"Safety is a central element of the Mercedes-Benz brand. In this respect we have been setting the pace in the market for almost 70 years. For the benefit of our customers and for road users in general, the ESF shows that we still have plenty of ideas and the absolute resolve to lead the automobile industry in this field in future as well", says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of Daimler AG and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars.
The ESF was developed and built in Daimler’s test vehicle workshops in Sindelfingen, Germany. This safety research vehicle is based on the Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID and features more than a dozen safety innovations, most of which are fully functioning in demonstration mode. "With the ESF, we have chosen this particular time to clearly demonstrate the innovative strength of Daimler. Anybody examining the ESF in detail will recognize that more safety and improved energy efficiency are not necessarily a contradiction. We want to make progress in both fields with new, trailblazing ideas", says Dr. Thomas Weber, the member of the Daimler Executive Board responsible for corporate Research and Development at Mercedes-Benz Cars.
The following five innovations are among the many highlights of the ESF:
• PRE-SAFE® Structure: The inflatable metal structures save weight or
increase the resistance of structural components. When at rest, the metal section is in a folded state to save space. If its protective effect is required, a gas generator builds up an internal pressure of 10 to 20 bar within fractions of a second, causing the section to unfold for significantly more stability.
• Braking Bag: This auxiliary brake accommodated in the vehicle floor is a new type of PRE-SAFE® component. If the sensor system concludes that an impact is unavoidable, the Braking Bag is deployed shortly before the crash and supports the car against the road surface. The vehicle's vertical acceleration increases the friction, and helps to decelerate the vehicle before an impact occurs.
• Interactive Vehicle Communication: The ESF is able to communicate directly with other vehicles, or via relay stations. Using "ad hoc" networks and WLAN radio technology, it is able to receive and transmit warnings of bad weather or obstacles in the road.
• PRE-SAFE® Pulse: This further development of PRE-SAFE® is able to reduce the forces acting on the torsos of the occupants during a lateral collision by around one third. It does this by moving them towards the centre of the vehicle by up to 50 millimetres as a precautionary measure. As an active restraint system, it uses the air chambers in the side bolsters of the seat backrests.
• Spotlight function: This partial LED main beam specifically illuminates potential hazards. If the infrared camera of Night View Assist PLUS detects wildlife or pedestrians, they can be briefly illuminated beyond the normal area covered by the main beams, as if by a spotlight.
Mercedes-Benz is continuing a longstanding tradition with the ESF. For the ESV Safety Conferences held in 1971 to 1974, the safety experts in Stuttgart, Germany built more than 30 experimental vehicles and subjected them to crash tests to satisfy the visionary safety requirements of that time. Four of these ESFs were presented to the public, and many of the revolutionary ideas such as ABS and the airbag first entered series production at Mercedes-Benz.
photo:Mercdes-Benz
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| Mercedes-Benz |
The ESF was developed and built in Daimler’s test vehicle workshops in Sindelfingen, Germany. This safety research vehicle is based on the Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID and features more than a dozen safety innovations, most of which are fully functioning in demonstration mode. "With the ESF, we have chosen this particular time to clearly demonstrate the innovative strength of Daimler. Anybody examining the ESF in detail will recognize that more safety and improved energy efficiency are not necessarily a contradiction. We want to make progress in both fields with new, trailblazing ideas", says Dr. Thomas Weber, the member of the Daimler Executive Board responsible for corporate Research and Development at Mercedes-Benz Cars.
The following five innovations are among the many highlights of the ESF:
• PRE-SAFE® Structure: The inflatable metal structures save weight or
increase the resistance of structural components. When at rest, the metal section is in a folded state to save space. If its protective effect is required, a gas generator builds up an internal pressure of 10 to 20 bar within fractions of a second, causing the section to unfold for significantly more stability.
• Braking Bag: This auxiliary brake accommodated in the vehicle floor is a new type of PRE-SAFE® component. If the sensor system concludes that an impact is unavoidable, the Braking Bag is deployed shortly before the crash and supports the car against the road surface. The vehicle's vertical acceleration increases the friction, and helps to decelerate the vehicle before an impact occurs.
• Interactive Vehicle Communication: The ESF is able to communicate directly with other vehicles, or via relay stations. Using "ad hoc" networks and WLAN radio technology, it is able to receive and transmit warnings of bad weather or obstacles in the road.
• PRE-SAFE® Pulse: This further development of PRE-SAFE® is able to reduce the forces acting on the torsos of the occupants during a lateral collision by around one third. It does this by moving them towards the centre of the vehicle by up to 50 millimetres as a precautionary measure. As an active restraint system, it uses the air chambers in the side bolsters of the seat backrests.
• Spotlight function: This partial LED main beam specifically illuminates potential hazards. If the infrared camera of Night View Assist PLUS detects wildlife or pedestrians, they can be briefly illuminated beyond the normal area covered by the main beams, as if by a spotlight.
Mercedes-Benz is continuing a longstanding tradition with the ESF. For the ESV Safety Conferences held in 1971 to 1974, the safety experts in Stuttgart, Germany built more than 30 experimental vehicles and subjected them to crash tests to satisfy the visionary safety requirements of that time. Four of these ESFs were presented to the public, and many of the revolutionary ideas such as ABS and the airbag first entered series production at Mercedes-Benz.
photo:Mercdes-Benz