In the Self-Driving Car Game, Mercedes May Have Google Beat

The Mercedes-Benz F 015 autonomous driving automobile was displayed at the Mercedes-Benz press event at The Chelsea for the 2015 International CES on January 5, 2015 in Las Vegas. Getty Images

By Justine Hofherr

January 12, 2015

2 minutes to read

Driverless cars have been in the news a lot recently.

In December, Google unveiled their first “fully functional’’ driverless car – equipped with steering and brakes – to be tested on public roads this year.

And at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, Ford’s president and CEO, Mark Fields, said his company would make autonomous cars “accessible to the masses.’’ Fields said a fully autonomous Ford Fusion Hybrid research model is currently undergoing road testing.

But have any of the designs for driverless cars looked quite as cool as the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion concept vehicle that was unveiled at CES? Probably not.

It may look like an egg on wheels, but it’s still sleeker-looking than the competition. The silver four-seat model is a showstopper, and far sturdier looking than Google’s tiny, white, toy-like cars. The F 015 has a smooth futuristic-looking roofline, and upon opening its French doors, you’ll only see more extravagance: walnut wood veneer, “ice-white’’ leather seats, and lounge chairs that can face the front or rear of the car, according to Forbes. It’s a nice reminder that design and aesthetics can be incorporated with functionality.

Inside, there are six digital display screens so passengers can interact with the car by touch. LED displays on the front and rear (and a frontal laser projection system) allow the car to sense traffic.

Attendees sat in the self-driving Mercedes-Benz F 015 concept car.

It’s also eco-friendly: the car has an electric-hybrid system that runs close to 700 miles on pure electric power with no emissions.

The F 015 allows passengers to take control if they want, but also gives them the opportunity to sit back and relax – and look super cool while doing so.

The design will probably force other car and tech companies to consider what future consumers might be looking for in their driverless cars. As Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Mercedes-Benz’s parent company Daimler AG said to Forbes: “The car is growing beyond its role as a mere means of transport and will ultimately become a mobile living space.’’

I’m all for spending less time commuting, and more time “unplugged,’’ but I’d be hard-pressed to turn down a ride in the F 015.

But would I ever be able to afford it? Probably not, but a girl can dream. After all, the car is just a concept now.