Whenever Mercedes-Benz unleashes a new S-Class, the entire automotive industry watches in anticipation. With the impending debut of its 2022 EQS all-electric luxury sedan, meanwhile, the stakes are even higher. All eyes are on the three-pointed star to see if its newest EV can truly redefine the standards of luxury and performance in electric vehicles, and there's plenty at stake either way.
As the world grapples with new waves of rising COVID-19 infections, businesses and large corporations – in this case, German carmaker Mercedes-Benz – are forced into figuring out new and creative tactics in promoting new products. Just as car sales are increasingly being done remotely, so too was my first experience at the wheel of the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS electric luxury sedan a virtual, co-piloted encounter.
Imagine my surprise when Mercedes-Benz canceled the highly-awaited U.S. debut of its EQC all-electric SUV earlier this year. Instead, the automaker is wielding an arguably bigger and more potent stick with the 2022 EQS luxury SUV. Yes, you can think of the EQS as an all-electric derivative of the S-Class since the former shares most of the latter's cockpit operating structure. However, the differences get more significant the deeper you dig, since the EQS is the first Mercedes built using the German carmaker's all-new, dedicated modular architecture for luxury vehicles.
Much of today's technology has an obsession with things we can see, from photorealistic computer graphics, through increasingly sophisticated computer interfaces, to new virtual and augmented reality experiences. Our senses don't stop at our eyes, though, and sound is an equally important part of having an immersive and believable experience. With the focus on visuals, however, creating evolved audio experiences has been traditionally more difficult and more expensive, leaving would-be soundscape creators priced out even if they know what tools they should be looking for. That's the situation that startup Spatial is trying to address, with a suite of tools and services to make creating such soundscapes more accessible to hobbyists and professionals alike.
Japanese automaker Infiniti is the first to admit its all-new 2022 QX55 four-door crossover is not meant for everyone. And they mean it, too. It’s a fact not only stated on its official website, but the top brass at Infiniti believes in carving a niche in the growing coupe-crossover segment. “Infiniti has always been a brand that believes in defying conventions,” said Payman Kargar, Senior Vice President and Global Chairman of Infiniti Motor Company. “We believe in making vehicles that are not for everyone but mean everything to some.”
The incoming 2022 BMW iX not only arrives with the German automaker’s 5th generation eDrive technology, but it highlights BMW’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing. Strict measures for improving sustainability are at the heart of BMW’s iX electric flagship SUV. It covers all phases of production, from selecting the raw materials through manufacturing and recycling.
Action cameras are a dime a dozen these days but almost all of them share the same blocky and conspicuous designs of the very first generation of action cams. They do their job of recording critical footage, be it for sports, enjoyment, or even evidence, but they can also sometimes get in the way because of their bulk and heft. Insta360 made a name for itself with its discreet 360-degree cameras and, later on, its own line of action cameras. With the new Insta360 GO 2, the company is bringing all its hard-earned lessons into a tiny package that almost disappears from view.
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz W206 C-Class is hot on the heels of the three-pointed star's new flagship S-Class. As such, the newest C-Class has a mild sprinkling of S-Class DNA, starting with how it looks: the original 'baby Benz' is now longer and wider yet lower than the outgoing model. It now has a cab-rearward silhouette like the new S-Class with a bulbous hood, longer wheelbase, and a shorter front overhang.
The Maserati brand is amid a reinvention. After giving us a taste of the Levante Trofeo in 2019, the trident brand is now offering Trofeo versions of the 2021 Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans. Both come with the same Ferrari-built 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine as found int the Levante Trofeo, along with its intoxicating soundtrack. The icing on the cake is Maserati's newest MC20 supercar, a return to form for the Italian carmaker. The MC20 replaces Maserati's flagship MC12 racing model, a limited-edition supercar that won 14 racing championships from 2005 to 2010.
There has been a lot of fuss over Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, in part thanks to Apple's popular AirPods, but those are designed for users with more or less normal hearing capabilities. Fortunately, the same technologies that power these earbuds are also making their way to hearing aids in order to upgrade the devices that open up the world to those with hearing loss. hear.com, one of the largest retailers of such medical devices, has applied those technologies to its latest hearing aid, the horizon, specially designed for younger users that may have reservations about the idea of wearing a hearing aid that everyone can see.
It only feels like yesterday when my fingers were clutching the Audi e-tron GT Concept’s thick-rimmed steering wheel in the heart of Los Angeles. It was an ordinary world back then, before a time when social distancing and acne-inducing facemasks became the new normal. Still in concept form, though around 90- to 99-percent ready for production, Audi’s e-tron GT felt like the future with its stunning outline and sincere grand-touring potential.
The 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor is back to reclaim lost glory. Ford’s third-generation Baja-inspired monster truck is returning with a new set of legs, a host of new tech, and loads of attitude to match. Raptor fans are also expecting more power and the return of Ford’s supercharged V8, but the American carmaker is yet to reveal the official power figures.