High-tech gear turns Mercedes into road office
High-tech gear turns Mercedes into road office
IGGP Bayu Ismoyo, The Jakarta Post, Singapore
Eager to meet the needs of its busy cosmopolitan consumers,
DaimlerChrysler has equipped their latest product, the Mercedes
Benz S-Class edition, with fully installed high-tech facilities,
enabling motorists to work from their car seat whenever they get
stuck in the city's notorious traffic jams.
DaimlerChrysler has grouped NEC, Siemens and SingTel to
realize this dream for busy executives and businessmen on a tight
schedule, who need to work while they are commuting.
During its presentation at the Asian Civilization Museum in
Singapore on Jan. 14, DaimlerChrysler exhibited the fruit of this
cooperation: a Mercedes Benz S-400 complete with 3G-UMTS or the
Third Generation -- the Universal Mobile Telecommunications
System.
This system enables drivers and passengers to access
information off the Internet using the speed of a cell phone
network.
With this type of technology, activities such as video
conferencing, reading e-mails or watching live television
programs and much more, can be done just like at home or the
office. Advantages for the driver include that he or she can
access real-time navigation during the journey, complete with
detailed maps.
The technology includes two 10-inch screens on the car
dashboard and one 15-inch screen in the back for the passenger, a
keyboard, mouse and Internet connection speed to the Third
Generation with up to two megabytes per second.
The facilities make the ride enjoyable because once a car gets
stuck in traffic, the scourge of Jakarta, there are many
activities commuters can get involved in, including online
chatting and games.
For Jakarta and other major cities in the country, a
cooperation with the operators of mobile telephone companies is
needed to make the Third Generation telephone connection
available.
During the test drives, which were held right after the
presentation, the driver immediately gained access to detailed
and accurate information. There is also a device -- the internal
diagnostic module -- which provides readouts on the car's oil,
temperature and tire pressure.
This is truly a new wave in technology. Combined with a
luxurious ride, this new addition to the road makes for an eye-
catching car.