Mercedes has released images and information regarding the interior of the 2016 E-Class and some of the high-tech features to which it will play host.
Taking a sizeable leaf from the S-Class’s book, the new E-‘s facia adopts its bigger brother’s tiered layout, complete with a bank of chromed, circular air vents and, on mid-to-upper spec models) a pair of 12,3-inch TFT displays spanning the instrument binnacle and central facia. The entry-level models will feature a conventional twin-tube analogue array in the instrument binnacle and an 8,4-inch TFT central display.
In addition to such S-Class staples as 64-colour LED ambient cabin lighting, the new E- will introduce such new features as touch-sensitive controls for the multifunction steering wheel, and the multi-touch input touchpad on the centre console first seen in the C-Class.
The front seats have undergone a considerable redesign, with greater emphasis placed on lateral bolstering and can also be specified with diamond-stitched padding as seen in the S-Class’s designo specification.
Customers will also be able to specify their car with optional Multibeam LED adaptive headlamps and a ‘stardust’ treatment for the brakelamps that features a LED elements displayed through a multifaceted lens finisher.
The 2016 E-Class will also usher in a new Active Lane Change Assist system as part of the optional Driving Assistance safety package. Under conditions that are deemed safe via feedback from both camera and long-range radar inputs, this system automatically steers the car into its intended lane after the indicator has been active for more than two seconds.
The system will only work under certain conditions and at speeds between 80-190 km/h. In order to use the feature, the car will have to have Steering Pilot active, be traveling on a multi-lane road (as detected by the navigation system), and be traveling next to an adjacent lane (as determined by the camera).
