Mercedes-Benz Vision Tokyo concept revealed

Kuala Lumpur: Following the progression of its design study show cars, Mercedes-Benz has now revealed the Vision Tokyo. The automaker previously teased the F015 Luxury in Motion autonomous driving concept, and like that vehicle, the Vision Tokyo features a sleek, futuristic design with an interior that looks more like a high-tech lounge than the inside of a vehicle.

It is an advanced concept car that provides a glimpse at the design ideas, zero-emission driveline and holographic multi-media technology it envisages employing on a future line-up of self-driving models.

In the words of the German car maker, the new five-seater "shows how the car of the future can be turned into a hip living space in the midst of megacity traffic mayhem”. Among those being targeted by Mercedes-Benz with the new concept is Generation Z – those born after 1995.

The all-new Vision Tokyo concept measures 4803 mm long, a generous 2100 mm wide and 1600 mm high. That makes it 117 mm shorter, 180 mm wider and 75 mm lower than the short wheelbase R-Class – Mercedes-Benz’s last attempt at combining traditional luxury with the practicality of an MPV. The mentioned dimensions of the concept car grants access to a spacious cabin that can host up to five passengers sitting on a large couch shaped like an oval.

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The Vision Tokyo is fully autonomous. As a pointer to the potential for autonomous operation and the comprehensive system of vehicle environment sensors that this requires, one of which is a 360-degree camera, there is a fin on the roof that integrates all of the technology.

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Drive comes from a plug-in hybrid setup combining a lithium-ion battery, hydrogen fuel cell stack and electric motor. With a full charge of the batteries, the Vision Tokyo should be able to cover approximately 120 miles, with this figure rising to just over 600 miles when a full tank of hydrogen is used. The use of pressure tanks made from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic was envisaged for the storage of hydrogen in the concept.

The cabin sides are lined in leather and adorned with LED touchscreens. Together with an overhead projector module, they provide an advanced multi-media experience with various displays projected as a three-dimensional hologram within the interior space.

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“As a contemporary-style club lounge, the Vision Tokyo brings people together. With the car in autonomous driving mode they are able to chill and chat, without having to worry about steering a way through the dense traffic,” Mercedes-Benz says.

The Vision Tokyo isn’t slated for production anytime soon, but with most carmakers now looking at around 2020 to 2030 as a launch window for their driverless vehicle technologies, we could see this concept roll out of Mercedes showrooms in the not-too-distant future.

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