You can't buy Google's self-driving Toyota Prius but if you can pony up for a six-figure luxury car, you'll soon be able to buy a Mercedes-Benz S-Class that practically drives on its own -- while its heated seats give you a massage.
Beyond that, the Mercedes also has a host of other amazing technologies and some cool '70s-retro interior trim options.
Underneath all that, it's a Mercedes-Benz, which means it rides smoothly, accelerates quickly and drives better than you'd think a car this size would.
Pricing for the S-Class hasn't been announced yet but you can expect it to be similar to that of today's S-Class, which starts at over $90,000.
Now, the new S-Class doesn't literally "drive itself" but it almost certainly could if the engineers at Mercedes had wanted it to.
When you're on the highway, the S-Class will automatically maintain a safe distance behind the car ahead. By itself, that's nothing new. Lots of cars these days have so-called Active Cruise Control. Like some other automakers, Mercedes' system functions even in stop-and-go city traffic.
But the S-Class takes things even farther than most. The new S-Class actually steers to stay in its lane, even around curves. You do have to keep your hands on the steering wheel, though. Take them off for more than a couple of seconds and the car gives control back to you. Mercedes doesn't want you forgetting that you're still in charge.
That almost-driving-itself trick is made possible by the S-Class's mind-boggling array of radar and camera systems.
Besides simple lane-keeping, the S-Class can park itself into a parallel or back-in space. Unlike other cars with similar features it takes care of everything: the steering wheel, the accelerator and the brakes. It's very cool to see it in action, even though it gets close enough to the other cars to make you very, very nervous. (Not to mention the owners of those other cars if they happen to witness it happening.) But it gets into the space like a pro.
The car's front-facing 3D cameras also provide data for something called "Magic Body Control." Sounds freaky and it is, but probably not in the way you're thinking.
The camera "reads" the surface of the road in absurd detail, warning on-board computers about every upcoming bump and ripple. Those computers then manipulate the car's suspension, preparing the car to, essentially, step over bumps as they arrive making the ride eerily smooth.
The Mercedes S-Class has always been a big, comfortable car for drivers and passengers. The new version kicks things up to a whole new level. Yes, front and back seats will give you a massage but now there are some new options like "Hot Stone Message," "Energizing Massage" and even "Work-out." Seriously, you can get a work-out massage while you're driving.
You can even choose your own "new car smell" by plugging a bottle of scented liquid into climate control system. The various odor choices have names like "fireside","nightlife," and "sport."
You can enjoy this while listening to a Burmester sound system which has the distinction of being the only car stereo that's ever impressed me enough that I've bothered mentioning it in a review. Seriously, it's that good.
Now about that interior. Mercedes cars always have nice interiors and this one's no different. It's got some interesting options like leather trim with a diamond-shaped pattern punched into it. Then there's wood trim that's infused with silver so that it looks, honestly, like metal with a wood grain. It's the kind of thing a lot of people would hate, but I found myself strangely taken to it.
Then there's the ambient light. Plenty of cars these days have adjustable ambient lighting systems that allow you to choose in what color you'd like your cabin to glow. But, in the S-Class the light comes out from, seemingly, everywhere and with impressive brightness and clarity. You can turn it down, but it's so much fun when the lights are turned up. You can pretend you're piloting a Berlin nightclub down the interstate.
Some of these sensors and cameras look for things crossing the car's path, be they cars or people. And the car can tell the difference and it responds differently.
In the event that another car is in the way, the S-Class will warn the driver, tighten up the seatbelts and, when the driver presses on the brakes, the car will immediately provide full braking pressure even if the driver doesn't push down that hard.
But if the car detects a pedestrian, it responds differently. In this case, the car will slam on the brakes with startling force if -- and only if -- the driver does absolutely nothing in response to the impending disaster.
But it works only if the driver does not respond at all. I'm not sure I see this system saving many lives, because most drivers would react somehow. If Mercedes is going to go to such great lengths to provide safety technology, I'd prefer it to assist drivers even when they are paying attention
The new S-Class is a truly remarkable car. It rides, drives -- and even smells -- like the sort of top-flight luxury car Mercedes usually produces. And the new version carries on the tradition of being a technology showcase. (We don't even have enough space here to cover everything this car can do.)
You don't have to get an S-Class to get access to all this stuff. Some of this technology, including the self-steering lane-keeping assistance, has recently become available on lower-priced models like the mid-sized E-class -- but you won't get a Hot Stone Massage.
