Mercedes' new MB.OS software platform is like Skynet for a carmaker

The same day Mercedes-Benz dished on the optional interior in the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, it dished on what the new Superscreen will make available to E-Class owners. Part of that will be the next-gen navigation experience being created in collaboration with Google, but there's more — and Mercedes expects the changes to mean a lot more money for the company. Beyond being an infotainment system, not only will the software spread throughout the lineup, Mercedes says MB.OS will connect everything from vehicle development and the production value chain to vehicle functions and services long after the sale. Think of MB.OS as the program the automaker itself runs on, the breadth of capability "effectively making it an operating system for the entire Mercedes-Benz business." In that case, vehicle infotainment would be just a node in the system.

MB.OS will debut on a new electric vehicle in the "Entry Luxury" segment on the new MMA platform (Mercedes Modular Architecture) next year. We're not sure how much of the platform possibilities we'll see in the new car, but we're told part of what's coming are new partnerships for video, gaming, and productivity. That includes being able to watch YouTube when parked or during autonomous driving; "a new dimension of in-car gaming through Antstream for arcade games;" and being able to join Zoom and Webex videoconferences from the comfort of an 12-way seat. Customers in China will get dedicated solutions from local providers like Tencent.   

Proprietary development is expected to mean a better electric ownership experience and finer execution of automated driving as well. Because Mercedes can give MB.OS access to all vehicle data, EVs will provide more precise and reliable range data. Refilling at Mercedes' coming charging network should also be more convenient via the MB.Charge ecosystem.