Video showcase for high-tech Benz E-Class

The next generation of Mercedes-Benz E-Class is anticipated to go public at Frankfurt's international motor show in September, but the iconic marque has let slip some interesting details in an on-line video released today.

Appearing in the video is Dr Michael Hafner, Director of Driver Assistance Systems and Active Safety at Mercedes-Benz. The good doctor takes us through a couple of the safety features, and introduces us to the 21st Century German catchphrase 'Unfall-freies fahren' (Accident-free mobility).

There's plenty to see in the video, although we're sure the E-Class will arrive with even more for Benz to trumpet. While we see the airbag seatbelts in the video, for instance, the narrative focuses principally on the Multibank LED headlights and the air cushion in the outboard side bolster of the seats. The latter inflate and push the seat occupant inboard a few centimetres as soon as the vehicle detects a side impact. According to Dr Hafner, those few centimetres can make all the difference between life and death.

More accidents occur at night, says Dr Hafner, despite lower traffic density when the sun goes down. With the Multibank LED headlights, Benz aims to reproduce daylight at night. Regulated by a forward-looking camera, the headlights automatically dip in sequence and according to need. The system will dim the lights in a shadow around an on-coming car saving the driver of the other vehicle from being blinded, while maintaining high-beam illumination through other vectors.

In addition to the two safety features, Dr Hafner also presented the Remote Parking Pilot, which can locate an empty parking spot for the E-Class, and let the driver step out first to complete the parking manoeuvre. Using a smartphone app, the driver can also extract the E-Class from a tight parking spot without actually being behind the wheel.

It's an early step along the path to fully autonomous motoring.