Mercedes' Hyperscreen combines functions

If the modern vehicle is a living room on wheels, Mercedes-Benz is preparing to install the equivalent of a big TV in it.

The luxury automaker has developed a 56-inch curved high-resolution display that is intended to take the clutter out of a vehicle cockpit.

The MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) Hyperscreen will be available as an option in Mercedes' EQS sedan, which should arrive in U.S. stores this summer. The battery-powered S-Class sedan is Mercedes' rival to the Tesla Model S.

The Hyperscreen will be showcased at CES.

"The MBUX Hyperscreen is both the brain and nervous system of the car," Mercedes-Benz Chief Technology Officer Sajjad Khan said in a statement.

Stretching the entire width of the cabin, the Hyperscreen combines several displays, including the instrument cluster and infotainment screens. It is book-ended by air vents and surrounded by a continuous plastic front frame. Integrated ambient lighting in the lower part of the screen makes the display appear to float on the instrument panel.

The Hyperscreen features a dedicated screen for the front-seat passenger to access information and media. With up to seven profiles, the passenger display can be individualized for multiple users. If the passenger seat is not occupied, the screen displays animated stars.

Daimler Group Chief Design Officer Gorden Wagener described the MBUX Hyperscreen as "a digital piece of art, a futuristic, luxurious sculpture and also a huge technological challenge."

The Hyperscreen is part of the next generation of the brand's MBUX infotainment system that debuts in the new S-Class sedan.

MBUX was first unveiled in 2018 in the A-Class, and there are now more than 1.8 million MBUX-equipped Mercedes-Benz passenger cars on the road worldwide.

The latest generation of the system uses artificial intelligence software to serve up information based on the user's past actions and vehicle surroundings.

For instance, if the driver regularly uses the heated steering wheel and heated seat functions together, MBUX will suggest enabling the heated steering wheel as soon as the user turns on the heated seat, Mercedes said. The digital assistant can also offer birthday reminders or suggestions for a to-do list.

The system's "zero-layer" user interface is designed so the most commonly used functions can be accessed without having to tap through submenus, reducing driver distraction. Twelve actuators beneath the touch screen deliver haptic feedback.

"The MBUX Hyperscreen gets to know the customer better," Khan noted, "and delivers tailored, personalized infotainment."