Mercedes Benz Unveils ‘Luxury in Motion’ Autonomous Pod Concept

Car manufacturers have come in force to Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2015, showing off new self-driving software, Android Auto and CarPlay integration and generally getting involved with the event for once.

Mercedes Benz decided to take it a step further, announcing a new concept for a self-driving car that has put a firm stamp on the future of the automotive industry. Even though the ‘F 015 Luxury In Motion’ (yes, that is the name) is just a concept, Mercedes Benz is striving to produce it within five years.

The concept shows a whole new design for a car, with the front two seats positioned away from the road, rather than facing towards it. Imagine a seven seater van where six people can sit in the back, only this time remove the two front seats.

A steering wheel is still present, showing Mercedes Benz will keep the wheel for emergencies, or if the driver wants to drive. Currently, this is illegal in almost every U.S. state, due to the driver having to focus on the road even when using auto-pilot.

However, in five years governments might lighten up to the idea of self-driving and taking a full hands-off approach when it comes to driving. Since no self-driving platform has shown real proficiency when dealing with decisions, it is still a few years off.

Mercedes Benz has fitted four displays onto the side of the car internal doors, potentially allowing the people inside the car to browse the web, play music and interact with the car’s software system.

Even though the concept is still a few years away, it is more aspiring to see than Google’s own self-driving car, little more than a two-seater pod. But while Mercedes Benz is working on imaginative designs, Google is starting to push its prototype car onto the road.