Posted by admin in Ever thought of using your iPhone or Blackberry to lock or unlock your car doors? If you own a Mercedes-Benz, you will soon be able to do it.
In collaboration with Hughes Telematics, the renowned car maker has launched ‘mbrace,’ a new telematics system that will allow you to lock and unlock your car doors, help you find your vehicle in large parking lots, and also give you directions in case you lose your way.
The basic ‘mbrace’ package will be standard on most Mercedes models, which will include automatic collision notification and emergency calling in case there is a serious mishap. In all, the new system offers 18 features, five of them belonging to a premium package in various categories such as safety and security, navigation and destination planning, and convenience. You can easily access the services from within your car or from any computer using a personalized web portal.
For a new Mercedes owner, ‘mbrace’ will come free for the first six months. After that, you will have to pay $280 annually for the basic service, and $20 more for the ‘mbrace plus’ package that adds a human concierge who can book restaurant tables and offer you a different route if there is traffic congestion on your way. Those using Mercedes Tele Aid at present can switch to ‘mbrace’ with the help of a software upgrade.
A Mercedes spokesman has described ‘mbrace’ as the “intersection of the car with the portable lifestyle.” The car maker expects more such remote applications in the future, such as checking a car’s emissions without having to visit a garage.
Ironically, it was Chrysler’s bankruptcy that made Hughes sign the deal with Mercedes instead. “This is just the beginning of what we’re doing with Mercedes,” Hughes president Erik Goldman said.
Imagine locking your car door in Chicago remotely from New York. Feels like something out of a James Bond movie, doesn’t it?
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