Mercedes-Benz previews new MB.OS operating system

Mercedes-Benz has provided the first details of its proprietary MB.OS operating system that is planned to be launched on new electric and petrol and diesel-engined models based on the German car maker's upcoming Mercedes Modular Architecture platform from late next year.

The new chip-to-cloud architecture will first appear on the new third-generation CLA, providing what Mercedes-Benz CEO, Ola Källenius, describes as “exceptional software capabilities”, including access to new embedded Google-based maps and services.

“We made the decision to be the architects of our own operating system. By combining this in-house expertise with a selection of partners, we will create an outstanding customer experience, from driving assistance, navigation and entertainment to integrated charging.

"MB.OS will feature full upgradeability and constant improvements,” said Källenius at the unveiling of the new system at Mercedes-Benz’s Silicon Valley-based R&D centre in Sunnyvale, California.

While Mercedes-Benz has conceived, designed and will produce the new architecture, its ability to integrate applications from third parties will allow customers to choose their own services, content and functions.

The partnership with Google will see Mercedes-Benz become the first car maker to develop its own branded navigation based on in-car data and navigation capabilities from the Google Maps Platform, says Källenius.

“This will give Mercedes-Benz access to Google’s real-time and predictive traffic information, automatic re-routing and more,” he says.

Additionally, Mercedes-Benz says the MB.OS will provide access to Place Details provided by Google. Included are details such as business hours, photos, ratings and reviews of over 200 million businesses and places worldwide

As well as partnering with Google, Mercedes-Benz confirms it is pursuing further collaborations with leading software and hardware companies in a move it says will ensure efficient development and rapid scaling of MB.OS.

Among the key development aims of the new operating system is improved smartphone mirroring and region-specific content, including music, video, gaming and office applications.

Offering full integration with electric drive systems, MB.OS is also claimed to provide more accurate range and energy usage predictions for electric models.

Mercedes-Benz also says MB.OS will play a crucial role in the planned rollout of new Level 2 autonomous driving functions tailored to urban driving, as well as a new Level 3 autonomous driving function capable of operating at speeds to 130km/h - both featuring new machine learning capabilities.

Among the partners for the new autonomous driving functions is NVIDIA, which Mercedes-Benz says provides its software, data and artificial intelligence expertise as well as its Orin system-on-chip hardware. It collaborates with Luminar for new light detection and LiDAR sensors.

A partnership with YouTube will allow drivers to view video content on the infotainment while using the Level 3 Drive Pilot autonomous driving system in countries where it is permitted.

Further collaborations have been forged with Antstream for in-car gaming as well as Webex and Zoom for in-car video conferencing, says Mercedes-Benz.

The new MB.OS operating system will be able to share data across a network with 5G over-the-air (OTA) functionality, providing scope for software upgrades and new features from selected partners to be able to offered to customers.

Mercedes-Benz says it expects MB.OS to provide substantial annual revenue streams “in the high single digit billion Euro figure” by the end of the decade.