Mercedes digs into Silicon Valley for a tech-filled future

Just prior to this year's Los Angeles auto show, Mercedes inaugurated their new North American research and development center in Sunnyvale, Calif. Go ahead and assume that this new glitzy center's priorities are to help out with interior and exterior design solutions, but also to brainstorm smartphone and tablet integration — and change your relationship with your car.

Herbert Kohler, Daimler's head of e-drive and future mobility strategies, says the automaker is working with perhaps a total of 100 companies around Silicon Valley, from Google to start-ups, on seamless cross-platform and onboard apps solutions for future mobility.