Mercedes-Benz is adding a new feature to its MBUX Voice Assistant. Starting today, the tech will receive smart home functionality, allowing users to control their in-home appliances and security equipment with their voice.
The new MBUX Voice Assistant smart home feature supports products from Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, TP-Link, and myQ by Chamberlain Group. Devices and equipment users can control include lights, smart plugs, thermostats, motion detectors, and garage doors.
The service also allows users to check the status of several home appliances and systems with a simple voice request. Users can ask, “Hey Mercedes, is everything okay at home?” The system could respond: “All the windows are closed, and the light is still on in the bedroom.” The new update can connect different smart home systems simultaneously.
Users can connect their smart home accounts through the vehicle by simply asking, “Hey Mercedes, connect my smart home account.” This generates a QR code on the central display that users can scan with their smartphone and streamline the process. Users can also add accounts through the Mercedes me connect mobile app.
The new features come as Mercedes-Benz releases a major update to its MBUX infotainment system this month. The automaker brought Dolby Atmos sound to its vehicles with the over-the-air upgrade. It also included other voice assistant updates that allow users to control infotainment features, such as playing a song or reading the news, with the addition of the NewsFlash app.
Mercedes-Benz is also bringing the YouTube web application to select 2024 vehicles. The list includes the S-Class, EQE and EQS with the Entertainment Package Plus. The Hyperscreen in the EQE and EQS will also receive enhanced functionality, allowing passengers to listen to dynamic content through the car's audio system and select a personalized photo for the dedicated screen. The company has offered the update on more than 700,000 vehicles worldwide.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
