Mercedes Benz Concept Vision EQXX

Mercedes Benz has kicked off the virtual CES 2022 proceedings with its stunning new Vision EQXX concept car which it claims delivers 1,000 kilometers of range on a single charge. Amazingly, it manages this with approximately the same size battery as the EQS packaged in a smaller futuristic sedan that looks extremely aerodynamic. It doesn't only look very aerodynamic, it becomes the most aerodynamic car in the world, beating out the EQS with a drag coefficient of 0.17 which is one of the key secrets behind its range.

And while only a concept, it is close to being production-ready and Mercedes will even have a road-legal version of the car run for 1,000 km to prove its claims around the range. It heralds a new design language for Mercedes Benz vehicles in the age of electric cars with its losing the iconic Mercedes grille. This car just sips energy at a rate of 10kWh per 100 km which means that in terms of petrol cars an efficiency of 100 km per litre.

It also acts as a showcase of new-age technologies and materials that Mercedes will start to introduce in its cars displacing its carbon footprint and impact on nature. It leverages a new modular Ev architecture that Mercedes has developed which can even be used in an A-Class. And one of the things that makes it so efficient is the weight - 1,750 kg which makes it very light for an EV thanks to a new battery which is now 50 percent less in volume and has 30 percent less mass than on the EQS while retaining the same capacity. The EQXX will even get solar panels on its roof which further add to its range by 25 km. But as far as performance goes, then this isn't the fastest EV we have seen — it can only do 201 bhp which makes it slower than even the EQS.

It gets a new hyper screen - a horizontal single piece 47.5-inch 8K affair leveraging OLED technology which also gets high-end smart TV technologies like local area dimming which turns the screen off when blacks have to visualised. In fact, the user interface is also mindful of this technology which means it's darker and more power-efficient. There are new UI elements like a 3D mapping system which has been developed in partnership with NAVIS Automotive systems.

Building on top of its Vision AVATR concept from CES 2020, sustainable materials like cactus-based leather, bamboo carpets, and synthetic silk have been integrated into the car as

substitutes for the real world alternatives which involve killing animals.

The most striking and poignant thing about the Vision EQXX is that despite being a concept it is a road-legal car where everything actually works. This is truly closer to a production car that will show up as a production model sooner than later in some form or the other, but most definitely, the technology showcased will immediately start trickling in.

Amazon and Stellantis collaborate to introduce customer-centric connected experiences

Amazon and Stellantis N.V. announced a series of global, multi-year agreements that will trans-form the in-vehicle experience for Stellantis customers.

Stellantis will accelerate its shift to becoming a sustainable mobility tech company through this relationship, which involves Amazon Devices, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Amazon Last Mile. Stellantis and Amazon will collaborate to deploy Amazon’s technology and software expertise across Stellantis’ organization, including vehicle development, building connected invehicle experiences, and training the next generation of automotive software engineers. To-gether, the two companies will create a suite of software-based products and services that seamlessly integrate with customers’ digital lives and add value over time through regular over-the-air (OTA) software updates.

The collaboration brings together Amazon’s leadership and innovation in digital experiences, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning with Stellantis’ automotive engineering excellence and portfolio of 14 iconic vehicle brands.

The collaboration will focus on several areas.

STLA SmartCockpit

Amazon and Stellantis will collaborate to deliver software for STLA SmartCockpit, which will run in millions of Stellantis vehicles globally starting in 2024. The software-defined platform will seamlessly integrate with customers’ digital lives to create personalized, intuitive in-vehicle experiences through AI-enhanced applications for entertainment, Alexa-enabled voice assis-tance, navigation, vehicle maintenance, ecommerce marketplaces, and payment services.

The STLA SmartCockpit platform will use Amazon products and solutions that are purpose-built for vehicles, and Stellantis will have the flexibility to create custom, brand- and vehicle-specific capabilities. The software will offer curated services and experiences through an app store—all displayed through an intelligent, adaptive user interface design that presents timely, relevant information and features suited to each occupant’s individual needs and preferences.

Collaborative Engineering and Innovation

Stellantis has selected AWS as its preferred cloud provider for vehicle platforms. Together, Stel-lantis and Amazon plan to build the next generation of cloud-enabled infrastructure for vehicle platforms, including for STLA SmartCockpit.

Both companies are creating a cloud-based product development environment called the “Vir-tual Engineering Workbench,” which provides automated workflows to manage software devel-opment and testing, high-performance simulations, machine learning model training, and data collection and analysis.

Expanding Amazon’s Sustainable Delivery Network

In support of The Climate Pledge and its commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040, Amazon is transforming its last-mile operations with new sustainable solutions. As part of a separate agreement with Stellantis, Amazon will be the first commercial customer for Stellantis’ new Ram ProMaster Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) launching in 2023. Stellantis, with input from Am-azon, designed the vehicle with unique last mile delivery features and Amazon will deploy the vehicles to routes across the United States. Building on the current relationship and as part of the long-term agreement, Stellantis and Amazon will be putting thousands of BEV ProMasters on the road every year.