Automotive Design and Production

SEP 2013

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On Lighting According to Mercedes, the S-Class is the frst vehicle in the world without a single light bulb. Not one. Not for exterior lighting. Not in the cabin. Not even in the trunk. It is all-LED, all-locations. The tail lamps each have up to 35 LEDs (and there are four more for each fog lamp). The headlamps have up to 56 LEDs. A word about those tail lamps. They have multi-level functionality. This means that their brightness varies, depending on ambient conditions. For example, when the brakes are applied at night, there is a dimming of the lights so that they aren't too bright for the driver in the car behind. Which then gets to the head lamps. There is a function—not available in the U.S. market yet, due to regulatory issues—called "Adaptive Highbeam Assist Plus." What this means is that the highbeams can be turned on and left on. While this provides the driver with a great view of what's ahead in the dark (and more about the dark in a moment), it can be problematic for driver's of on-coming cars. But the S-Class has a stereo multipurpose camera that is located near the rearview mirror. It has a range of 500 m, and of that distance, there is 3D capability for approximately 50 m. The camera detects vehicles ahead, using an image-recognition algorithm. It fnds both on-coming and foregoing vehicles. Then the system activates what are essentially shades so that the portions of the bright light that would cause problems for the drivers ahead are masked in those drivers' views. The system will activate low beams under certain conditions, such as when the S-Class is driving into a curve, and there are multiple vehicles ahead. Headlamps are also dimmed to prevent refected glare from road signs. the frst Mercedes s-Class had its run from 1972 to 1980. this year brings the sixth generation. they didn't want to create just another luxury car. they wanted to create the contemporary luxury car. Finally, on the interior of the vehicle, there are approximately 300 LEDs. Certainly, one rationale for the use of LEDs, particularly on the exterior, is that they allow the creation of daytime running lights that have a striking, signature appearance. But there is another, arguably more important, reason why LEDs are used. They are more energy efcient. That is, an LED low-beam requires 34 W to generate the same light output as a xenon lamp requiring 84 W or a halogen needing 120 W. On Design "The sophisticated design of the S-Class has always been an expression of luxury and automotive grandeur of its era. And our new S-Class continues this tradition. With its classic architecture and fowing silhouette, it is a modern embodiment of sensual clarity. The design draws a line from the sophisticated, progressive design idiom to the classic elegance of our 1930s cars—intelligence that speaks to the emotions. Stylish sportiness and sensual forms in synthesis with timeless clarity and efortless superiority make the S-Class a true design icon."—Gorden Wagener, vice president Design, Daimler AG The designers went to work on developing a car that has presence without ostentation. Part of the presence can be found in the front of the car, where the grille is larger and more vertical in orientation, indicating a sense of pride. The subtlety is exemplifed around back, where the backlight is rounded and cuts into the C-pillars, consequently creating a coupe-like appearance. The tail lights are integrated into the body. 43

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