Mercedes-Benz: Philosophy
Man determines the standards
Today reality is millions of vehicles on crowded roads; roads that are often not all they should be. Obstructions, regulations, traffic lights, restrictions, bad weather, poor light, noise. The way the road users behave. They make mistakes, so do we - sometimes. And, above all, the fact that no two people are the same, neither physically nor emotionally.
These, then, are some of the more important factors which influence us all as users of the road. We have to take them into account all the time and adapt to them. They influence continuously the way we feel and how we behave.
But even under these conditions, motoring can still involve greater or lesser amounts of work, stress or relaxation. It is not only traffic conditions that determine the amount of stress, it is also the car you are driving.
Whether the car leaves you on your own with all the problems or helps you with some of the work and communicates a feeling of confidence depends on the designers' objectives. Man, his reactions and his needs, should be the fundamental factors.
The Mercedes-Benz concept of co-ordinated integration
Co-ordinated integration is firstly the thorough development of individual components, and secondly their integration into a balanced overall concept. This contrasts with less well thought-out methods of design, in which for instance some features become over-emphasised and exert undue influence on driving behaviour.
The performance, safety, comfort and driving characteristics of the Mercedes-Benz S-class cars come together as one total entity in which all these features are matched one with another. They create the ability to cope with traffic and environmental problems and so relieve the driver of some of the stress by utilising design-features that take fully into account man's psychological and physical capabilities.
To see and to be seen - clearly and in plenty of time. to sit comfortably and relaxed and yet to remain alert and wide awake. To act quickly and to react correctly. To be protected from the effects of noise and vibration. To master the engine power, not be seduced by it. To exploit the car's capabilities without its overtaxing yours.
To have confidence in your car and so be able to concentrate all your attention on traffic and other road users and consequently on safety for everyone. That's what it's all about and today it's there for the asking. This is what the Mercedes-Benz S-class offers you.