What 3 words?
With all the news about electric and autonomous driving vehicles, it is easy to forget that there are many other areas of technology that are advancing rapidly as well.
Mercedes-Benz has always been one of the leaders in technological innovation and today is no exception. This year, Mercedes-Benz is bringing What3words navigation to the Canadian market.
Even with a street address, sometimes finding the place you want to go can be a challenge and then there is the time-consuming issue of programming the navigation system for that address.
What3words simplifies that by giving every three-metre by three-metre square of the planet a three-word address. All you have to do is open the Mercedes vehicle interface by saying “Hey Mercedes” and then when it asks what it can do for you, you can simply say “navigate to what3words weaned, watched, sifts” (the street address for The Chronicle Herald). This works for any 3x3-metre location, whether it be a business address, a remote spot in the country with no street address or a city park that encompasses several streets.
Instead of having to input a long street address into the navigation system, it is done with three simple words.
So what three words do you need for where you want to go? That is easy too. You can find the three word identifier for any address at what3words.com or you can download the free What3three words app for Apple or Android systems so you can access it with your phone. If this seems a bit time consuming, it isn’t. Looking up the 3word address is simple and easy and programming it by voice into the vehicle navigation system is even easier.
Currently, What3words voice navigation is available in English only on select new Mercedes-Benz vehicles that are equipped with the latest COMAND generation or MBUX infotainment system and linked to a Mercedes me account.
These include the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, C-Class, E-Class, CLS, S-Class and G-Class, from model year 2019 on.
The Mercedes me connect system is new for 2019 model year vehicles and this app includes a suite of other useful features that are constantly evolving as technology changes.
The Mercedes me app allows drivers to stay in touch with their vehicles from anywhere that has mobile phone connectivity.
Using your smart phone, you can remote start the vehicle, lock and unlock doors, check mileage, tire pressures, fuel level and send point of interest information to the vehicle navigation system and store personalized driver profiles to restore preferred vehicle settings.
There is much more the system can do, including locating your vehicle if the tracking has been activated in the Mercedes me Portal. It can locate where you parked your car, or where your son or daughter is driving your car.
Geofencing notifies the owner is the vehicle ventures beyond physical boundaries you set up in the app, or let you know when the vehicle speed exceeds limits set up in the app. It provides the amount of time the speed is exceeded as well as the history of alerts.
In addition to these features, Mercedes me connects to live navigation features that reroute the vehicle to save time if traffic levels are heavy or show weather on the path you are taking. It can also connect you through to assistance and support services that can provide remote diagnostics, road side services and emergency services.
Finally, if subscribed, the system can provide concierge services and in-car WiFi that allows your devices to connect to the internet using the vehicle as the WiFi hot spot.
There are many more features of Mercedes me, showing that technology is rapidly changing with every new vehicle on the road.
