Mercedes-Benz and Google partner to create next-gen navigation experience

Mercedes-Benz and Google have announced a long-term strategic partnership to further accelerate auto innovation and create the industry’s next-generation digital luxury car experience. With this partnership, Mercedes-Benz will be the first automaker to build its own branded navigation experience based on new in-car data and navigation capabilities from Google Maps Platform.

This will give the luxury automaker access to Google’s leading geospatial offering, including detailed information about places, real-time and predictive traffic information, automatic rerouting, and more. By embedding these features into the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS), customers will be able to enjoy a superior navigation experience, thanks to easy usability and outstanding graphics on the car’s high-resolution screen. To help enrich the user experience, the companies will bring the YouTube app into the Mercedes-Benz infotainment system. In addition, Mercedes-Benz will use Google Maps data to enable assisted driving features such as automatic speed adjustments before intersections, roundabouts or curves.

"We invite only the very best partners to enhance our operating system and to add to the Mercedes-Benz customer experience. Google has been a leader in maps and navigation for many years. With our strategic partnership, we are excited to create unique services and to elevate the level of convenience for our customers. It will be deeply integrated within our signature Mercedes-Benz user interface and fully connected to relevant vehicle functions like the state-of-charge,” said Ola Källenius, CEO, Mercedes-Benz

As a first step, Mercedes-Benz will give customers access to Place Details provided by Google, helping them find detailed information about more than 200 million businesses and places around the world, including business hours, photos, ratings, and reviews. Place Details will be available starting today in all vehicles with the latest generation of MBUX in applicable markets (all Generation 2020 MBUX (NTG7) vehicles with navigation in connect markets except China, Japan and Korea).

The companies have agreed to explore further collaboration using Google Cloud’s leading artificial intelligence (AI), data and open infrastructure solutions. For example:

AI: Mercedes-Benz intends to use Google Cloud’s AI and Machine Learning capabilities to create, train, and deploy new models at speed and enhance customer experiences.

Data: Mercedes-Benz intends to use Google Cloud’s fast and efficient data processing platform to analyze fleet data.

Open Infrastructure: Mercedes-Benz plans to use Google’s open infrastructure to securely innovate and scale from on-premises, to edge, to cloud, across Mercedes-Benz’s current technology landscape.

“Our partnership with Mercedes-Benz brings advanced technologies from Google Maps Platform, Cloud, and YouTube to help create new experiences for drivers. In addition to enabling Mercedes-Benz to design a customized navigation interface, we'll provide our AI and data capabilities to accelerate their sustainability efforts, advance autonomous driving, and create an enhanced customer experience,” commented Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google and Alphabet.

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