Another advance is a new ‘Intelligent Damper Control’ function for the S-Class’s air-suspension system. This uses data collected from other Mercedes cars to anticipate potholes, speed bumps or other imperfections in the road ahead, and will increase the damping up to 10 metres before the larger ones to preserve the car’s luxurious ride comfort. The driver will also be alerted to small flaws in the road via the navigation system or an audible beep.
You might be wondering if pesky potholes and speed bumps are disrupting the passenger experience so much, why not just permanently soften the suspension? Well, Wundrak explained: “If we increase the damping [for every pothole on the road] the driving comfort for the perfect road will be not so good. So that’s why we’re just preparing the car for a single event.”
The only possible catch is this new system requires data from other models fitted with the same air-suspension and MB.OS systems as the facelifted S-Class, such as the new GLC with EQ Technology, which has only just been launched. That means it might be a while until there are enough cars on the road able to provide the right data.
As we arrived back at Mercedes HQ, we took time to appreciate the sumptuous materials surrounding us, from the quilted-leather upholstery to the deep walnut wood accents on the doors, and even the backs of the front seats.
Naturally, space is plentiful in the back of the S-Class, with super-soft pillows to rest your head on and acres of legroom. When you want to let continents pass you by, the rear seats can also recline very far back, for an experience akin to flying first class.
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