5 Mercedes Innovations that Broke the Mold
Slideshow: Innovative and industry leading are two words that can be used to described Mercedes Benz. Their history of innovation is second to none. Here are 5 things they invented that completely changed the game.
1. 4-Wheel Independent Suspension
Mercedes Benz can lay claim to creating one of the most important automotive inventions of all time: four-wheel independent suspension. In 1930, the Mercedes 170 was the very first automobile to feature independent suspension for each wheel. Cars were metaphorically walking around with their shoes tied together before this technology came along.
Electronic Stability Programs
Now standard in all cars, these programs use highly sophisticated algorithms that make you measurably faster on the track. They also keep you safer on the road without you ever noticing them. In 1995, Mercedes had perfected it and already implemented ESP into its production cars before anyone else.
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Crash Testing Programs
Once you’ve saved thousands of people, you don’t just rest on your laurels. Mercedes-Benz invented the crash testing program which has become another standard in the automotive industry. Crash tests crunch data that allows engineers to figure out how to position structural elements, speeds of airbag deployment, and hundreds of other parameters that make your driving experience safer every day.
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Magic Body Control
Magic Body Control is a system that has been used on modern Mercs and is appropriately named. It does things you simply can’t explain. Drive over a speed bump at 55mph and you won't even feel it. Freeway onramps can be taken at speeds an S-class shouldn’t be able to take. This smart active system adapts the characteristics of the suspension by analyzing the road ahead for irregularities before the car reaches them.
>>Join the conversation about Mercedes-Benz innovations right here in MBWorld.org
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