Mercedes-Benz showcases latest technologies at CES Asia

As the contemporary lifestyle is increasingly defined by intelligent technologies that simplify day-to-day mobility and connectivity, German premium carmaker Mercedes-Benz wowed visitors to the Consumer Electronics Show Asia 2016 Mercedes-Benz Media Tec-Day with the latest pioneering technologies and mobility concepts, embodied by two extraordinary models.

"As the inventor of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz has for 130 years maintained boundless imagination and creativity when approaching the future, always standing at the forefront of the times," said Hans-Georg Engel, senior executive vice-president of Daimler Greater China Ltd and head of Mercedes-Benz R&D China, at the 2016 CES Mercedes-Benz Media Tec-Day on Tuesday, a warm-up for the CES event, that runs from Wednesday to Friday in Shanghai. "For this event, we have brought the most cutting edge technology and mobility solutions."

Last year, Mercedes-Benz wowed CES Asia visitors by displaying the "F 015 Luxury in Motion" autonomous concept car, an iridescent cocoon of personalized comfort and touch screen technology which was equal parts digital oasis and mobile conference room.

Today, the company is once again bringing the legend into the future with the Concept Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile, which masterfully merges function and aesthetics and exemplifies the fundamental technological changes taking place in the automotive industry, as well as the all-new long wheelbase E-Class.

"Our Concept IAA has been lauded as a 'digital transformer', with a digitalized design that is beyond imagination," Engel said. "Furthermore, the all-new E-Class L recently celebrated its world premiere, and sets a new milestone on our path towards autonomous driving with its amazing intelligent drive systems."

Largely designed with digital prototyping to streamline conceptual design, engineering and manufacturing, the Concept IAA is two cars in one: a four-door coupe boasting irresistible design which can morph into a world-leading model in aerodynamics with a drag-coeficient at a record of 0.19.

The Concept IAA not only ofers a glimpse of future designs, but more importantly marks a new start for digitization and intelligent technologies in the automotive industry.

This representation of future mobility was further augmented by the presence of Mercedes-Benz's all-new long wheelbase E-Class, a "Masterpiece of Intelligence" which is the undisputed technology leader in its segment and beyond.

The all-new E-Class L delivers an unprecedented level of connectivity, and is the first series production car to be equipped with a broad range of technological breakthroughs, such as the Car-to-X Communication system, which extends the driver's sight through an intelligent network of similarly equipped cars nearby.

In terms of intelligent drive, the all-new E-Class' inaugural Drive Pilot not only automatically maintains distance with vehicles in front, but for the very first time can follow at speeds up to 210 km/h, helping the driver brake or even change lanes automatically.

In order to ensure that their latest offerings, like the all-new long wheelbase E-Class, resonate with the Chinese market, Mercedes-Benz is driven to understand and satisfy diversified local needs and requirements to the highest extent possible.

To this end, the research and development center of Daimler in China has around 700 fully qualified engineers and designers, and has partnered with local Internet giants to develop advanced, high-tech apps.

At the event, the AutoNavi (Alibaba Group) Air Quality App jointly launched by Mercedes-Benz and the Alibaba Group created a buzz among consumers. The app shows information about the weather and gives occupants of vehicles air quality index forecasts for the next 24 hours and over the next 30 days.

With Baidu CarLife, Mercedes-Benz customers can easily connect their smartphones to in-vehicle equipment via a USB port, thus allowing the use of smartphone-based services. With WeChat MyCar, co-developed by Mercedes-Benz and Tencent, Mercedes-Benz cars can become "WeChat friends" of customers. WeChat MyCar users can then send information such as points of interest to their vehicles from their smartphones or third-party websites.

"Going forward, we will continue collaborating with local partners to provide more extensive and comprehensive innovative new mobility services to meet the increasingly diverse needs of our Chinese customers," said Engel.

In another bid to cater to the local market, Mercedes-Benz also introduced its car2go car sharing service last month in Chongqing, a metropolis in Southwest China.

As the world's largest and first car sharing service, car2go introduces a whole new concept.

With hundreds of smart models, residents of Chongqing are able to search for and rent a car through their smartphones, then conveniently park them at any public parking space in their home area, without having to return them to their original location.

In the words of Albert Einstein, "the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination." From its exciting, intelligent vehicles to mobility concepts that are changing urban lifestyles, Mercedes-Benz has brought this concept to life at CES Asia 2016, once again demonstrating its profound vision and industry leadership.