Bugatti has paid homage to the landmark EB110 supercar with the Centodieci, the latest limited-edition model based on the Chiron. Introduced in 1991, the EB110 was the first car launched by Bugatti following its revival by Italian businessman Romano Artioli. While not a commercial success, with just 118 examples made before Bugatti went bankrupt in 1995, it did signpost the future direction of the firm after it was bought by the Volkswagen Group in 1998. Revealed at Pebble Beach, the Centodieci – meaning 110 in Italian – features a number of elements inspired by the EB110, including a similar grille design, a windscreen that wraps around an invisible A-pillar and a five-aperture side air intake. “We think (the EB110) should not be forgotten. It was the start of a trilogy (preceding the Chiron and Veyron),” Bugatti design director Achim Anscheidt told Autocar. Like the Divo that was shown at Pebble Beach last year, the Centodieci will offer a more exclusive take on the Chiron’s mechanical package. It uses the same 8.0-litre quad-turbocharged W16 engine, tuned to deliver 1577bhp – up from the Chiron’s 1478bhp. Bugatti also claims a 20kg weight reduction. According to Bugatti, the Centodieci has a 2.4sec 0-62mph time, covers 0-124mph in 6.1sec and can reach 186mph from rest in 13.1sec – 0.5sec quicker than the time claimed for the Chiron. The car is limited to 236mph, compared with 261mph for the Chiron. Aerodynamic changes include a sizeable rear wing, with Bugatti claiming peak downforce of 90kg. That is relatively modest by hypercar standards but, like other Bugattis, the Centodieci is designed for high-speed stability rather than track pace. The firm claims the Centodieci can deliver similar lateral acceleration to that of the Divo. The Centodieci will be considerably more expensive than the Chiron. Just 10 will be built, with the price starting at £7.4 million before tax. All were sold before the car was officially revealed. QA with Achim Anscheidt, Bugatti design director Where did you draw most inspiration from? “The EB110 has the classic wedge shape of a supercar at that time. If you look at the side profile of the Centodieci, you see this kind of wedge line implemented into the car, also the wraparound windshield and the narrow eye face.” Will limited editions be a continuing part of the Bugatti strategy? “When (boss) Stefan Winkelmann joined, he initiated the possibility of one-off and few-off development using the technical basis of the Chiron. That was liberating. We have done the Divo, La Voiture Noire and now this. In the design department, we always thought the EB110 was a supercar that deserves not to be forgotten.” Should we expect other historical cars to serve as inspiration for future projects? “We have no shortage of inspiration, but the strategy of a design department should not only be triggered by history. We love these projects, but we must also do projects where we look forward.” The EB110: mindblowing performance, poor timing The EB110 had a troubled gestation. Bugatti boss Romano Artioli wasn’t happy with Marcello Gandini’s original wedge design, roping in architect Giampaolo Benedini for the finished version. With a carbonfibre monocoque and all-wheel drive, it was powered by a 60-valve V12 engine producing 553bhp – at the time bettered only by the McLaren F1. But it arrived just as the supercar bubble burst and few were willing to pay the £285,500 asking price. Autocar road tested a GT model in 1994, recording a 0-60mph time of 4.5sec and a 9.6sec for
Origin: Bugatti unveils £7.4m limited-run Centodieci hypercar
unveils
Rolls-Royce unveils ultra-exclusive Ghost Zenith special
Rolls-Royce has unveiled a limited-run Ghost Zenith Collector’s Edition, which will offer the highest level of bespoke features on the car to date. The Zenith will be limited to just 50 examples and the British firm says it offers more bespoke options than any model apart from the 2016 limited-run Phantom Zenith. The special edition is intended as the ultimate version of the current Ghost before the new model arrives next year. The Ghost Zenith features a number of design details inspired by the 2009 200EX concept that previewed the Ghost. They include an ingot in the interior made from the original concept car’s Spirit of Ecstasy. A section of artwork showing technical details of the 200EX has been engraved in the centre console, too. The Spirit of Ecstasy and clock of the Ghost Zenith are both engraved with its name. There are new illuminated door pockets with perforated leather to emit light into the cabin, while the contrasting leather seats feature embroidery inspired by seat details in the 1907 Silver Ghost. The Ghost Zenith retains the model’s illuminated ‘starlight headliner’, but a new ‘shooting star’ design note has been introduced to add “an extraordinary sense of theatre”. It features a gloss contrast two-tone paintwork, available in three colour pairings, and a Silver Satin bonnet as used on the 200EX. The Ghost Zenith will be available in standard- and extended-wheelbase forms and feature the same mechanicals as the regular Ghost, including the twin-turbo 6.6-litre V12 petrol engine. Pricing has not been disclosed but is likely to be substantially higher than the £200,958 base price for the current standard-wheelbase
Origin: Rolls-Royce unveils ultra-exclusive Ghost Zenith special
Chinese start-up Human Horizons unveils radical electric SUV concept
Chinese start-up Human Horizons, whose technical team is led by the former boss of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division, has unveiled a radical electric SUV concept called the HiPhi 1. The machine closely previews the new firm’s first production car, which it says is due on sale within two years. Human Horizons describes itself as a technology company that’s focusing on “smart vehicles, smart transportation and smart cities”. It plans to develop a range of machines for the growing Chinese premium EV market, designed for both private owners and shared use, featuring advanced autonomous systems and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. The HiPhi 1 concept is the first car the firm has revealed. Technical development has been led by Mark Stanton, who formerly worked for both Ford and Jaguar Land Rover. The machine features 562 sensors to offer ‘higher-level autonomy’ using V2X communication systems. It will also monitor the interior using facial recognition cameras and even smell sensors to detect unwanted odours. The HiPhi 1 features nine power-operated doors, flaps and stowage compartments, including gullwing-opening rear doors, and a handleless entry system that uses a facial recognition system matched to a smartphone. There will be a number of different modes for accessing it, including a ‘superstar’ setting that opens all the roof and door systems. There’s also a ‘parade’ mode that will allow the car to move slowly with the gullwing flaps raised. The exterior design has been informed by Chinese tastes, with a tall crossover design and a large, coupé-like glasshouse. Human Horizons says the lack of a combustion engine has allowed the front bulkhead to be pushed much further forward than in a conventional car, with the 5.2-metre overall length – similar to that of a long wheelbase Range Rover – allowing huge interior space. The HiPhi 1 also features fins designed to direct airflow at the trailing edge of the rear doors and a similar channel built into the front wing; Human Horizons boss Kevin Chen says that these have been inspired by aircraft and promote high-speed stability, with the car having a drag co-efficient of 0.28Cd. The HiPhi also features smart headlights capable of beaming patterns onto road or walls, with examples including a zebra crossing effect to show pedestrians that it’s safe to cross. The larger panels beneath the lighting units contain hundreds of LEDs and are capable of displaying patterns or even messages. The interior features three rows of two seats, all of which are power-operated and can be switched into numerous configurations. The car’s structure incorporates both high-strength steel and aluminium, with the battery compartment under the floor. The dashboard is largely formed of display screens, with a digital instrument pack, portrait-orientated touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard and another in front of the passenger for playing media. It also features a camera-based rear-view system, although this isn’t currently legal in China. Stanton, who leads a team of around 400 engineers, said both rear and four-wheel-drive versions will be offered, the latter with a pair of 268bhp motors and a 0-62mph time of around 3.9sec. Differently sized battery packs will also be offered, with the biggest 96kWh unit giving a range of up to 400 miles with the rear-drive powertrain under the NEDC testing protocol. Stanton wouldn’t give a weight figure but confirmed that we can expect something so large and highly specified to be more than two tonnes. While there are no plans to sell the HiPhi 1 outside China in the short term, the firm has global ambitions in the longer term. Pricing is yet to be set, but the HiPhi 1 is likely to be at the higher end of the Chinese EV market. Deliveries are due to being in 2021. Production will take place in a plant – currently being refitted – that was formerly used by Kia’s Chinese joint venture
Origin: Chinese start-up Human Horizons unveils radical electric SUV concept
Chinese EV start-up Human Horizons unveils radical SUV concept
Chinese start-up Human Horizons, whose technical team is led by the former boss of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division, has unveiled a radical HiPhi 1 SUV concept. The machine closely previews the new firm’s first production car, which is says is due on sale within two years. Human Horizons describes itself as a technology focused company, that is focusing on “smart vehicles, smart transportation and smart cities”. It plans to develop a range of machines for the growing Chinese premium EV market, designed for both private owners and shared use, featuring advanced autonomous systems and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. The HiPhi 1 concept is the first machine it has revealed, and technical development has been led by Mark Stanton, who formerly worked for both Ford and Jaguar Land Rover, most recently as the head of Special Vehicle Operations. The machine features 562 sensors to offer ‘higher-level autonomy’ using V2X communication systems. The HiPhi will also monitor the cabin using facial recognition cameras and even smell sensors to detect unwanted odours. The HiPhi 1 features nine power-operated doors, flaps and stowage compartments, including gullwing-opening rear doors, and a handleless entry system that uses a facial recognition system matched to a smartphone. The machine will feature a number of different modes to access it, including a ‘superstar’ setting that opens all the roof and door systems. There is also a ‘parade’ mode that will allow the model to move slowly with the gullwing flaps raised. The exterior design has been informed by Chinese tastes, with a tall crossover design and a large, coupe-like glasshouse. Human Horizons says the lack of a combustion engine has allowed the front bulkhead to be pushed much further forward than in a conventional car, with the 5.2 metre overall length – similar to that of a long wheelbase Range Rover – allowing huge cabin space. It also features fins designed to direct airflow at the trailing edge of the rear doors, and a similar channel built into the front wing; Human Horizons boss Kevin Chen says that these have been inspired by aircraft and promote high-speed stability, with a drag co-efficient of 0.28. The HiPhi also features smart headlights capable of beaming patterns onto road or walls, with examples including a zebra crossing effect to show pedestrians that it is safe to cross. The larger panels beneath the lighting units contain hundreds of LEDs and are capable of displaying patterns or even messages. The cabin features three rows of two seats, all of which are power operated and can be switched into numerous configurations. The car’s structure incorporates both high-strength steel and aluminium, with the battery compartment under the floor. The dashboard is largely formed of display screens, with a digital instrument pack, portrait-orientated touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard and another in front of the passenger for playing media. It also features a camera-based rear-view system, although this isn’t currently legal in China. Stanton, who leads a team of around 400 engineers, said both rear- and all-wheel-drive versions will be offered, the latter with a pair of 268bhp motors and a 0-62mph time of around 3.9 seconds. Differently sized battery packs will also be offered, with the biggest 96kWh unit giving a range of up to 400 miles with the rear-drive powertrain under the NEDC testing protocol. Stanton wouldn’t give a weight figure – but confirmed that we can expect something so large an highly specified to be over two tonnes. While there are no plans to sell the HiPhi 1 outside China in the short-term, the firm does have global ambitions in the longer term. Pricing is yet to be set, but is likely to be at the higher end of the Chinese EV market, with deliveries due to being in 2021. Production will take place in a plant formerly used by Kia’s Chinese joint venture partner, which is currently being
Origin: Chinese EV start-up Human Horizons unveils radical SUV concept
Ultima unveils road-legal 1200bhp V8-powered RS supercar
Leicester-based sports car manufacturer Ultima has revealed the new RS supercar, its fastest road-legal model yet and featuring up to 1200bhp. Based on the firm’s limited-run Evolution, the RS gains a number of modifications and enhancements to the powertrain, bodywork and chassis to maximise performance. The gel-coated bodywork of the RS has been designed with a strong emphasis on functionality. A 1780mm rear wing works alongside carbonfibre front and rear splitters and wheel-arch vents to enhance downforce, aerodynamic performance and engine cooling, while the new model’s cabin has been subtly reshaped to reduce frontal area. There are three powertrain options, each taken from Chevrolet’s range of Euro 6-compliant V8 engines. Entry-level models are powered by the 480bhp LT1, capable of 0-60mph in 3.3sec and more than 180mph. The more powerful LT4 unit packs 650bhp and will take the RS to around 210mph. The flagship 800bhp supercharged LT5 unit produces 800bhp in standard form, but can be tuned to offer up to 1200bhp, which the company says gives the RS “the potential to outrun every other road-going hypercar on the planet”. In this form, Ultima says the RS will sprint from 0-60mph in 2.3sec and can exceed 250mph. Power is fed through a six-speed manual Porsche gearbox, with the company stating that a PDK unit would not be “in keeping with the ethos of an Ultima”. The RS sits atop Ultima’s own 19in lightweight wheels, which are wrapped in high-performance Michelin tyres. Stopping power comes from a set of 322mm AP vented discs as standard, but optional 362mm AP grooved units and upgraded six-piston calipers can take the RS from 100mph-0 in 3.3sec, 0.47sec quicker than the McLaren Senna performed in our tests last year. The model’s fully adjustable suspension system provides nine different angles of attack, with an optional front-end hydraulic lift mechanism enhancing on-road usability. Inside, Ultima has installed a fully welded and powder-coated roll-cage, half-leather sports seats with lumbar support, an Alpine infotainment system with sat-nav and Bluetooth options, and a bespoke luggage set with RS branding. Pricing has not yet been confirmed, but the company’s website says the model can be bought for the same price as a “mundane new BMW M3”, suggesting it will start from around £60,000. Customers can contact the company for a quotation, but Ultima is warning that lead time for a fully built ‘turnkey’ model is currently more than two years. The parts for a self-assembly model can be delivered in 22 weeks. The RS will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from 4-7
Origin: Ultima unveils road-legal 1200bhp V8-powered RS supercar
BP Chargemaster unveils 150kW ultra-fast EV charger
BP Chargemaster, the UK’s largest electric car charge point provider, will install 400 points capable of ultra-fast 150kW charging by 2021 – including 100 at 50 sites by the end of 2019. Unveiled today at Silverstone, the new Ultracharge 150 is the first such unit to be built in the UK, and will allow electric vehicles to charge at their maximum rated speed. It is claimed the charger will deliver around 100 miles of range in 10 minutes, which approaches the 75 miles per five minutes offered by Tesla’s third-generation Supercharger, revealed in March. The Californian maker’s new unit is capable of splitting 1MW of power between four cars, for a 250kW charging rate per car. The new Ultracharger 150 features both CCS and Chademo connectors, making it compatible with the majority of EVs on UK roads. Customers can either subscribe to the service for regular use, or pay by the hour. Speaking at a BP Chargemaster conference, Tufan Erginbilgic – CEO of BP’s product and service-led arm, Downstream – said the roll-out of 150kW chargers on its petrol station forecourts would begin in July. The chargers will be part of the Polar network, which is made up of more than 6500 public charging points across the UK. The roll-out will help future-proof the UK’s charging network, as currently very few EVs are capable of charging at 150kW. Audi’s E-tron is one that is, and its 95kWh battery can be charged to 80% in around 30 minutes. The current network of ‘rapid’ chargers are mostly capable of a 50kW charge rate, while Tesla’s current Superchargers are capable of charging at up to 120kW. Companies such as Pod Point, Fastned and Ionity all claim to be rolling out chargers capable of supplying power at 150kW and above, but there’s currently only a handful that are operational in the UK. BP Chargemaster’s announcement is the biggest commitment so far as a result. The development of the UK’s charging infrastructure is seen as one of the most crucial factors to enable the UK to meet climate change targets, including its promise to end the sale of conventional petrol and diesel cars by 2040. In 2018, London-based Pod Point installed the UK’s first 150kW chargers, claiming that its intelligent smart-charging technology would be able to cope with high levels of demand without placing too much strain on the electricity
Origin: BP Chargemaster unveils 150kW ultra-fast EV charger
Mercedes-AMG unveils most powerful four-cylinder engine ever
The world’s most powerful 2.0 litre, four-cylinder series production engine has been revealed by Mercedes-AMG, set to feature in its upcoming ’45’ model range. Developing 415bhp in its most potent ‘S’ form, this completely new 2.0 turbo replaces the engine in used in the previous A45 A-Class, CLA45 and GLA45. Despite the potency of the outgoing A45 355/376bhp AMG four, engine development boss Ralf Illenberger says that emission requirements, the desire for more power, less weight and the different packaging requirements of Mercedes’ latest generation of compact cars necessitated a complete redesign. “The only carryover parts are a few nuts and bolts.” The new M139 engine produces 382bhp in standard form and 415bhp in ’S’ form, and 354lb ft or 369lb ft of torque. Another major aim has been extracting a sportier driving experience from the engine by altering its torque delivery. While the previous, M133 four cylinder engine’s torque curve resembled a diesel’s, rising steeply to level off across a wide chunk of the rev range, the new M139 2.0 produces more of a crescendo of thrust. The aim is to produce the rising rush of acceleration characteristic of a revvy, normally aspirated engine. Rather than flat-lining, diesel-style, from around 2000rpm, AMG’s new engine generates peak torque at 5200rpm, while nevertheless producing more shove than the old between 1000-2000rpm, the strongest surge developing from 3000rpm. Overall, says Illenberger, “it produces a more sporty delivery.” More diesel-like are the 160 bar combustion pressures generated by the new unit, and a lighter yet more robust cylinder block developed to withstand them. It’s of the closed deck variety, creating a crankcase casting more like a part-closed box rather than a semi-open one, with deep, strengthening skirts around the cylinders. The new alloy block is as strong as a diesel engine’s, says Illenberger. The 16-valve cylinder head is also new, a key design challenge being the dispersal of the considerable heat generated. Larger exhaust valves and valve seats, a redesigned water jacket, oil, water and air chilling for the turbo and separate coolant plumbing for the cylinder head and cylinder block allow more efficient and protective control of under-bonnet temperatures, assisted by electrically controlled water pumps. The head itself features ‘Camtronic’ variable inlet and exhaust valve control and dual injectors per cylinder. A single piezo-injector per cylinder would be at the upper limit of its fuel volume delivery, says Illenberger, so a second quartet of injectors sits within the inlet manifold tracts to boost delivery under hard acceleration. The Camtronic system enables two camshaft profiles to provide a blend of good fuel economy and heightened throttle response. The vanes of a sizeable turbocharger run in low-friction roller bearings, an electric wastegate minimising the loss of boost when pressure modulation is required. The turbo now lives between the engine and the front bulkhead, the cylinder head having been turned through 180 degrees in order to fit the engine beneath the lower bonnet lines of the new models. The turbo’s new location requires extra cooling, some of this provided by and engine cover shaped to direct fan-generated airflow over it. Illenberger says that the electric water pumps may also function after the engine has been switched off, to cool the block, head and turbo. The more potent ‘S’ version sometimes harnesses the air conditioner for cooling too. Besides designing an all-new engine AMG has also developed a more streamlined way to make it. Each engine is still built under the ‘one man, one engine’ approach long used by the company – there are several women hand-assembling these engines too, incidentally – the methods of electronically recording the sequence of and torque applied to each power-tool-attached component streamlined to save time. The new arrangement also improves assembly ergonomics. The new methods cut the production time by 20 to 25%, says plant manager Alexander Kurz, enabling AMG’s four-cylinder manufacturing facility to produce 140 engines per day over two shifts. The first car to feature this unit will be the A 45 in July, the CLA 45 saloon appearing near-simultaneously, the GLA 45 a little later.
Origin: Mercedes-AMG unveils most powerful four-cylinder engine ever
Jaguar unveils ultra-limited edition of the ‘world’s fastest production sedan’
Jaguar has announced a Touring version of its XE SV Project 8, which it says is the world’s new fastest production sedan. It says it’s making just a limited run, and the company isn’t kidding: only 15 of these four-seater sedans will be offered worldwide, turning it into the most exclusive of Jaguar’s XE SV Project 8 models. The biggest difference with the Touring is that it has a small, fixed trunk spoiler in place of the massive, adjustable carbon-fibre wing on the XE SV Project 8 (and there are 300 of those—practically mass production compared to the Touring). The Touring also has a fixed front splitter for aerodynamic balance. That more ordinary styling is less likely to tip people off to the fact that there is a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 under the hood, churning out 592 horsepower, and with a top speed of 300 km/h. The zero-to-96 km/h run happens in 3.3 seconds. The Touring will come in one of four signature colours, including British Racing Green, Corris Grey Satin, Valencia Orange and Velocity Blue. The decals from its winged sibling are also missing, although buyers can option them on if preferred. “Project 8 has received outstanding critical acclaim since its launch, demonstrating the Special Vehicle Operations team’s ability to create a compact Jaguar sedan with supercar-rivalling performance,” said Jamal Hameedi, engineering director of Jaguar SVO. “Touring specification extends the appeal of Project 8 to performance car enthusiast and collectors who prefer a more discreet appearance, without compromising its driver-focused on-road
Origin: Jaguar unveils ultra-limited edition of the ‘world’s fastest production sedan’
Rivian unveils a Camping Special trim for its upcoming all-electric pickup
Electric vehicle start-up Rivian showed off a “camping special” trim available for its all-electric pickup truck late May—even though it’s yet to actually build its first production all-electric pickup truck. The California-based company showed the camper-equipped truck last weekend to visitors at the Overland Expo adventure travel show in Flagstaff, Arizona. The camping package includes a tent on top of the bed, roof racks for accessories, and a slide-out kitchen that fits into a storage compartment, called the Gear Tunnel, under the front of the truck’s bed. The kitchen included a two-burner induction cooktop, which runs off the truck’s battery. We’ve cooked up a mobile kitchen prototype that showcases just one of the many ways to utilize the extra storage space in the #R1T. It features 2 induction burners, a sink, 5 gallons of water storage and keeps all your cookware and utensils organized while youre out in the wild. pic.twitter.com/qsVXZUvCw8 Rivian (@Rivian) May 17, 2019 Founded in 2009 by R.J. Scaringe, the company unveiled its R1T electric pickup and R1S sport-utility vehicle at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. It says production models will go on sale in 2020, and claims specifications of around 800 horsepower, a battery range of about 750 kilometres, zero-to-96 km/h in less than three seconds, and towing capacity for the pickup of more than 11,000 lbs. The vehicles will also be capable of semi-autonomous highway driving. Prices haven’t been officially released, but the first higher-performance vehicles are expected to be around US$90,000, with less-potent models added later and starting at around US$50,000. They’ll be built in Normal, Illinois, in a former Mitsubishi plant the company bought from the Japanese automaker last
Origin: Rivian unveils a Camping Special trim for its upcoming all-electric pickup
Mercedes unveils GLE-based experimental safety vehicle
Mercedes-Benz unveiled the latest in a long line of experimental vehicles in an ongoing project into advanced safety technology. Based on a yet-to-be launched petrol-electric GLE, the ‘ESF 2019’ research project acts as a rolling showcase for new and improved safety functions that Mercedes expects to incorporate on its future models. Among the project’s innovations are those that the German car maker calls “near series” as well as developments that “look well into the future”. The ESF 2019’s developments include a new holistic driver environment that features a retractable steering wheel and pedal box as well as ideas for new airbag installations that Rodolfo Schöneburg, the head of Mercedes vehicle safety, said “take into account the greater interior flexibility offered by autonomous vehicles”. He said: “The great advantage of automating driving functions is that, in the future, fewer accidents will be caused by driver error. However, fully automated and driverless vehicles also come up against physical limits and there will undoubtedly be mixed traffic consisting of automated and non-automated vehicles for many years.” The heavily modified GLE also uses a new interior lighting function incorporated into the driver’s sun visor. It has been developed in response to recent studies that reveal a vitalising light source similar to that of mood lamps can significantly improve driver alertness on long journeys. As part of an update to its existing Pre-Safe belt tensioners, Mercedes has also equipped the ESF 2019 with Pre-Safe Curve, which warns the driver if the entry speed to corners is too high by lightly tightening the seatbelt. A new Pre-Safe Child function preventatively tensions the seatbelt and inflates impact protection elements around the child seat before an impact, reducing the loads acting on the child. This new function is also able to monitor the seat installation and the child’s vital signs. On its outside, the new safety research vehicle features digital surfaces incorporated into the grille, rear window and roof. Developed in a programme that aims to build people’s trust in automated vehicles, these digital surfaces communicate directions and other vital information as well as warn other road users and pedestrians of impending danger, even when parked. Another new development heavily tipped to appear on next year’s all-new S-Class is Mercedes’ Digital Light – a high-definition light source with a resolution of more than two million pixels that is claimed to be dazzle-free. A further future safety function being tested by Mercedes is a small robot that doubles as a warning triangle to secure accident sites or breakdowns. It deploys from the rear and positions itself at the side of the road. An additional warning triangle folds out of the roof. A potentially life-saving innovation is the new Pre-Safe Impulse Rear. It monitors when vehicles are approaching from the rear in a tailback and can autonomously move the ESF 2019 forwards if an impending impact is detected, provided there is the space to do so. The project draws on more than 50 years of accident research. Previous experimental vehicles have previewed functions in current Mercedes models, including the rear seatbelt airbag and active high beam assistant initially incorporated on the ESF
Origin: Mercedes unveils GLE-based experimental safety vehicle
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