the advance of urbanisation, the greater is the desire of the
individual to be able to retreat to a private sphere. Autonomous driving
will become a given. As drivers are relieved of work and stress in
situations in which driving is not enjoyable, the time gained while in
their car takes on a whole new quality. Time and space will become the
luxury of the future.
New technologies and forms of communication
open up numerous new possibilities for interaction, both between the
vehicle and its passengers and between the vehicle and other road users.
Autonomous
cars also open up new possibilities for urban infrastructure design.
Following the example of today's low-emission zones in city centres,
special "safety zones" that are only accessible to autonomous vehicles
could be created. Urban space would be regained by autonomous vehicles
parking themselves on the periphery.
In the shared space of the
future, humans and machines share the roads. The "car-friendly city" is
transformed increasingly into the "people-friendly city" without any
loss of individual freedom. The divide between residential, recreational
and traffic areas therefore melts away. The result is superior quality
of life for all urban dwellers.
The road to autonomous driving
Even
now, vehicles from Mercedes-Benz are capable of detecting many
different hazardous situations out on the road and reacting as the
situation demands - by means of autonomous braking, for instance. And
from the C-Class through to the S-Class, there are already Mercedes-Benz
models driving semi-autonomously on public roads today, equipped with
features such as DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist and the Stop&Go
Pilot semi-autonomous traffic jam vehicle following function. Active
Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC allows automated parking with active
steering and brake control in both parallel and end-on spaces.
In
August 2013, Mercedes-Benz demonstrated to great effect that autonomous
driving is possible now. The close-to-production Mercedes-Benz S500
INTELLIGENT DRIVE completed the approximately 100-kilometre journey from
Mannheim to Pforzheim fully autonomously, following the route Bertha
Benz took in 1888 on the first ever long-distance drive by car.
Mercedes-Benz
is setting the pace of development in the area of trucks, too - as the
innovator and launcher of intelligent assistance systems. With its
Future Truck 2025, the brand presented the world's first truck to
feature autonomous driving at the IAA Commercial Vehicles in September
2014. In July 2014, this one-off vehicle, based on the Mercedes-Benz
Actros 1845, drove at speeds of up to 80 km/h in realistic traffic
situations on a section of the A14 autobahn near Magdeburg.
As a
global company, Mercedes-Benz has its sights set on autonomous driving
worldwide. In order to factor in the differences in traffic and
infrastructure in other markets, the experts also carry out testing in
the USA, for example. In mid-September 2014, Mercedes-Benz became one of
the first automotive manufacturers to be issued with an official
licence by the US state of California for testing self-driving vehicles
on public roads there. In addition the company makes use of the USA's
largest test facility, the Concord Naval Weapons Station (CNWS).
The design: Expressive forerunner of a mobility revolution
The
task of the designers of the Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion was to
come up with a completely new concept and design for a luxury saloon:
Because autonomous driving will create a lot of freedoms of design that
can be utilised systematically. The car becomes a precious, private
retreat, particularly in urban traffic.
Thus the visionary
research vehicle Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion was born, a vehicle
which raises comfort and luxury to a new level by offering a maximum of
space and a lounge character on the inside. Every facet of the F015
Luxury in Motion is the utmost reflection of the Mercedes way of
interpreting the terms "modern luxury", emotion and intelligence. This
innovative four-seater is a forerunner of a mobility revolution, and
this is immediately apparent from its futuristic appearance.
Sensuousness and clarity, the core elements of the Mercedes-Benz design
philosophy, combine to create a unique, progressive aesthetic appeal.
It
is immediately apparent that the F015 represents the vision of a brand
new vehicle concept just from its unusual proportions, with a length of
5220 millimetres, width of 2018 millimetres and height of 1524
millimetres, from its seamless, monolithic exterior and from its large
LED light modules at the front and rear. A range of different lighting
functions can be provided through these extensive LED fields. At the
same time, the vehicle communicates and interacts with the outside world
by means of these LED fields. The display signals to pedestrians that
the F015 has "seen" them. The number plate is replaced by a QR code,
making information on the vehicle available to the outside world. This,
along with the striking narrow luminescent band on the rear end, makes
the vehicle into a "communications centre" on wheels. The monolithic
impression is emphasised by the absence of exterior mirrors and the
flush-fitting side windows, which have an almost mirror-like appearance
thanks to their finely-patterned surface and which blend almost
imperceptibly into the flanks of the vehicle body, finished in alubeam.
Dynamic: an extended, flowing silhouette and pronounced body shape
The
low-slung front end, smooth and streamlined roof line, flat front
windscreen and road-hugging rear end give the F015 Luxury in Motion an
extended and decidedly dynamic silhouette. The vehicle body has a
pronounced, attractive shape. The generously-sized areas of outer skin
fit snugly to the body. The greenhouse is tapered sharply towards the
rear, resulting in muscular shoulders which lend an eye-catching contour
to the flanks. Together with the powerful-looking side skirt, this
gives the sides of the vehicle additional visual structure.
The
extremely large 26-inch wheels appear to push down the side skirts,
which in turn emphasises the unusually long wheelbase. The alloy wheels
are split into five equally-sized, cross-drilled areas of gleaming
aluminium.
Expansive: long wheelbase and "saloon doors" that open wide
The
unusually long wheelbase of the F015 Luxury in Motion, at 3610
millimetres, is longer by some 245 millimetres than the Mercedes-Maybach
S-Class (3365 millimetres). Combined with the short overhangs, it is
immediately apparent that the design focus was on providing the maximum
possible space for the passengers.
The F015 Luxury in Motion does
not have any B-pillars. This fact, together with the wide-opening
"saloon doors" that open out the other way to conventional doors, makes
getting into and out of the vehicle interior particularly convenient and
comfortable. The doors open to a full 90 degrees. This allows a clear
view of the generously dimensioned and intelligently laid out interior
and ensures problem-free entry. The side impact protection features have
been cleverly integrated into the door system.
Open space: a luxury lounge providing the highest levels of comfort
In
the interior of the F015 Luxury in Motion the designers have created a
lounge-like space with a feel-good ambience characterised by elegance,
quality and lightness.
Sensual, flowing transitions and warm,
organic materials such as open-pore walnut wood, which has been shaped
to a three-dimensional veneer, and extremely soft ice-white nappa
leather contrast with clearly-defined metal and glass surfaces with a
cool and technical feel. The transitions between organic, metal and
synthetic materials have been designed using matrix graphics; and the
flowing transitions deliver a new, unparalleled feeling of bounteous
space. The light-coloured fine wood used for the floor, for example,
flows almost imperceptibly into the cool Plexiglass of the side panels
thanks to their unusual surface matrix. The transition between the
vehicle floor and the door panels also echoes the outer body shape in a
characterful way.
Variable and comfortable: Lounge-like seating system with a vis-à-vis configuration
The
pivotal feature of the innovative interior concept is the variable
seating system, with four rotating lounge chairs that allow a
face-to-face seat configuration. This enables the front passengers to
turn around and talk directly to the other passengers while on the move -
or to focus their attention towards the front as necessary for manual
driving. For this, the white leather steering wheel automatically slides
out of the instrument panel - also clad in white leather - and offers
the driver a choice of driving options. To make getting in and out of
the vehicle really comfortable, the electrically-powered seats swivel 30
degrees towards the doors as these are opened.
The cushions of
the lounge chairs are upholstered in extremely soft ice-white nappa
leather and set in curved mounts of highly-polished aluminium. Each
seating mount has a contrasting light band of blue LED lights and can
also be manually swivelled. Harmonious touches are provided by the
leather head restraints with the Mercedes star strikingly embossed in
them, as well as by the seat belts, which are in the same colour as the
seat cushions.
Communicative and interactive: the interior as a digital living space
One
core theme of the innovative interior concept is a continuous exchange
of information between vehicle, passengers and the outside world. Six
displays are installed to this end all around, tastefully mounted in the
instrument panel and the rear and side walls, making the interior of
the F015 Luxury in Motion a digital living space - a perfect symbiosis
of the virtual and the real world. Passengers are able to interact
intuitively with the connected vehicle by means of gestures or by
touching the high-resolution screens. Sensors recognize the passengers'
hands and offer them user interfaces within convenient reach that
present the suitable operating options for the particular situation.
Particle streams on the displays - with brilliant white background
graphics - visualise the vehicle's movement and symbolise its
intelligence. In addition, individual displays for each seat provide an
innovative way for passengers to take in information.
Interaction between passengers and vehicle: Natural and enjoyable operating experience
Communication
and interaction between the vehicle, the passengers and the outside
world is one of the key ideas behind the Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in
Motion. The developers have therefore equipped the new research vehicle
with an "Extended Sense" system to give it the requisite enhanced
perceptual capabilities. Thanks to this high-resolution sensor system,
the vehicle keeps a constant eye on its surroundings, is capable of
interpreting what it sees and taking action at any time, and relays
relevant information to its passengers, depending on the specific
driving situation. This converts the F015 into a perfectly dependable
partner, while always letting the occupants make the final decision and
retain overall control, if they so wish.
The interior of the F015
Luxury in Motion is designed as a "digital activity space" that is fully
connected with the outside world thanks to "Extended Sense". Route
planning, music selection, images, contacts and many other functions can
be displayed on the screens at the sides and in the rear and selected
by means of proximity gestures or touch control. A simplified
reproduction of the vehicle's surroundings can also be visualised in the
displays, with the vehicle's motion depicted in the form of streams of
particles. The functions in the front display can be operated by a novel
new eye tracking function and by gestures for great ergonomic comfort.
The Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion thereby gives a preview of how
the self-driving car of the future could become a platform for
communication and interaction.
User Experience: natural and enjoyable operating experience
The
Mercedes-Benz User Experience strategy seeks to wed appealing design
with intuitive use. Development of the F015 Luxury in Motion therefore
focused on the following fundamental features:
- The front
display is largely operated by a combination of eye tracking and gesture
control. To initiate a control function, the user first looks at the
desired element in the main display. As soon as the system has detected
the user's intention by means of eye tracking, hand movements are
interpreted as control inputs and it becomes possible to interact using
gestures. The side displays are operated by means of proximity gestures
and touch.
- The multimedia systems are seamlessly interconnected
with shared content. The complete and secure connectivity with the
digital world in real time enables direct access to all media without
the need for time-consuming synchronisation.
- The car and its
multimedia systems together with all applications and content can be
preconfigured remotely by means of a specially developed app. For
instance, it is possible to instruct the F015 to park itself.
- Top-quality
sound and high-resolution screens with individual crystal sharp
displays for all seats make information uptake easy. During the journey,
the surroundings are depicted on the displays in the form of
"intelligent" streams of particles. This gives the occupants a sense of
the vehicle's motion.
360-degree all-round view: Extended Sense
With
"Extended Sense", the F015 monitors its surroundings in every
direction. Stereo cameras, as well as radar and ultrasonic sensors relay
extensive data. High-precision GPS data together with the extremely
accurate 3D navigation maps make sure the position can be pinpointed to
the exact centimetre. This means the vehicle knows its precise location
at all times. Critical traffic situations, such as a potential
collision, are detected at an early stage by "Extended Sense", correctly
interpreted and averted by taking appropriate action.
The F015
Luxury in Motion identifies its owner or authorised user by means of
their smartphone or wearable device. Once the user has been
authenticated, the saloon-type doors open automatically and the seats
swivel into a position for getting in with the greatest of ease. The
opening procedure can also be initiated from outside the vehicle using
the mobile device or by touch control. The vehicle only grants access to
the interior with the correct digital "key".
Once they have
gained entry, the authorised person is also cleared to operate and
control the vehicle. Driving-specific functions, such as the desired
speed or turning, overtaking and braking, can be governed using a
virtual control module if required.
Digital activity space for information and interaction
Displays
are installed all around the interior for visualising information and
interacting with the vehicle. The neatly integrated screens with crystal
clear ultra-HD resolution turn the interior into a digital activity
space on wheels. All-round visual information is provided by the wide
main screen in the digital dashboard, a Head-up Display in the
windscreen area, touch-sensitive screens running the entire width of the
door trim panels, as well as a screen positioned between the rear seats
at head height and a table with an extending display.
The display units inside the F015 in detail:
- The
main display in the dashboard shows the driving-related information and
operating menus. Functions such as vehicle speed, navigation, climate
control, ventilation and the infotainment system volume can be
controlled by gestures here. The captured image of the surroundings
along the route, including other vehicles, other road users and
stationary objects, also appears here, starting off as abstract moving
data points that look like particles, in the vehicle's immediate
vicinity, then taking the concrete form of a car or pedestrian, for
instance.
- The Head-up Display in the windscreen area serves to
flash up place- and object-related content on points of interest in the
surrounding area with the help of augmented reality technology. This can
include the street numbers of buildings, information on free parking
spaces, tables available in restaurants, the occupancy of hotels or the
programme for a theatre near to the vehicle's current location. The
Head-up Display additionally provides a digital picture of what's going
on right now in the vehicle's vicinity, i.e. the detected objects and
road users.
- The screens in the sides of the vehicle are used for
showing information, for an atmospheric display of the "intelligent"
particles and for passenger interaction. They are operated by means of a
touch control function combined with a proximity sensor system. This
detects the respective hand movement and opens the corresponding menu in
response. The user then touches the screen directly to select the
specific operating function.
- The screen between the rear seats
is positioned at head height and is designed as an Enhanced Rear Window.
An artificial horizon with a defined vanishing point appears here that
gives the occupants a sense of the vehicle's movement.
- The rear
table with extending touch-sensitive display is positioned between the
rear seats and points towards the centre of the vehicle, so that it can
be used by all four passengers for games or video conferences.
Journey into virtual worlds - rethinking personalisation
The
side displays in the F015 Luxury in Motion offer its passengers a
wealth of options for transporting the outside world into the car and
interacting with it. Besides accessing personal address books or
playlists of favourite music, the vehicle's route can be displayed as a
timeline including points of interest. The lighting and colour mood can
also be individually adjusted. The occupants of the F015 furthermore
have the option of superimposing various digital natural landscapes on
the side displays, including forests, mountains, lakes and coastlines.
Other virtual worlds can likewise be projected. The display of the
virtual surroundings is always synchronised with the actual vehicle
movement, meaning that uphill climbs or downhill descents, for example,
are simulated based on the current route profile, thereby allowing the
passengers to sense the vehicle's changing motion visually too.
Focus on passenger well-being
Depicting
the surroundings in the side displays in the form of flowing particles
is also designed to boost passengers' sense of well-being by increasing
sensory comfort. To avoid creating a hectic, turbulent impression when
visualising the outside world especially, the graphics in the side
displays are deliberately simplified. A "manoeuvre flashing" function
also forms part of the concept. Front passengers in the rearward-facing
lounge position in particular are notified of an upcoming bend or lane
change by means of ambient colour signals.
"Pick me Up" app-based service
Thanks
to full connectivity at all times, the F015 becomes an integral part of
the cloud. This means that authorised users are able to access various
vehicle information and functions at any time. For instance, the
navigation, entertainment or climate control systems can be conveniently
programmed from the home PC or, of course, by using a mobile device.
In
addition to this, a specially developed app offers further control
options even when away from the vehicle using a mobile device. The F015
can therefore be sent off to search for its own parking space, or
perhaps to a specific location to collect the user or other occupants.
The seating arrangement or desired number of passengers can also be
selected in this way.
With the F015 Luxury in Motion,
Mercedes-Benz is once again proving itself to be a pioneer in the field
of groundbreaking operating experiences that go far beyond the
application of familiar consumer electronics or vehicle control
concepts. The F015 thereby gives a preview of just how the
(self-driving) car of the future could become an emotionally appealing
platform for communication and interaction with its own system
intelligence.
Interaction between vehicle and environment: Intelligent partner in urban traffic
In
the Mercedes-Benz scenario for urban traffic in tomorrow's world, the
roads are a shared space for people and vehicles. When designing the
F015 Luxury in Motion, therefore, the focus was placed not just on
providing optimum support for the passengers in its interior, but also
creating added value for the people in its immediate vicinity.
Using
the "Extended Sense" sensor system, the F015 permanently monitors its
surroundings in a 360-degree radius. Stereo cameras as well as radar and
ultrasonic sensors relay extensive data, which is then interpreted with
the help of specially developed algorithms. This perceptual and
interpretive capability converts the F015 into an intelligent partner
for people in urban traffic.
Visual and acoustic signals for greater safety
The
F015 Luxury in Motion communicates with its surroundings both visually
and acoustically. Large LED displays at the front and rear as well as a
laser projection system directed toward the front are responsible for
the visual part, while the acoustic communication repertoire includes
both sounds and specific spoken instructions.
The displays at the
front and rear feature a communication matrix comprising
three-dimensional, bar-shaped LED modules, together with two outer
blocks made up of large LED bars. Information on the vehicle can be
retrieved using the rear display's integral QR code. A slim LED light
strip above the rear display is used for visualising driving-specific
functions such as braking, indicating and the current driving mode of
the F015. When the vehicle is started, the LED blocks in the two
communication displays light up in sequence. A special start-up sound
signals that it is ready for operation. The F015 then uses the colour of
its lights to indicate what driving mode it is currently in - blue
stands for autonomous and white for manual. This particular information
is communicated at the front by the large outer LED blocks in the grille
and at the rear by the slim LED light strip.
The various LED
elements that form the communication displays are individually
controlled by the system. At the front, both the light distribution and
colour are varied to suit the respective situation. Meanwhile, the rear
LED display is also capable of displaying short messages for traffic
behind, such as "STOP" or "SLOW".
What's more, the high-precision
laser projection system allows the F015 Luxury in Motion to project a
broad cone of light onto the road in front showing important
information. This includes, for example, a virtual zebra crossing
indicating to pedestrians on the side of the road that it is safe to
cross. And if the F015 brakes with the intention of stopping, a suitable
projected display marks the position where it will come to a stop.
Other road users can then prepare themselves accordingly.
Communication with pedestrians
Should
the F015 detect a pedestrian at the roadside who wishes to cross the
road in its immediate vicinity at the front, the vehicle shows an
undulating light sequence on the LED communication display indicating
that it will wait. If the road is clear, the F015 additionally emits the
audible prompt "Please go ahead" to let the pedestrian know that it is
safe to cross the road in front of the vehicle.
If there is a
pedestrian directly in front of or behind the F015, the car signals this
with an undulating tracking light that moves across the display in
synchronised fashion in the same direction the pedestrian is walking in.
This visual feedback has a similar effect to the eye contact between
driver and pedestrian by allowing the F015 to gain the trust of its
human fellow road user.
Communication with traffic behind
The
F015 communicates actively with the traffic following behind using its
LED rear display. If a pedestrian is crossing the road in front of the
F015 and therefore out of sight of any vehicles that are following, the
F015 displays a sequence of red flashing lights on the rear
communication display to warn the road users behind. The additional
tracking light indicates the pedestrian's exact position on the LED
display. A flashing sequence of lights on the rear display likewise
notifies traffic behind when one of the F015 doors is about to be
opened.
And when the traffic ahead of the F015 Luxury in Motion
starts to slow down, the vehicles behind likewise receive notification.
In this case, a lighting sequence runs down the rear LED element from
top to bottom. The message "SLOW" then appears for several seconds. If,
on the other hand, the traffic in front of the research vehicle should
unexpectedly come to a complete stop, the word "STOP" flashes
repeatedly.
Human and machine: universal, unequivocal communication needed
The
experts at Mercedes-Benz are continuing to work intensively on the
devel-opment of a universal and unequivocal means of communication for
interaction between human and machine. At the "Robotics" Future Talk in
2014, numerous approaches to this issue were discussed with specialists
from a variety of disciplines. A cooperative system needs to be
developed to enable social interaction between humans and machine
intelligence, especially in dense urban areas.
With the new F015
Luxury in Motion research vehicle, Mercedes-Benz is offering an outlook
of how the company could envisage this communication and interaction
taking place within the scope of autonomous mobility.
The body concept: Revolutionary vehicle structure
The
high-strength body of the F015 Luxury in Motion ensures optimum safety
and supreme comfort for its passengers. At the same time, the
bodyshell's structure provides the ideal basis for impact-protected
installation of an F-CELL PLUG-IN HYBRID drive system, for the door
concept that makes getting in and out especially easy, and for the
communication-oriented seating featuring four lounge chairs in a
face-to-face arrangement.
Mercedes-Benz currently designs standard
production bodies based on the principles of "3D Body Engineering":
comprising "aero engineering", "hybrid body engineering" and "safety
engineering", it covers the three key dimensions of body manufacture. By
employing new materials and structures, it was possible to build on
this design principle and turn it into the highly efficient "Smart Body
Structure (SBS)" for the F015. This intelligent hybrid lightweight
construction, which uses the right material in the right place, combines
innovative materials in a way that suits requirements, thereby
maximising strength and crash safety while also optimising weight.
To
dissipate impact energy, for example, conventional steels have been
replaced by fibre-reinforced plastics (FRP), particularly those composed
of carbon fibres (carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic, CFRP). The
developers were able to harness the company's many years of experience
in the world of Formula 1 here: the specific energy absorption rate of
this motorsport material in an impact is four to five times higher than
steel or aluminium, resulting in a far lower weight too. This takes
occupant protection into a new dimension. By cleverly combining CFRP,
aluminium and high-strength steels in a way that matches the varying
requirements exactly, the lightweight engineering experts were able to
make the bodyshell 40 percent lighter compared to today's production
vehicles.
The Mercedes-Benz development team replaced the steel
side members that have previously been the norm with plate-shaped
multi-chamber sections made from an extremely light CFRP composite.
Together with additional cross-bracing above and below the firewall,
this produces a highly efficient and very rigid front box unit that both
carries and encloses the fuel cell, preventing components from being
damaged in the event of a collision. The impact energy is absorbed
within a very short distance by the highly effective energy absorption
structure before reaching the drive unit. A similar construction can be
found at the rear of the vehicle housing the two electric motors,
important control units as well as high-voltage components.
As a
consequence, the F015 Luxury in Motion affords the best possible
protection not just to its passengers, but to the high-tech drive
components on board too. This is particularly true in the case of a side
impact, thanks to the highly rigid occupant cell's energy storage
concept featuring a mixed CFRP/aluminium construction. Within this
ENERGY SPACE structure, the pressurised hydrogen tank system's slim
cylinders can fulfil an important role. They are made entirely of
high-strength CFRP and are positioned crosswise to the direction of
travel. The cavities between the hydrogen cylinders are filled with
special extremely robust structural components, thereby increasing the
inherent stability of the ENERGY SPACE substantially. The storage tanks
are furthermore secured by means of special CFRP mounts with a
customised cross-section, that extend for 250 millimetres beyond the
left and right of each pressure cylinder. This supplementary load path
structure lets the ENERGY SPACE absorb even more impact energy without
collapsing. Together with the crash-optimised sidewalls and the
aluminium/FRP construction of the side sills, this produces a
high-strength vehicle assembly overall. This sophisticated design has
the two-fold benefit of bracing the body's structure in a side impact
and effectively protecting both occupants and technology alike.
Meanwhile,
there is room for the pressurised hydrogen tanks, the wiring and the
inductive charging unit for the high-voltage battery in the extended
floor assembly. This is also where the innovative new seating is secured
that allows the passenger a vis-à-vis configuration.
Innovative opposing door system with no B-pillar
Another
key element of the body design concept is the innovative
saloon-door-style system featuring rear-hinged rear doors. The front and
rear doors can be opened and closed independently of one another. All
the doors open 90 degrees, allowing for very easy access to the spacious
interior. Thanks to the specially structured body, it has been possible
to dispense with a B-pillar. A very sturdy interconnected system with
mechanical locking elements ensures exemplary safety standards. These
elements securely interlock the front and rear doors when they are
closed at the same time fixing them firmly to the roof frame and side
skirts. The resulting composite load path allows an extremely high
amount of energy to be absorbed in a frontal or side impact with minimal
intrusion into the passenger compartment.
To make it possible to
open the front and rear doors independently, the body design experts at
Mercedes-Benz developed a special double hinge for the rear doors that
is attached to the C-pillar. This allows the rear door to be released
from the interconnected system separately with a fluid sliding movement
backwards before pivoting out to open fully. To ensure supreme comfort,
all door operating mechanisms are powered electrically and fitted with
obstruction sensors. The sealing concept for the door system is the same
as that used on the current Mercedes-Benz S-Class, an automatic power
closing feature offers added ease of operation, plus there is that solid
closing sound so typical of Mercedes.
The doors themselves have a
crucial role to play in the vehicle's passive safety concept. This is
not just down to their pioneering design, featuring a bionically
enhanced aluminium inner structure and an outer skin made from carbon
fibre. The crash-responsive beltlines in the doors underneath the side
windows also have a vital effect. Already unveiled on the ESF 2009
Experimental Safety Vehicle and now fitted in a more advanced version,
PRE-SAFE Structure is an innovation that offers maximum safety while
taking up minimum space: in a collision from the side, these bodywork
elements "inflate" in an instant, just like an airbag, allowing them to
absorb as much impact energy as possible.
The passengers are also
given optimum protection if the vehicle should roll over: a
high-strength roof frame structure in a hybrid FRP/steel construction
extends from the front right through to the C-pillar at the rear. The
rear section of the roof is made from an aluminium mesh structure
offering high structural rigidity and energy absorption on the one hand
and low weight on the other.
A team of experts from a whole
variety of technical disciplines together developed the groundbreaking
bodyshell and ENERGY SPACE concept using state-of-the-art development
and evaluation tools.
The powertrain engineering: 1100 kilometres of zero-emission driving
The
F015 Luxury in Motion was designed to allow integration of an electric
drive system with fuel cell. This is based on the pioneering F-CELL
PLUG-IN HYBRID system seen in the F 125! research vehicle from 2011, and
combines on-board generation of electricity with an exceptionally
powerful and compact high-voltage battery. In order to store the
hydrogen the concept offers pressurised tanks made from
carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP).
Whenever the driver wishes
to summon maximum power or extend the overall range, the battery is
used as an additional energy source. The battery can be recharged by
using non-contact induction technology. This convenient, non-contact
charging method can be monitored and controlled using a smartphone. The
electric hybrid system has a total range of 1100 kilometres, including
around 200 kilometres of battery-powered driving and around 900
kilometres on the electricity from the fuel cell. This enables the F015
Luxury in Motion to cover distances similar to those of a comparable
diesel-engined car, but purely on electric power with zero local
emissions.
Enhanced fuel cell system
The
fuel cell stack on the F015 has been further optimised in terms of
performance, efficiency and durability, and delivers the traction
current for two electric motors, each with an output of 100 kW (136 hp).
These are installed in a compact arrangement in the rear end of the
vehicle and transmit their drive power to the rear wheels. The
electrical drive system generates a total peak power output of 200 kW
(272 hp). The maximum torque of 200 Nm per motor is available the
instant the vehicle starts off, which results in impressive
acceleration: the F015 completes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7
seconds and goes on to reach a governed top speed of 200 km/h. Its
consumption equates to just 0.60 kilograms of hydrogen per 100
kilometers, the equivalent of 2.0 liters of diesel. (All consumption
figures are combined figures measured in accordance with the NEDC New
European Driving Cycle).
Fuel cells generate electricity from the
reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. While working to further improve
the fuel cell system, the overriding objective of the Mercedes-Benz
engineers was to double the power output without changing the compact
overall size. Their efforts focused on the possibility of increasing the
speed of the chemical reaction within the system. This was achieved
thanks to an array of individual measures, such as the innovative
platinum catalytic converter coating using homogeneous nanoparticles of
optimum size, and reduction of the electrical resistance in the stack's
layers of cells. An improved electric turbocharger increases the airflow
rate and thereby speeds up the chemical reaction.
More volume: structurally integrated pressurised hydrogen tanks
The
F015 Luxury in Motion stores the hydrogen for generating electricity in
700 bar tanks that can be integrated into the floor of the car to keep
them protected from impacts. The extremely slim pressure cylinders hold
5.4 kilograms of hydrogen in total and are made from
carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). Thanks to their small diameter,
the pressure cylinders can be fitted horizontally into the F015 floor
without encroaching on the space for the passengers in the vehicle
interior. Besides taking up very little space, the pressurised hydrogen
tank system in the F015 Luxury in Motion offers other benefits too. It
allows fast hydrogen refuelling in just a few minutes and is compatible
with the H2 filling station standard used today.
Compact high-voltage battery with high energy and power density
The
ultra-compact high-voltage battery can be installed in the front end of
the vehicle together with the fuel cell system and has a capacity of 29
kWh. This amount of energy content gives the vehicle an electric range
of approx. 200 kilometres when travelling purely on the battery's power,
and can also briefly boost the drive system's power output when
accelerating, for example. With 450 Wh and 1.2 kW per litre, it would
make it equally suitable for use in series production in both PLUG-IN
HYBRID and all-electric vehicles. By recuperating energy when coasting
and braking, the high-voltage battery can be recharged during the
journey, further improving the excellent energy efficiency of the system
as a whole.
Technical data for F-CELL PLUG-IN HYBRID drive system F015 Luxury in Motion
- Peak output of rear motors: each approx. 136 hp (100kW)
- Torque of rear motors: each approx. 200 Nm
- Total sustained output: 163 hp (120kW)
- Total peak output: 272 hp (200 kW)
- Continuous output from the fuel cell: 120 kW
- Maximum output from the battery: 80 kW
- 0-100 km/h: 6.7 s
- 60-120 km/h: 6.2 s
- Top speed: 200 km/h
- Hydrogen consumption: 0.60 kg/100 km
- CO2: 0 g/km
- Total range acc. to NEDC: 1100 km
- Capacity of pressurised H2 tanks: approx. 5.4 kg
- Energy content of battery: 29 kWh
']]}
