Goodbye MBUX, hello MB.OS. New Mercedes infotainment coming soon

LOS ANGELES – Mercedes-Benz will roll out a new infotainment architecture called MB.OS that will replace MBUX system in all vehicles, likely starting with the next-generation MMA compact car platform.

With its new MB.OS architecture, Mercedes-Benz is pairing with ultra-HD video developer Unity to bring gaming realism into the automotive world. It also is upgrading the “Hey Mercedes” personal assistant’s intelligence and interactivity into a 3D “Star Avatar” that will be more akin to a “digital butler,” said Magnus Östberg, Mercedes-Benz chief software officer.

Using the recently launched “Hyperscreen” digital display that spans from pillar to pillar (pictured above, but with the existing MBUX variation found in the Mercedes EQS), the MB.OS system will allow for 3D navigation that can zoom from satellite view down to 10 meters. It also will account for what time of day it is to ensure an accurate real-time display.

“It’s your environment right in front of you. It’s as much reality as possible in a navigation system,” Östberg said. Navus will be the technology partner for the navigation engine.

Östberg, speaking at a media briefing here, said Mercedes has been using machine learning to examine the accuracy, problems, and frustrations with the existing MBUX infotainment system and its “Hey Mercedes” voice controls.

The next-generation interactivity will be able to curate a playlist, and provide eco-driving coaching and hints while the vehicle is in motion, said Benjamin Kuhn, senior manager UX/UI design for Mercedes-Benz R&D North America. The flow of conversation with “Hey Mercedes” will be “more fluid” and be able to understand close-enough driver commands, rather than require specific wording to activate a function. The system will learn and improve its interactivity with each specific owner. And global iterations in software permutations and upgrades will be beamed via over-the-air updates.

On the audio front, Mercedes will equip its vehicles with a Dolby Atmos spatial sound system, which provides a full 3D experience. “It will be like sitting in the middle of your favorite band or orchestra,” Östberg said. The system will allow for a full selection of streaming-audio and -video content.