2014 Mercedes-benz Glk350 on 2040-cars

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Mercedes teams with Pebble for smartwatch tech

Most automakers have realized by now that a good infotainment system is a must-have feature for many buyers, and have, as a result, invested increasing amounts of time and money developing these technologies. But some automakers are going above and beyond in-car entertainment and navigation technology by focusing on wearable technology as well.
Nissan has emerged as one such company, developing its own alternative to Google Glass and performance-oriented smartwatch. But Mercedes-Benz is also putting itself at the forefront of wearable tech - not by developing competing products to those designed by dedicated tech companies, but by working with them. The German automaker, as we recently reported, is developing its own app for Google Glass, and is now doing the same with smartwatches as well.
Set to be unveiled at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Mercedes has collaborated with Pebble Technologies to develop the Digital DriveStyle app. The system will display tell its wearer where the car is, whether the doors are locked and if it needs fuel. Inside the car it'll alert the driver to potential hazards coming up on the road, while making functions like re-routing the nav system, controlling the audio system or activating Siri that much easier.

Hollywood stars drink hydrogen B-Class F-Cell emission water in Death Valley [UPDATE]

A plug-in electric vehicle can be used to power a house during a winter storm, but if you're more worried about the heat of, say, Death Valley, then maybe you'll want a Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell along. That's the message of a new video from Daimler and starring Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds) and Joshua Jackson (Fringe) that promotes the company's hydrogen-powered car. The gist? You can drink the tailpipe emissions. The two Hollywood stars drove in Death Vally without any water in their F-Cell but had a special tank hooked up to the tailpipe to collect the H2O drips as they drove in 100+ degree temperatures. There's a reason these two actors were chosen, since they've been driving an F-Cell in their daily lives for two years, according to the Diamler press release. The text is, shall we say, a bit hyperbolic - "Their lives rely on the emissions of the B-Class F-CELL" it says, totally ignoring the film crew that is obviously along for the ride and more than likely had a few bottles with them. Also, when the California Fuel Cell Partnership promoted the same idea a few years ago, it clarified that, "A fuel cell doesn't produce enough water to fill your glass. ... If fact, fuel cells produce about the same amount of water as gasoline vehicle – about 1/3 cup for a full day of driving." Thus, this whole thing is a Hollywood stunt, but it's a visually effective one. See for yourself in the mini-movie below. UPDATE: Daimler has told AutoblogGreen that there was no "extra Hollywood magic" needed for the water collected in the video. Instead, Madeleine Herdlitschka, who works at global communications for Mercedes-Benz Cars, said, "Considering the technical characteristics, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL emits about 9 kg of water vapor per kg of hydrogen while driving. The vehicle has a hydrogen capacity of about 3.7 kg, what is sufficient for a max. of about 400 km of range. A tailor-made construction, designed by the production company Markenfilm Crossing in cooperation with our fuel cell experts, made it possible to collect the water in a tank - previously cooling the vapor with a specially designed pipe system." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Mercedes S-Class Magic Body Control ad is clucking awesome

This is a new ad from Mercedes-Benz. At no point does it show an automobile. Instead, it stars animals, but not the sort you might normally see in car commercial. This ad is all about chickens. It is bizarre, to say the least, with Diana Ross and the Supremes belting it out in the background, but it all kind of comes together when you realize just what Mercedes is hawking (yeah, pun intended).
It's for the manufacturer's Magic Body Control, found on the new S-Class. The system basically analyzes the road and prepares the suspension accordingly, leading to a ride that is, in the words of our own Chris Paukert "nothing short of spooky." You can read about it in our full review of the 2014 S550. Take a look below for the 53-second spot.