Since rolling out their new augmented reality app known as ‘Ask Mercedes’ late last year, the German automaker has given 2018 E-Class and non-AMG S-Class owners the possibility to explore their vehicles in a new and very futuristic way.
The technology works by supplementing a camera image with computer-generated content, giving users the chance to have their questions answered about operating their new car in real time, making the old owner’s manual obsolete.
Once you scan an interior feature or function with your smartphone, and it’s been identified by the system, you will then be given a tutorial about it via text descriptions, as well as photo and video content.
“We are creating a personalized customer experience that goes well beyond the vehicle. With innovative services such as ‘Ask Mercedes’, we are further expanding our digital ecosystem,” stated Daimler AG board member, Britta Seeger.
In the new E-Class and S-Class, you can find out more about your vehicle’s functions using the app’s augmented reality feature. So if your smartphone is aimed at the dashboard, steering wheel or center console, augmented reality beacons are automatically superimposed onto specific controls and displays, as show in the camera image. From there, all you need to do is click on the beacon you’re interested in.
‘Ask Mercedes’ will gradually expand in the coming months, when it will become available on additional Mercedes-Benz models. You can download it from the Apple App Store, but you’ll need an iPhone 6 or newer, running iOS 10 or higher.
