Mercedes' E-Class to get Attention Assist, still won't need assistance in getting your attention

We first caught wind of Mercedes Benz's Attention Assist system just over a year ago, but new details have emerged that pin the E-Class as the first model to bring the innovative tech to well-heeled buyers. By monitoring brainwaves, Mercedes' engineers were able to identify approximately 70 parameters that can be used to judge fatigue. The whole system, however, depends upon a much more accurate steering sensor that can pick up on sluggishness or other behaviors which could indicate drowsiness or distraction. When the system deems you to be sufficiently distracted or sleepy, it beeps loudly and displays a coffee cup in the dashboard, indicating that a little caffeine is the only thing standing between you and a safe journey. We're not sure how this will effect our plans to plow our $60,000 car into a snow drift because we were listening to Music for Airports, but we figure we'll find out soon enough.

[Nick @ Dec 26th 2008 1:49AM]

Wow this will be pretty cool.

[OneLove @ Dec 26th 2008 11:04AM]

if it served you coffee; now that would be cool!

[Flashpoint @ Dec 26th 2008 11:11AM]

I'm loving this.

The new E-class for 2010 has been redesigned into a shape more like the S550, which I own.
If this picture is from the actual E 2010, then that means that Benz will be copying the current S-class computer systems (one navigation screen + an LCD speedometer). right now, only the S class and CL class have the S550's design - since the CLS 550 was passed over for it.

I think I want an E-class AMG when its released. It looks great. Very upscale.

[Yuriy @ Dec 26th 2008 3:36PM]

it's all cool except they put new E class on new C class base instead of designing the base for E class like usually.... so now you buying C class Mercedes with E body...

[Diego @ Dec 26th 2008 3:37PM]

I just opened this post to see if Flashpoint used this MB post as an excuse to talk about the S550, "which he owns," and sure enough, he didn't fail.

[Tom.Servo @ Dec 27th 2008 12:54PM]

Dear Flashpoint,
Nobody gives a ratsass about "what you own".

Sincerely,
Everyone

[OneLove @ Dec 27th 2008 2:28PM]

...or his christmas "blow job" from grandma

[Bryant @ Dec 26th 2008 1:49AM]

Oh God, Deja Vu with the Music for Airports!

http://qdb.us/294409

[Windhawk @ Dec 26th 2008 9:09AM]

They sooo get bonus points for a Brian Eno reference.

[futurepastnow @ Dec 26th 2008 1:56AM]

72.3% off topic:

"displays a coffee cup in the dashboard, indicating that a little caffeine is the only thing standing between you and a safe journey"

I've found that stopping at a town or rest area and just walking around for a few minutes, every hour or so, works better than drinking something with caffeine. Caffeine only leads to a bigger crash.

[A.C.E.R. @ Dec 26th 2008 2:59AM]

If you can't take time to sleep and rest up properly, taking some caffeine would be much more effective than just walking around a bit. There's no such thing as sugar/caffeine crash, but if you're worried about it (and you consume a lot of sugar with your caffeine) then eat something with it that will metabolize slowly (i.e. protein).

[Ayman @ Dec 26th 2008 4:32AM]

when you think about it.. you have to stop and get a coffee (or drive through) either way there is a pause in driving...
then after you get too much coffee you need to go to the bathroom, again you have to stop and water the plants or toilet wall...er.. i mean seat :P

[Sarig @ Dec 26th 2008 5:37AM]

The traffic authority in Norway has been running a large campaign the last few years to just get people to stop and sleep for 15 minutes when they're tired.

Apparently it makes a huge difference. I wouldn't know, I don't do the long trips in the middle of the night ;)

[Blazeitup123 @ Dec 26th 2008 1:57AM]

i wonder if it will beep when i'm driving stoned?

i love rollin' in my Benzo smokin' on endo.

[Tim @ Dec 26th 2008 9:35AM]

hope not, that would get annoying really fast

[Aguiluz @ Dec 26th 2008 1:57AM]

Is that a cup of hot chocolate on top of the gauge!?

[Aguiluz @ Dec 26th 2008 1:58AM]

Errr... Never mind... It's a coffee cup.

[TavisJohn @ Dec 26th 2008 2:00AM]

Ewww I hate coffee.

[Ross @ Dec 26th 2008 1:05PM]

it would be pretty cool, if instead of beeping, depending on where you were in the world (this is presuming that wherever you visit you can understand their language) it would say "Have a cup of coffee [tea if you're in Britain]", even with accents, eg. Canadian, USA, Scotland, England, Ireland, etc.

I had typed up each one that it could say for each accent, but I have a feeling I would have been quickly ranked down :)

[mt @ Dec 26th 2008 9:59PM]

I agree with accents.. However.. will they make regional accents? Even people from the UK, Canada, Ireland, and the US don't have the "same" accent. Think of New Yorkers versus people from Florida lol.. or even West Virginia.

"Hey you dere.... I think it's bout time u have sum sweeeeeeeet a** tea" (That's North Florida for ya)

[Beep @ Dec 26th 2008 2:08AM]

What if you're lazy or just have sluggish movements even when alert, won't it go off then too?

[Ross @ Dec 26th 2008 1:06PM]

Probably, but who's caring, it's better than your mum telling you that you drive bad, now your car can as well :D

[waiownsyou @ Dec 26th 2008 2:12AM]

Sounds like a pretty annoying option if I wanted to sleep while driving because, you know, that's how I roll.

[Jon Doe. @ Dec 26th 2008 4:14AM]

Or crash as it were.

[Andrew @ Dec 26th 2008 2:13AM]

I'm Against all this. What if there is a fluke in the system and it reads you incorretly, (either with this fatigue or the other system announced that shuts down your car when you get too angr behind the wheel) well then you are stuck where you are for a while, and I don't pay good money to not use my car.

[Jon Doe. @ Dec 26th 2008 4:19AM]

Dear Mr. Tard. Read the damn article. Its an alert system. It doesn't disable anything, Its no different then the alert chime when you aren't wearing your seat belt. The car doesn't stop you from being stupid and go beltless, it just alerts you. Same deal with this system. I swear people. Use your damn reading skills before posting this crap.

[Nathan Pralle @ Dec 26th 2008 2:17AM]

I think something that would come out of the headliner and slap me around a bit would do more good! Or if they car could stop, kick me out of the door, and not let me in till I did a few laps. The only thing the dinging will do is make me dream that someone's ringing the doorbell over and over, the selfish prick.

[digitallysick @ Dec 26th 2008 2:26AM]

Can we change the coffee cup to a flashing beer bottle instead?

[slycooper_rocker [anti-panda death murder squadron force five] @ Dec 26th 2008 2:31AM]

now all we need is a system that detects texters.

[aqtrans @ Dec 26th 2008 12:04PM]

I read that as "now all we need is a system that detects Dexters.", I think I need to cut back on my Dexter watching.

[thursdayxevryday @ Dec 26th 2008 2:36AM]

"affect" not "effect"

I'm sorry I just couldn't let it go...

[mm @ Dec 26th 2008 3:01AM]

http://xkcd.com/326/

[slycooper_rocker [anti-panda death murder squadron force five] @ Dec 26th 2008 3:09AM]

gawd i love xkcd

[Jon Doe. @ Dec 26th 2008 4:20AM]

Sadly we can't let you go. Preferably to somewhere without internet access.

[WhiteHexagon @ Dec 26th 2008 2:46AM]

At first I thought that was the new 'BSOD' for Java based apps.

[itsnotabigtruck @ Dec 26th 2008 2:56AM]

YO DAWG WE HERD YOU LIKE SLEEPING SO WE PUT A FATIGUE ALARM IN YOUR CAR SO YOU CAN'T SLEEP WHILE YOU ROLL

[Technex @ Dec 26th 2008 10:47AM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caps_lock

[RioRyan @ Dec 26th 2008 11:24AM]

Shut up and update Sirtet.

[brian @ Dec 26th 2008 3:09AM]

damn no more roadhead i guess

[dusty @ Dec 26th 2008 3:16AM]

music for airports is

[CreepinJesus @ Dec 26th 2008 4:42AM]

I can just see this in my mother's car...

"Attention Assist: You are in the driver's seat, please move over."

[Pretol @ Dec 26th 2008 4:45AM]

so what? Chryslers told their owners that "a door is a jar" back in 1984... Another case of useless junk being shoved into cars, just so people can drive back to work like zombies, while their cars hook into their lives by telling them what to do.

[STINK @ Dec 26th 2008 7:42AM]

Oh man,....I owned an '85 Chrysler Laser that had all that tech in it. Annoying as hell and when the tech began to fail, it would say the engine is overheating/car is on fire (I'm not kidding) and randomly turn off ALL the interior/dash lights.

Stacker 5-hr energy shots, frequent breaks, and cruise control works for me on marathon driving sessions.

[Kike @ Dec 26th 2008 5:17AM]

I think the photo it's not the e-class, it's the S-class

[frank @ Dec 26th 2008 5:49AM]

Yes, it is. It's a S or CL-Class-Display...

[Aaron @ Dec 26th 2008 5:42AM]

Hey now guys, come on. The coffee cup serves an important purpose!

After all, when the rich idiots on the road who drive these things are too busy talking on their cell phones, going 85mph, they will need something to remind them to stop by the nearest Starbucks and grab a refill.

[Bob @ Dec 26th 2008 8:27AM]

Wow, someone is angry they aren't rich.

[Aaron @ Dec 26th 2008 10:17AM]

@ Bob

No.

My comment still stands. If you lived in the area that I work, you would see what I am talking about. There are a ton of people who drive BMW's and Benz's, and 80 percent of the people drive like shit. Even with anti-cellphone laws, people still blab away. They aren't paying attention half the time, and they'll cut you off because they're impatient, or ride lanes until the very last minute. Then they let their dumbass kids go in the summer with "daddy's car", and it's another thing to deal with altogether.

Yeah, sounds like every place in America, but I've noticed an exceptional trend around here.

[engadgeteer @ Dec 26th 2008 6:08AM]

Driver behavior monitor has been available for Volvo S80, V70, XC70 since Q1 2008.

[MRLN @ Dec 26th 2008 10:29AM]

It looks like the Java symbol. If it flashes, it's telling you that you are too stupid to be driving, and taunts your inability to learn Java or other programming languages, therefore unlocking insecurities in your mind and making you cautious and focused.

If only the world worked that way.