The F 015 Luxury in Motion at the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz: Creative Break on Autonomous Driving

Following its "world tour" that began in January at the CES in Las Vegas and also took in San Francisco and Shanghai, the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion research vehicle can now be seen in Europe for the first time at the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria.

"With exhibitors and participants covering a varied range of technical and cultural themes, the Ars Electronica Festival promises an inspiring mix of creative and pioneering ideas. We will be actively involved in the discussions about the mobility of the future and look forward to gaining valuable input to help shape it", states Jürgen Weissinger, Head of Vehicle Concepts and Future Trends at Daimler AG. "One very real vision of a mobile habitat that can be experienced already is the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion, which provides an ideal starting point for discussing the themes of this year's festival."

The Ars Electronica Festival from September 3 to 7, 2015 in Linz, Austria is being staged under the banner "POST CITY – habitats for the 21st century". The festival looks at the question of how the current and forecast developments will change the appearance and functions of our towns and cities everything is intelligently inter-networked and cars drive autonomously. The focus falls on four themes: Future Mobility - the city as a transportation hub, Future Work – the city as a workplace and marketplace, Future Citizens – the city as a community, and Future Resilience – the city as a stronghold.

Key components of the POST CITY exhibition at the decommissioned mail distribution center on the area of the central station in Linz are "The Future of Mobility" and the "Shared Space". This is where artistic designs, architectural visions and scientific technical prototypes covering multiple aspects of the future of our cites take center stage. Leading the way as a central exhibit, the F 015 Luxury in Motion is symbolic of how the car can grow beyond its role as a means of transport and transforms itself into a private refuge. Maximum spaciousness and the lounge character of the autonomously driving research vehicle's interior lift comfort and luxury to a new level. The monolithic exterior with large LED light modules at the front and rear completes the futuristic appearance.

One central idea of the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion is the continuous exchange of information between the vehicle, its passengers and the outside world. Six displays are installed around the interior for this purpose. Through gestures, eye-tracking and touching the high-resolution screens, the passengers can intuitively interact with the networked vehicle. Consequently, the F 015 Luxury in Motion becomes a digital haven and a refuge for relaxation or work.

As for the exterior, large LED areas at the front and rear plus a forward-pointing laser projection system are responsible for visual communication with the vehicle's surroundings. On an acoustic level, sounds and specific voice instructions are part of the communicative repertoire. The ability to interact with its environment makes the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion a reliable partner on the road, creating trust between human and machine.

In addition to the F 015 Luxury in Motion, Mercedes-Benz is also bringing experts from its Future Research, Advanced Vehicle Design and Advanced Digital Graphic Design departments to Ars Electronica in Linz. At the POST CITY exhibition and the brand-new Deep Space 8K in the Ars Electronica Center, they will be available to provide insights into how the Mercedes-Benz F 015 came into being and for further discussions.

They will also be involved as mentors at the Future Innovators Summit. This innovation platform initiated last year sees artists, designers, scientists, engineers and young entrepreneurs from all over the world coming together to discuss multiple facets of the city of the future in a range of workshops. The aim is to develop a "Post City Kit" incorporating all ideas, strategies, tools and prototypes for the urban habitats of the future.