Five of my favorite news from the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show

It’s the week of the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) and no matter whether people are talking about our industry or reporting from our industry, one topic has made it onto the center stage for everyone: transformation. And for good reasons. We are currently undergoing fundamental changes – driven by the energy and passion of our entire team. That’s why my favorite moment was when the stage was full not only of cars, but also of people who develop, build and market these vehicles at Daimler.

You’ll find the entire press conference under this link. Now, let’s focus on five proof points which go to show: Our team is moving forward at a great pace right now!

Number one: Electric mobility is becoming our core business

This is underscored by the “Vision EQS”, which we presented in Frankfurt. It shows what a luxury sedan could look like in the future. However, one of its most important features is not visible: our new electric platform. For the first time, we have developed it exclusively for the requirements of medium-sized and large electric cars. I also discussed the fact that luxury and sustainability are not contradictions with Robert Habeck, Chairman of Germany’s “Bündnis 90/Die Grünen” party. And my impression is: we’re pretty much on the same page in this matter.

Number two: We are working on sustainable batteries

Sustainability is more than just a question of the drive system. It’s about the whole package. An example: About 45 percent of the CO2 emissions in the lifecycle of an electric car are generated ahead of the very first journey. Especially in battery production, there is still a lot to be done. For this reason, we have taken measures with our suppliers for the next generation of our EQ models in order to make the production of some of our battery cells carbon-neutral. This way, we’re reducing the carbon footprint along the entire supply chain by double-digit percentages.

Number three: We are pushing ahead new safety ideas for autonomous driving

Our customers entrust their Mercedes with the most valuable good of all: their lives and the lives of their loved ones. That’s why we invented technologies such as crumple zones, ABS and ESP. Our ESFs – experimental safety vehicles – think even further ahead in terms of road safety. Our 2019 ESF asks the question: What must safety systems in cars be capable of once cars are fully automated? We will be bringing several safety features from this ESF into series production over the next 12 months.

Number four: We are putting electric cars onto the race track

Many of us share a love of motorsport. And we’re breaking new ground here as well. In November, we will start our first season in Formula E. At IAA, we’ve introduced the whole team. At the same time, Formula 1 remains a matter of the heart for Mercedes. In both racing series, our teams work day after day to make the best even better.

Number Five: Our high-tech is ready for Hollywood

It’s no secret: I’m an MBUX fan. At the latest after this video with Georges Massing, you will be, too. I promise.

I can only agree with Georges – for MBUX and Daimler as a whole, our possibilities are endless. Let’s seize them. I’m looking forward to it!