Mercedes-Benz ESF 2019: A plug-in hybrid of the future

The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) has features such as advanced restraint systems for added safety and autonomous driving, multi-functional retractable steering wheel and pedals

Mercedes-Benz, the German carmaker has unveiled its experimental safety vehicle, the ESF 2019 at the Safe Roads India Summit 2019 in Delhi. The summit is a part of the ‘Safe roads’ initiative by Daimler in 2015.

The ESF is based on the new Mercedes-Benz GLE with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and is fully equipped with multiple safety features and autonomous driving capabilities. The safety features ensure the safety of the passengers and those around the vehicle. JochenFeese, Head of Accident Research, Safety Concepts and Child Safety at Mercedes-Benz AG said, “One highlight (of the ESF 2019) is the cooperative behaviour and communication with the environment: the ESF takes care of all road users surrounding it.”He further added, “Child safety is another important field for the safety engineers. With the ESF 2019, we are also promoting our idea for a connected child seat with PRE-SAFE functions. In dangerous driving conditions, PRE-SAFE Child can reduce the belt slack by tightening the child seat belt. Furthermore, the side bolsters extend on the door side to provide better lateral support of the seat. These measures can help to significantly reduce the risk of injury for the child.”

Benz has been experimenting with safety vehicles since the 1970s. During his presentation, Martin Schwenk, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, mentioned, “Our latest contribution towards customer safety is the introduction of the ‘e-Call’ service, which we launched with our connected car application ‘Mercedes me connect’ in India. This is the first-ever ‘e-Call’ service in the industry with the aim of reducing fatalities by enabling faster and specific assistance in case of an accident. The eCall service can immediately deploy on-site emergency assistance upon receiving data set from the affected vehicle’s embedded e-Call unit, and also verbal information from the passenger. This will be available 24/7 and 365 days per year and will cover 27 states and 5 union territories in India.”