The ultra-deluxe, all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQS is heading towards a facelift that may see it lose the mechanical link between the steering wheel and the wheels. No worries, though: it will be offered as a paid option, leaving the traditional round wheel as standard.
According to the automaker’s engineering division, maneuvering in tight urban environments is much easier with a yoke-shaped wheel than the “oversized” classic wheel. Since the only connection it has to the wheels is digital and implemented via a cable, drivers experience no unwanted vibrations. Furthermore, a smart electronic system on board can pick the optimal “power steering ratio” based on the situation, making the yoke exactly as responsive as you need it to be in any given situation. It helps that the standard rear-wheel steering functionality is fully implemented in the new EQS, too.
The German company has more arguments in store to try and convince the purists. For one, the new yoke doesn’t obstruct vision nearly as much as a conventional wheel. For another, it allegedly makes the driver’s seat feel comfier and less cramped. Last but not least, while the steer-by-wire yoke has no room for a traditional airbag, Mercedes claims it has designed a completely new and high-tech airbag as a replacement. It’s been extensively tested both on the company’s test stands and more than 1,000,000 kilometers (621,000+ miles) of roads.
As for the car itself, we’ve only seen it in camouflage thus far. It seems that the new EQS has distinct headlights with tri-point-star light patterns, but that’s the only difference that catches the eye. We expect both bumpers and the radiator grille to be revised, but not too much. The interior will likely stay the same as well, barring an infotainment software update.
The premiere date of the new Mercedes-Benz EQS remains to be announced.
