Mercedes gives EQS sleek design, powerful battery, intuitive tech

Mercedes-Benz wants the EQS to redefine the market for high-end electric vehicles. The full-electric flagship sedan's highlights include its 107.8 kilowatt-hour battery that provides a range of 780 kilometers (about 485 miles), class-leading aerodynamics and an intuitive operating system.

Mercedes chose to give the EQS a cab-forward design, which gives passengers more room and the engine less since the car doesn't have one, to make sure the sedan was “clearly distinguishable from vehicles with combustion engines at first glance.”

The car's frameless doors and recessed door handles help give it what Mercedes claims is an industry-best drag coefficient of 0.20.

The EQS' MBUX operating system can learn the driver's habits and schedule, recommending phone calls or a change of comfort modes during long drives. MBUX also offers a zero-layer user interface that gives occupants access to customizable driving and comfort modes.

The car's interior is dominated by the curved glass so-called “Hyperscreen” that stretches across the width of the dashboard. It has three digital displays: one for the instruments, a central display for infotainment, and one in front of the passenger seat.

"The EQS was developed to exceed the expectations of even our most demanding customers," Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius said in a statement. "That's exactly what a Mercedes has to do to earn the letter 'S' in its name. Because we don't award that letter lightly."

The EQS has up to 350 sensors, recording distances, speeds and accelerations, lighting conditions, precipitation and temperatures, as well as the driver's eyes.

The optional Drive Pilot offers Level 3 capability, also know conditional self-driving automation.

Mercedes' system can take over the driving at speeds up to 60 kph (37 mph) on highways under defined conditions such as high traffic density.

The system controls speed and deals with unexpected traffic situations by taking evasive action or braking.

There are different levels of automation, from Levels 0 to 5, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Honda in March unveiled a limited batch of its flagship Legend sedan with Level 3 capabilities, becoming the world's first automaker to sell a vehicle equipped with the technology.