Mercedes took wraps off its latest research car, the ESF 2019, in New Delhi
The model was showcased at the second edition of the Safe Roads Summit india that also had nitin gadkari, Honorable minister for Road Transport & Highways of india, minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, government of india, present. For those who don’t know, the Safe Roads india Summit is part of the nationwide ‘Safe Roads’ initiative launched in 2015 by Daimler entities operating in india mercedes-benz Research and Development india (MBRDI), mercedes-benz india (MBIL) and Daimler india commercial vehicles (DICV).
Coming back to the ESF 2019, the research vehicle first made its debut earlier this year at the Frankfurt motor show. The 2019 model is based on the new mercedes-benz GLE SUV that’s equipped with semi-autonomous tech and powered by a plug-in hybrid system. It also boasts innovative safety features inside, and an exterior that can warn fellow drivers of potential hazards. It gets multi-colored lights, projective panels and a warning triangle robot.
The vehicle is designed to be intuitive in order to provide safety benefits not just to its passengers, but also for the surroundings. Additionally, when the vehicle is in fully-automated mode, its steering wheel and pedals can be retracted in order to reduce the risk of injury in the event of an impact.