2019 Mercedes-Benz Vision URBANETIC Concept

Part of a holistic ecosystem: Mercedes-Benz Vans at CES 2019: Vision URBANETIC shows the future of human-machine interaction

·Mobility concept for needs-based, efficient, comfortable and sustainable mobility
·Intuitively detectable communication about innovative features
·Autonomous driving platform with people-mover module for passenger transport or cargo module for freight transport
·Battery electric drive locally emission-free and almost silent
·As a learning system embedded in intelligent IT infrastructure for planning and control based on permanent demand analyses

Stuttgart / Las Vegas - Revolutionary mobility concept in response to the questions of the future: At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Mercedes-Benz Vans presents its Vision ÚRBANETIC, a study that opens up new perspectives on autonomous driving. It enables the needs-based, sustainable and efficient transport of people and goods - and meets the needs of cities, companies from a wide range of industries, as well as travellers and commuters in innovative ways. The concept reduces traffic flows, relieves inner-city infrastructures and contributes to a new urban quality of life. At the same time, it offers an outlook on future-oriented technologies for the interaction between human and machine.

The visionary concept is based on an autonomously driven, electrically powered chassis, which can carry structures for passenger transport or goods transport. As a fully networked vehicle, Vision ÚRBANETIC is part of an ecosystem in which commercial and private mobility wishes are transmitted digitally. Vision ÚRBANETIC collates these needs and fulfils them with a highly flexible fleet, facilitating a considerable improvement in the use of resources.

Establishing trust through active communication with the environment
Many people still view autonomous vehicles with a certain degree of scepticism, because the topic 'digital transformation' evokes a diffused feeling between fascination and uncertainty. Fascination because digital technologies can drastically simplify complex tasks and offer unique opportunities. Úncertainty because it often seems as if there might be little room for human individuality and the ability to act freely.

That is why Mercedes-Benz is working on solutions that focus on people's freedom, decision-making authority and individuality. The goal is to create a balance between people and technology. Great importance is attached to the concept of 'informed trust'. People need to be able to quickly and reliably assess what an autonomous vehicle will do next. The vehicle must inform in a way about its intentions that people can grasp directly and intuitively.

The Vision ÚRBANETIC exemplifies solutions that can create and promote this 'informed trust'. Especially with the People-Mover module, the Vision ÚRBANETIC breaks new ground in communicating with its environment.

Úsing various camera and sensor systems, the vehicle fully perceives its surroundings in their entirety and communicates actively with it. Pedestrians who cross the street in front of it are informed by the large-format display in the front of the vehicle through special animations that they have been perceived. A similar function is fulfilled by the digital shadowing that makes the side door area an active display. Several hundred light units signal the approaching persons that they have been recognised. Their contours are shown schematically on the outer shell. Pedestrians or cyclists can assess upcoming actions of the vehicle quickly and reliably.

Demand-oriented adaptation to demand in real time





Mercedes-Benz Vans is pursuing an ambitious target with its Vision ÚRBANETIC. It envisages transporting more people and goods with fewer vehicles on a virtually unchanged roads infrastructure in order to relieve inner cities and, at the same time, fulfil continually growing mobility requirements and customer desires. This would ultimately facilitate an improved quality of urban life – with flexible and comfortable movement of people, efficient and sustainable transportation of goods, significantly lower noise and pollutant emissions and greater freedom in city planning.

Locally emission-free and perfect for the city center


Vision ÚRBANETIC's electric drive delivers zero-local-emissions mobility, thus making it the perfect vehicle for city centres and areas subject to legal access restrictions. The virtually noiseless electric drive also presents new options for late or night-time deliveries and thus offers major economic potential.

Source - Mercedes-Benz