Despite all of the above, the biggest deal when it comes to the new CLA might be its technology and infotainment system, as that is what will rapidly spread across the entire Mercedes lineup over the next two and a half years. Debuting in the CLA is the production version of the MB.OS operating system that Mercedes has been teasing for a few years now, which was developed completely in-house and is powered by a new supercomputer and improved software and cloud connectivity. MB.OS can handle over-the-air updates for every vehicle system, including things like driver-assist features. For instance, the CLA will have the necessary hardware for advanced Level 2 hands-free systems that will become available after the car launches.
Mercedes is still using the MBUX moniker for the infotainment itself, which has been overhauled to be more intuitive and personalizable. The slicker graphics are powered by the Unity Game Engine, and the system is designed so it requires fewer actions to accomplish tasks or navigate between menus. For instance, you can now swipe at the edges of the screen to go back to the previous page, and there are customizable folders and app grid layouts. The home screen, which always shows the map view and has shortcut controls for the climate menu, will also display recently used apps and show suggestions for apps or functions based on how you use the system. Mercedes says it is seeing big drops in Apple CarPlay usage as its current MBUX software improves, and this new system will lower that number even further.
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The navigation system, which uses Google Maps data, shows a real-time view of the car and the surroundings. It’s constantly taking into account all sorts of data parameters to give you the fastest and most efficient route, dynamically responding to traffic or how you’re driving. Sometimes the car will say two shorter stops is more efficient, or maybe just one longer stop, and it’ll do all that decision-making and battery pre-conditioning for you. At Mercedes-Benz’s branded charging stations, the CLA will automatically reserve a charger in advance 15 minutes before you arrive.
If you get the third screen, your front seat passenger can stream videos using apps like Disney+ or YouTube, watch IMAX-enhanced movies on Ridevu or connect a gaming controller to play cloud-based video games like Forza through the Boosteroid service. People really do use these passenger screens, especially in China where Mercedes sees a 50-percent greater usage than when the EQS’ Hyperscreen first debuted. Unlike cars like the E-Class, where the passenger screen has a special coating that makes it appear black to the driver, the CLA’s passenger screen will turn off if the car’s internal cameras sense the driver’s eyes have looked over for a prolonged period of time. A 16-speaker Burmester 3D surround sound system with Dolby Atmos is available, with the Dolby tech now available for audiobooks on Audible — the Germans used 1984 as an example in our demo and didn’t understand why us American journalists started cracking up.
Mercedes’ biggest standout feature is the CLA’s MBUX Virtual Assistant, which incorporates AI technology from both Google and Microsoft. Mercedes says this upgraded assistant can accomplish “advanced, natural, multi-turn dialogue” and that it even has a “short-term memory.” You can string multiple thoughts and questions together, or ask it to accomplish two separate tasks, like changing the temperature and the radio station at once. Examples that were demo’d for us included asking the car to pick out a restaurant for a dinner date, specifying that we wanted a specific price range and a table with a view. After presenting us with some options, the assistant asked if we wanted the car to call the restaurant so we could make a reservation. The assistant will even recognize your emotions, with the Mercedes logo in the top right corner of the screen changing color based on how you’re talking. I’ve already thought that Mercedes’ current voice assistant is one of the best in the business and this new version seems a couple steps up beyond that.
