I think the day is coming where we will no longer own cars, you will license/lease them, with various options and features enabled or disabled, just like software. Used cars as we know them today won't exist. You'll simply return the car to the dealer and they will reset the options and relicense it to the next tenant. The other model will be short-term rentals (hours/days) for people who only need a car occasionally.
Most people won't care, to them a car is a monthly payment either way. On Thu, Jul 29, 2021, at 11:16 AM, Mitch Haley via Mercedes wrote: > Shades of John Deere. > Thanks for paying $$$$$$ for that S classe. > For an additional $575/yr, we'll enable the rear wheel steering that's > standard in USA... > > For the first time, I respect MBUSA more than I respect DBAG. > > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-rvOAGT6mw > > > The electric sedan already has the necessary hardware for this feature, > but it's blocked by the software. Rear-wheel steering isn't a new > technology as it has been around for decades, with the Nissan R31 > Skyline pioneering the system back in 1985. That said, Mercedes has > managed to take it to a whole new level with its flagship combustion and > electric cars, as the latest S-Class and EQS boast the most advanced > version ever fitted to a production vehicle. > > On the EQS, the rear wheels have a standard steering angle of up to 4.5 > degrees, but in other markets, it comes with an optional feature > increasing the angle to 10 degrees – this advanced tech is actually > standard on the US-market car, however. In the case of the EV, the > turning circle drops to 10.9 meters (35.7 feet), which is mighty > impressive for such a large car. It turns the rear wheels in the > opposite direction to the front wheels at speeds of up to 60 km/h (37 > mph) to reduce the turning circle. Above that velocity, all four wheels > turn in the same direction to improve stability and sharpen up handling. > > How does it work? According to Mercedes: "An electric motor drives a > spindle at the rear axle via a drive belt. This makes axial adjustments > to the spindle." > > The more advanced setup is offered as standard equipment in the United > States, but at home in Germany, the EQS comes fitted with the lesser > configuration of RWS. You can have 10-degree steering as an optional > feature when ordering the car, and Mercedes is providing another way to > gain access to the tech even after taking delivery of the fullsize > electric sedan. > > With cars becoming rolling computers, Mercedes is cramming more and more > tech while providing support for over-the-air updates. The EQS is a > relevant example as owners can activate the 10-degree rear-wheel > steering post-purchase courtesy of an OTA update. It effectively means > the vehicle has this feature from the get-go, but it's blocked by the > software. Unlocking it costs €489 (about $575) annually, but if you get > a three-year subscription, you'll get a €300 ($353) discount by paying > only €1,169 ($1,376). > > Ordering the more sophisticated steering system requires the parking > package with a 360-degree camera, as it's the case with the S-Class. > Interestingly, the tech can't be had if the car is running on mixed > tires, which isn't the case for EQS as only its combustion-engined > equivalent uses that type of rubber. Activating all-wheel steering takes > about two minutes after turning off the car before switching it on > again. > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
