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There is no crystal ball to predict the future, but a team of designers, scientists, technologists and futurists at Mercedes-Benz's Future Technologies laboratory is tasked with creating engineering and materials concepts for possible implementation into tomorrow's vehicles.
"At Mercedes-Benz, the spirit of innovation has been at the heart of our DNA ever since Carl Benz invented the automobile in 1886. Mercedes-Benz combines leading technology with iconic design. Our purpose is to move the world. Therefore, we continuously push technological boundaries and look for new opportunities for innovation," Eileen Böhme, director of innovations and future technologies at Mercedes-Benz AG, told Newsweek.
The division focuses their efforts on four areas: safety, quality, comfort and design. Its workers are tasked with setting new safety benchmarks, extensively testing vehicle component performance, making life easier for customers and heightening the senses with incredible design.
In their mission, the team collects knowledge and ideas from around the globe including technology, social developments and market trends, analyzing them to look for "Tech Enablers" that offer the opportunity for innovation and technological leaps in engineering. Among those technologies the team is currently exploring are neuromorphic computing, quantum computing and artificial intelligence, making significant progress at the intersections of user experience, retail shopping behavior, safety and product development. "At the end of the day, a Mercedes-Benz should be a masterpiece and a holistic experience for our customers and not just a cluster of innovations. Our goal is not to innovate for sake of technology but to find the best combination of innovations to enhance our customers' life," Böhme said.
The company has given itself an innovation agenda, guiding its global team of engineers for the next year in the areas of hyper-personalization and immersive experiences inside smart cabins that are enabled by automated driving features and electrification, as well as vehicle life-cycle value that optimizes cost and weight.
"There is a whole world of possibilities," Böhme said when asked what the company's priorities are as they innovate with 2035 in view. "There's a well-known quote from the philosopher Heraklit [Heraclitus] that says: Nothing is as constant as change. We observe that the pace of innovation and change is accelerating," she said.
Böhme describes today as a time of transition between combustion and electric powertrains, analog and digital, manual and automated and a linear use of resources and sustainable circular economy.
"The most exciting chapters of the automobile have not yet been written," she said. "Our thinking must remain global, open-minded and diverse, because there is no one-size-fits-all solution for all people.... Our aim is to combine functionality and emotion in a positive and inspiring way. True pioneers are driven by the conviction that a better world is possible. We must be willing and able to venture into new, uncharted territories in order to make a dent in the universe."
Because of its clear vision, out-of-the-box engineering and innovative techniques and technologies, Mercedes-Benz's Future Technologies Development Team is Newsweek's 2025 Technology Disruptor of the Year.
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