Let's talk Mercedes

Of all the science-fiction clichés, brain-computer-interfaces – or BCIs – might be among the most fascinating. In recent years, neuroscientists have taken the first steps towards letting external devices and the human brain communicate. While medical applications are surely the focus of making use of BCIs, research has also started at Mercedes-Benz. After all, the future of driving offers some mind-blowing areas for the application of this futuristic technology. The good news is: This leap won’t involve a chip under your skin. On the contrary: Someday, BCIs could free your body from having to physically interact with your car – and make driving safer than ever before.

Until that time comes, Maxine Benz, Future Research expert at Mercedes-Benz, and Sid Kouider, neuroscientist and founder of NextMind, explain the fundamental technological hurdles that still need to be overcome – and why, with the right technical breakthroughs, mental symbiosis with your vehicle may not be decades away. In the latest episode of Let’s talk Mercedes – the Mercedes-Benz podcast – they talk with host Yasmine Blair about the technology’s different operating principles, its unique virtues for future mobility, and when we can expect to start our favorite podcast in the car simply with the power of our minds.

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In times of progressive climate change, customers, investors, and politicians expect one thing above all from automotive players: building convincing products that can boost the breakthrough of electromobility. But the need for rare earths for electric cars puts the spotlight on an important ethical issue: the risk that the valuable raw materials are mined under questionable or sometimes even precarious working conditions in the countries of origin. This leaves many companies with a major challenge to address: how can they drive zero-emission mobility while ensuring that human rights are respected along the supply chain?

Our moderator Yasmine Blair met two thought leaders who are decisively tackling this highly complex issue: Renata Jungo Brüngger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, responsible for Integrity and Legal Affairs, and Phil Bloomer, Executive Director of the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre. In the new episode of Let’s talk Mercedes – the Mercedes-Benz Podcast – they discuss strategies to overcome issues and act responsibly towards society and the environment. They also talk about alternatives to cobalt and lithium – and explain why companies and external experts need to work together to make a sustainable supply chain for the automotive industry a reality.

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For decades, experts have been racking their brains over autonomous driving and the extra comforts that it brings. Within the last few years, they have made tremendous progress and are busy developing the most advanced technologies and ever-smarter A.I. solutions for autonomous driving. But what about safety? Is today’s driverless technology really able to deliver what the is being promised? And if not, when will we then witness its breakthrough?

To find answers, our host Yasmine Blair met two top experts in their fields: Sebastian Thrun, CEO of Kitty Hawk Corporation and chairman and co-founder of Udacity, and Martin Hart, Director Driver Assistance Systems & Active Safety a Mercedes-Benz. In the latest episode of Let’s Talk Mercedes – the Mercedes-Benz podcast – they’ll talk about the fine lines between the levels of automated driving and pinpoint the roadblocks to its practical introduction. They’ll also discuss their personal visions of an automated future and ponder how long it might take to convince someone to watch a movie behind the wheel.

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Within the last 50 years, professional golf has seen a fundamental change in physicality, professionalism and technique. But are there ways to cope with this drastic development, perhaps by constantly reinventing yourself as an athlete and staying at the top of the scorecard over several decades? Our host, Yasmine Blair, asked a true legend who has proven that age doesn’t have to impact competitiveness: Bernhard Langer. The German golf star and Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador has witnessed first-hand his art’s evolution for more than 40 years.

In the latest episode of “Let’s Talk Mercedes” – the Mercedes-Benz podcast – the gentleman athlete talks about his trophy-packed career, shares his personal secrets for how to keep pace with his younger rivals and reminisces about the exceptional story of how a now 63-year-old father of four remains under par in every sense.

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When we hear the term aerodynamics, the first thing that might pop-up in our minds are airplanes. However, the science of moving air hitting solid objects is not only decisive for aerial vehicles but also for the ones on the road.

So, for the latest episode of “Let’s Talk Mercedes” – the Mercedes-Benz podcast – our host, Yasmine Blair, gets to the heart of automotive aerodynamics with two renowned experts: Mercedes-Benz’ Head of Aerodynamics and Wind Tunnel, Teddy Woll, and Andreas Wagner, Chair of Automotive Engineering at the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

During their enchanting discussion, Yasmine learnt about penguins as the paragons of aerodynamics, pushing the boundaries of the past and asking the pivotal question about streamlining cars: Do you prefer it fast or efficient?

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The C-Class is a phenomenon. Originating from the “Baby Benz” 40 years ago, it has evolved to Mercedes-Benz’ most successful model of the last decades. In early 2021, the latest generation of the C-Class celebrated its digital world premiere – a special day for both Christian Früh, Chief Engineer C-Class, and Raziz Rehan, CEO of the YouTube car show “Remove Before Race”.

For the latest episode of “Let’s Talk Mercedes” – the Mercedes-Benz podcast – our host Yasmine Blair invited them both to share their personal takes on the C-Class and gets to the bottom of what it takes to reimagine and develop a fresh iteration of an iconic series.

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Artificial Intelligence has long grown beyond sci-fi flicks and mere Silicon Valley visions. New breakthroughs in machine learning technologies, such as neural networks, have transformed our daily lives for good and brought us amazing technologies that recognize your voice, make your life smarter and even improve your driving experience. But while smart automotive technologies like Mercedes-Benz’ MBUX infotainment system accelerate the evolution of A.I, new challenges have arisen. So, in the latest episode of “Let’s talk Mercedes” – the Mercedes-Benz Podcast – our host, Yasmine Blair, talks with Claire Delaunay, Vice President of Engineering at NVIDIA, and Georges Massing, Vice President Digital Vehicle & Mobility at Mercedes-Benz Research & Development, about common misunderstandings of what the technology is capable of, the future of artificial intelligence and NVIDIA’s and Mercedes-Benz’ exchange of knowledge that contributed to creating the impressive MBUX Hyperscreen.

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Imagine a world where taking a drive could also mean stepping into a total Esports experience, testing your gaming skills online against millions of other players worldwide. Thanks to the partnership between Mercedes-Benz and League of Legends creators Riot Games, the fantasy of immersive in-car gaming could become reality sooner than you think. In the latest episode of Let’s talk Mercedes, the Mercedes-Benz podcast, we take a look into the vision behind the partnership, how Mercedes-Benz is engaging with a whole new audience and the future of Esports, as show host Sarah Elsser talks to Naz Aletaha, Head of Global Esports Partnerships Riot Games and Natanael Sijanta, Director Global Marketing Communications Mercedes-Benz AG.

Did you know it’s scientifically proven that you can’t feel scared if you’re singing? Such is the impact of sound and the emotions it triggers in us. In the latest episode of Let’s Talk Mercedes, the Mercedes-Benz podcast, show host Sarah Elsser meets two men whose passion for sound is central to their lives; Mercedes-Benz sound designer Thomas Küppers, and Felix Jaehn, superstar DJ, music producer and Mercedes-Benz brand ambassador.

Felix gives us an insight into his daily routine and reveals the creative journey his biggest songs made from humble bedroom beginnings to worldwide dance anthems. For Thomas, the creative process is different but no less important as he explains the challenges faced in developing a vehicle’s everyday sounds. Just think of the sound the indicator makes when you want to turn a corner; it’s familiar, and yet slightly different in each model. But how do you continue to engineer the perfect sound experience, when the growth in e-mobility means vehicles are quieter than ever?

How does the factory of the future look like today? You do not need to watch a science fiction movie to answer that. The factory of the future is flexible, digital, efficient and sustainable. And it is already reality! For the development of the newly opened Factory 56, Mercedes-Benz put their employees at the center and involved them from the very beginning.

In the latest episode of Let’s Talk Mercedes, podcast host Sarah Elsser meets Jörg Burzer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG, responsible for Production and Supply Chain Management; and Ulrike Graze, Head of S-Class assembly, Sindelfingen. They talk about how sustainability, cost efficiency and production quality can be connected and why the Factory 56 concept is the blueprint for the global Mercedes-Benz Cars production network.

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