The Mercedes Update from Google Maps Adds a Huge Amount of DataThe Mercedes Update from Google Maps Adds a Huge Amount of Data

Mercedes drivers benefit from Google Maps’ points-of-interest information thanks to an over-the-air update.

Dan Carney, Senior Editor

February 22, 2024

2 Min Read
The Google Maps-powered point-of-interest information available to Mercedes drivers.
The Google Maps-powered point-of-interest information available to Mercedes drivers.Mercedes-Benz

When Mercedes-Benz announced ambitious plans with Google to develop its own branded navigation system populated with geospatial data and navigation capabilities from the Google Maps Platform we might have wondered exactly what this would look like.

Now, Mercedes has described how it performed an over-the-air update to its EQS and EQE EVs that installed 200 million points of interest in Google Maps for those drivers. According to software spokeswoman Isabel Meurer, the software installed new photos of these points of interest, their operating hours, comments, and ratings, all available through an on-screen Google search field.

The upgrade was performed in September 2023 and took about an hour, Meurer told Design News.

The Google partnership means that Mercedes drivers will benefit from real-time and predictive traffic information and automatic rerouting in addition to the detailed information on the 200 million (so far) points of interest. The very detailed map information will help the car know things like when to slow for curves while using cruise control

"We invite only the very best partners to enhance our operating system and to add to the Mercedes-Benz customer experience,” said Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius. “Google has been a leader in maps and navigation for many years. With our strategic partnership, we are excited to create unique services and elevate the level of convenience for our customers. It will be deeply integrated within our signature Mercedes-Benz user interface and fully connected to relevant vehicle functions like the state-of-charge."

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Mercedes will also add Google subsidiary YouTube with a native app in the infotainment system for entertainment.

In the future, Mercedes aims to exploit Google's artificial intelligence capabilities. The company says that using Google Cloud's AI and Machine Learning capabilities, it will be able to create, train, and deploy new models at speed and enhance customer experiences.

Mercedes-Benz will also use Google Cloud's fast and efficient data processing platform to analyze data from its vehicle fleet.

About the Author

Dan Carney

Senior Editor, Design News

Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.

A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.

Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.

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He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.

He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.

He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.

Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.

He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers

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