Redesigned 2024 Mercedes E-Class gets newest MBUX infotainment system

SUNNYVALE, Calif. — The redesigned 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class features technology that reimagines the midsize sedan as a mobile work and entertainment space.

The new E-Class arrives in U.S. stores in the fourth quarter, and it will debut a new design and the third generation of Mercedes' MBUX infotainment system.

A working demo of the vehicle's interior at a media event here showed a high-resolution display anchoring the E-Class cockpit.

Combined with the optional front passenger screen, the display extends from the instrument cluster unit to the A-pillar. Models without a passenger display feature a trim element that extends to the center.

A narrow climate control vent sits against the upper contour of the display's glass surface, connecting the central duct with the outer climate control vents to form a single unit.

A light strip illuminates the instrument panel's front section. The lighting element, which runs in an arc from the windshield, past the A-pillars and into the doors, visually interprets the audio playing in the car.

Software analyzes the audio signals based on frequency and direction. Fast sequences of beats, for instance, lead to rapid light changes, while "flowing rhythms create softly merging lighting moods," Mercedes said.

Mercedes' next-generation MBUX infotainment system uses artificial intelligence to deliver greater personalization by learning the driver's frequently used comfort settings and enabling programmable routines, Mercedes said.

MBUX integrates with the Android operating systems and allows the installation of third-party apps such as TikTok, Zoom and Webex. The E-Class' optional onboard selfie and video camera can also be used for conference calls.

A central computer powers the screens and the MBUX system in the new E-Class, enabling faster data transfers and snappier performance, MBUX boss Michael Hafner told Automotive News on the sidelines of the event.

Hafner said that unified computer architecture delivers hardware cost savings and makes software development more efficient.

Mercedes uses software, cameras and seat sensors to reduce driver distraction in the E-Class.

The passenger display's "dual light control" technology, developed by Mercedes, can prevent content such as videos from being seen peripherally by the driver while the vehicle is in motion.

An in-cabin camera can detect if the driver is looking at the front passenger screen instead of the road. The technology dims the brightness of the passenger screen so it's not visible to the driver.

The next-generation E-Class is in production in Sindelfingen, Germany. Mercedes will drop the coupe and convertible body styles for the new generation.

The four- and six-cylinder engine models will receive a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. In the future, Mercedes might add a plug-in hybrid variant to the lineup that could offer about 50 miles of battery-powered driving range.