After a plethora of spy images, the covers have just been taken off the Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion research vehicle at CES 2015. The Mercedes-Benz F015 is an advanced autonomous concept from the German marque that has been created as future showcase of what high-end autonomous cars could be like. Particular emphasize was placed on the interior of autonomous cars.
From a design standpoint, the Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion features flowing lines and a prominent greenhouse to provide immense levels of comfort and space in the cabin. Other key styling elements are the low-slung front end, smooth and streamlined roof line as well as the flat front windscreen. Extremely short front and rear overhangs are also featured while the wheels have been placed at the extreme corners of the F015 Luxury in Motion to maximise interior space. All told, the F015 Luxury in Motion has a large wheelbase of 3610 mm and the car itself is 5.2 metres long, 2.018 metres wide and 1.52 metres tall.
Another key piece of design found on the F015 Luxury in Motion is the front end. It has the ability to light up and when it is illuminated in blue, it signifies that the car is in autonomous driving mode. It is a similar story at the rear end where numerous LED displays can be found.
Beneath the skin, the Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion includes an F-Cell plug-in hybrid drive system which has a total range of 1100 km with a 200 km range running purely on electric power also a key element of the car’s fuel efficiency. Such figures mean the F015 Luxury in Motion can cover similar distances to comparable diesel-engined cars but on pure electric power and consequently with zero local emissions.
Many of the key features from the Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion can be found throughout the spacious cabin. As teaser images revealed, the concept features four rotating lounge chairs that allow for a face-to-face seating configuration. To improve access to the car, these seats swing outwards by 30 degrees when the doors are opened. Elsewhere, the F015 Luxury in Motion features six large display screens integrated into the instrument, rear and side panels. The cabin also provides gesture detection and eye-tracking or alternatively, functions can be performed through the touchscreen displays.
The car uses rear-hinged rear doors to provide an extra sense of luxury and each door has a 90 degree opening angle. Interestingly, no B-pillars are found on the Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion
The F015 Luxury in Motion is based around the new Smart Body Structure which combines carbon fibre reinforced plastic, aluminium and high-strength steels. Through the use of these materials, the bodyshell of the F015 Luxury in Motion is 40 per cent lighter than most current production vehicles.
