The VISION AVTR Concept Vehicle, Mercedes-Benz’s Linkage Between The Organic And Inorganic

Linkage between the organic and inorganic, Mercedes-Benz presents the ingenuity of mind control as a new dimension of human-vehicle communication.

Called the Brain-computer interfaces (BCI), this technology is integrated into the brand with the three-pointed star’s pioneering VISION AVTR concept vehicle.

Daimler AG’s board of management member and Mercedes-Benz AG’s Daimler Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars’ chief operating officer, Markus Schäfer, said, “With the continuous further development of our ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice assistant and the zero-layer concept of the MBUX Hyperscreen, we’ve already simplified vehicle operation radically. BCI technology can make it possible to relieve the user even more, in order to be able to focus on the driving experience. The VISION AVTR underlines the brand’s courage and pioneering spirit and is exactly the right concept to test and further develop BCI applications. This concept vehicle impressively depicts the future of mobility in which man, nature and technology are in harmony with each other."

An impressive feat, the biometric interaction with the vehicle is complemented by a direct connection to the human brain.

Based on visual perception, the mind control tech was demonstrated in the visionary seat mock-up of the VISION AVTR using light dots projected onto its fully digital dash.

Once a direct connection to the vehicle is established after a one-minute calibration, the BCI device with wearable electrodes attached to the back of the user's head records the brain activity. 

While the brain reacts to the visual stimuli on the dashboard, the BCI device measures the neuronal activity at the cortex in real-time.

Then it analyses the measured brain waves and recognises on which light points the user directs their focus and full attention to, which is called ‘attention-sensing interface’. 

Hence, the stronger the focus, the higher the neuronal activity, and with it, the device then triggers the targeted function in the vehicle.

Selecting the navigation destination by thought control, switching the ambient light in the interior or changing the radio station, BCI enables this new form of machine control.

“Mercedes-Benz is setting another milestone in the merging of man and machine with the research and development of brain-computer interface applications in cars to further enhance driving comfort in the future. BCI technology works completely independently of speech and touch. This opens up revolutionary possibilities for intuitive interaction with the vehicle,” remarked Daimler AG’s board of management member and Mercedes-Benz AG’s responsible for sales, Britta Seeger.

Interestingly, this tech is similar to the neuronal connection between the ‘Na’vi’ and the nature in the visionary Hollywood blockbuster ‘AVATAR’, the muse for the VISION AVTR concept vehicle.

Speaking of which, the Mercedes-Benz VISION AVTR was presented for the first time at the 2020 CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas.

It is the result of a global collaboration between one of the most innovative brands in the entertainment industry, Disney, and the eighth-most valuable brand in the world, Mercedes-Benz. 

The AVTR name of the ground-breaking concept vehicle stands for ‘ADVANCED VEHICLE TRANSFORMATION’.

This autonomous-driving concept vehicle embodies the vision of Mercedes-Benz designers, engineers and trend researchers for mobility in the distant future.

Touching on the design, the stretched ‘one-bow’ silhouette and organic styling language combine exterior and interior into an emotional whole.

Sustainable materials such as vegan DINAMICA leather made from recycled materials, fast-growing biodiversity Karuun (rattan) and organic, compostable battery tech create a closed-loop economy.

Besides that, the 33 bionic flaps on the back of the vehicle can communicate with the outside world, with and through the driver using naturally flowing movements in subtle gestures. 

Plus, instead of a conventional steering wheel, the VISION AVTR has a multifunctional control element in the centre console.

By placing the hand on the control, the interior comes into play, and the vehicle recognises the passenger by their heart rate, making the thumbprint authorisation obsolete.

Moreover, simply raising the hand projects a menu selection onto the palm, allowing the user to intuitively choose between different functionalities.

Evidently, this tech won’t be available in everyday life tomorrow, but it’s no longer a science fiction either, nonetheless, the VISION AVTR brings new interaction between man, machine and nature.