Mercedes F 015 Luxury in Motion Research Vehicle Unveiled at CES

The mysterious and intriguing Mercedes autonomous vehicle concept was finally unveiled this evening at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show.

Officially called the F 015 Luxury in Motion, this research vehicle demonstrates Mercedes’ vision of transportation in the year 2030 and beyond. It’s hard to define in terms of body style. The unique body is accented by an array of LED lights that can tell other motorists if the car is being piloted autonomously or manually. When the car is driving itself, the lights turn blue and they will light up white when it is being driven manually.

The car features a long wheelbase and short overhangs designed to maximize space inside. There are four lounge chairs in the F 015 that can face each other. The rear doors are hinged towards the back of the car like suicide doors and can be opened up to a 90 degree angle. This allows for maximum accessibility. The doors can be opened independently of each other and there is no need for a B pillar thanks to the usage of several high strength materials including carbon fiber reinforced plastic, aluminum and high-strength steels.

2015 Consumer Electronics Show Coverage

The car is a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle, featuring a carbon reinforced hydrogen tank.

The key focus points in the F 015 Luxury in Motion revolve around communication and interaction between the car and the passengers, as well as the car and its surroundings. Thanks to an extended suite of sensors, Mercedes says the vehicle is capable of keeping a constant eye on its surroundings and is capable of interpreting what it sees to its passengers, allowing them to take action at any time.

Inside the car is a number of screens that allow for maximum interaction with the car. Passengers can see the planned route, music selections, images, contacts and other functions on the screens at the sides and in the rear. The screens can even be controlled via proximity gestures or touch control. The car can also display a simplified visualization of its surroundings, with the vehicle’s motion depicted in the form of streams of particles

The autonomous driving capability of the car is powered through the use of stereo cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors. Additionally, the car features a high-precision GPS system and extremely accurate 3D navigation maps to ensure that the vehicle’s position can be pinpointed to the exact centimeter.

Other high tech features include a smart-phone enabled entry system, where the car detects the owner via their smartphone or wearable device. The owner can also use a smartphone app to tell the car to “come pick me up.”

If the goal of the F 015 Luxury in Motion research vehicle is to showcase an interactive autonomous car and the future of Mercedes’ vehicles, we’d say they definitely managed that.

GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion

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