German carmaker Mercedes-Benz unveiled the MBUX Hyperscreen at the all-digital Consumer Electronics Show 2021 (which otherwise takes place in Las Vegas). While most carmakers are introducing touchscreens inside their vehicles, the Hyperscreen is unlike any other. With a width of 141 cm (4.63 feet), this unique screen unit consists of three apparently seamlessly merged displays. And it’s smart—it is connected to and communicates with all components of the vehicle. It’s now available in India, in the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ launched this week. The EQS, to be launched next month, will also have the same screen. Both are Mercedes-Benz’s born-electric cars.
How is it different from regular touchscreens?
Infotainment touchscreens on car dashboards are getting bigger—some of the biggest ones are found in Tesla cars. But no matter how big a touchscreen it, it is always distinct from the dashboard. Not the Hyperscreen, which seems as if the entire dashboard has been turned into a touchscreen.
Dashboard turned into a touchscreen?
Not really. The Hyperscreen is an optical illusion of sorts. In it, three separate displays merge almost seamlessly into one another to create an impressive screen band over 4.63-feet (56 inches) wide: driver display (screen diagonal: 12.3 inches), central display (17.7 inches) and front passenger display (12.3 inches) appear as one visual unit. These three screens add up to 42.3 inches, and the rest of the area is covered by black glass.
How do three screens appear as one?
The selected display style is shown uniformly on all three screens, and the brightness is homogeneously adapted to the lighting conditions in the cabin. That makes it look like a single screen. The central and front passenger displays also provide haptic feedback. When a finger touches certain spots on the touchscreen, actuators trigger a perceptible vibration of the cover glass. The user feels pulses on the smooth surface, which gives the impression of a mechanical switch.
Is it a smart screen?
It has to be a smart screen. The MBUX (short for Mercedes-Benz User Experience) is the carmaker’s artificial intelligence unit, and it offers personalized suggestions for numerous infotainment, comfort, and vehicle functions. The most important apps are always displayed on the top level in the field of vision. Passengers can view films, text messages, or presentations on the screen, and the front passenger can also surf the internet, just as she would do on a touchpad. There is a ‘blanking function’ for safety, which prevents the driver from seeing the content so that her eyes remain on the road. At 2,432 sq-cm (377 sq-in), the MBUX Hyperscreen is not only the largest human-machine interface built by Mercedes-Benz but also the most intelligent.
