Even though Mercedes has been toying with self-driving cars since the mid-1980s, which was when then Daimler-Benz was working with Professor Ernst Dickmanns from the University of Munich, it wasn't until 2013 when Mercedes-Benz->ke187 rediscovered its passion of creating a vehicle that drives autonomously. Not even two years later, the three-pointed star is back with an autonomous concept car->ke169 that should get all the spotlights at the 2015 edition of CES (Consumer Electronics Show), the F 015 Luxury in Motion.

Offering four seats and a fuel cell plug-in hybrid->ke147 drivetrain that gives it an entirely green autonomy of 684 miles, the F 015 Luxury in Motion represents what Mercedes-Benz thinks that a luxury car->ke505 from 2030 could end up looking and feeling like. While its egg-like exterior should be the first to polarize discussions, it is the car's interior which will keep them going, especially since all four seats can swivel to face each other while the car is driving its four passengers by itself in total comfort.

Unlike a prototype S-Class W140, which used saccadic computer vision and probabilistic approaches to react in real time to road and traffic conditions and drive mostly by itself from Germany to Denmark back in 1995, the F 015 Luxury in Motion relies on low, mid and long-range radar, lasers and 3D video cameras to check all its surroundings in real time. The funny thing is that almost all the technologies found on the concept are production-ready, many of them being already available on current Mercedes-Benz models.

Updated 09/22/2015: We’ve added a series of new photos we took at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Find them in the "Pictures" tab.

Click past the jump to read more about Mercedes' future concept.

Exterior

The high-tech concept car has a monolithic appearance, mainly thanks to its rather peculiar proportions and lack of distinctive design motifs or extra lines. Some would see it like a silver bar of soap or a PC mouse on wheels, but if you look closely you will see that the minimalistic design approach isn't exactly featureless. Sure, there are no mirrors and even the windows seem to blend in perfectly with the doors of the vehicle, while the fantastic-looking Alubeam paint scheme makes the car look like a drop of mercury.

The F 015's character relies in the implementation of a number of LED light modules at the front and rear of the vehicle, which are not just glitzy-looking but are actually used so that the car can communicate and interact with pedestrians or other cars in traffic.The number plates themselves are gone, having been replaced by QR codes that contain information about the vehicle. Don't get too scared though, the F 015 Luxury in Motion represents such a huge leap in terms of both technology and design that you will probably not see anything similar on the road any time soon.

Exterior Dimensions

Interior

Strictly judging from the gargantuan wheelbase, which at 142 inches even trounces that of the S-Class Maybach, and petite overhangs, it becomes apparent that the F 015 Luxury in Motion is a vehicle made to provide all the available space to its passengers. Despite that, only four passengers can be welcomed inside, but boy are they in for a treat! First of all, the four large doors open at 90 degrees like in a saloon from the Wild West, with all four seats able to pivot so that each passenger can easily get comfortable. Once inside, they are greeted by a sumptuous symphony of luxurious materials, such as open-pore walnut wood shaped in three dimensions, soft ice-white Nappa leather and a number of metal and glass surfaces.

Since the car can drive autonomously, the front seats can swivel to allow a face-to-face seat configuration, creating a cozy and lounge-like atmosphere. On top of that, no less than six displays are installed all around the interior, all giving passengers the ability to interact with the car either via gestures or by touching the screens themselves.

Drivetrain

Apart from offering autonomous driving, the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion also brings back an improved variant of the powertrain technology found in the stunning 2011 F125! Concept car. In short, the F 015 can be called a plug-in hybrid, or an electric car with a range extender, if you like, but when going into details you will see that it is actually something much more than that. Combining a fuel-cell system with a compact but very powerful lithium-ion battery, the model has a total driving range of around 684 miles, 124 miles of which come strictly from the juice in the battery and the rest of 560 miles on the electricity created by the fuel cell, all without a single gram of CO2 emissions.

The 29-kWh battery takes its current either from the on-board fuel cell or via non-contact induction technology, not unlike the one used by certain smartphones, while the fuel cell takes its fuel from a host of pressurized cylinders that are made from carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and can hold approximately 11.9 pounds of hydrogen. Two electric motors situated in the rear of the F 015 have a total output of 268 horsepower and 294 pound-feet of torque, more than enough to send the vehicle from naught to 62 mph in 6.7 seconds and onto an electronically controlled top speed of 124 mph.

Drivetrain Specifications

Prices

Obviously, since this is a concept car developed to preview a number of technologies whose R&D costs will not be recovered anytime soon, the Mercedes-Benz F 015 Luxury in Motion most likely costs well over $10 million. Don't let that price sweep you off your feet though, as you wouldn't be able to buy the car even if you had the money.

Competitors

BMW Vision Future Luxury

The Vision Future Luxury may not be as outlandish as Mercedes' upcoming concept, but the two vehicles have a lot in common. They're both large, feature state-of-the-art technology, and have luxury-packed interiors. Sure, we still don't know what Mercedes' mysterious concept is all about, but any three-pointed star is bound to come with a sumptuously rich cabin, no matter the size or shape of the vehicle.

BMW's Vision Future Luxury was introduced at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show and although the company has yet to confirm it, word has it the concept previews the next-generation 7 Series and the upcoming 9 Series. The German concept showcases a revolutionary approach for the interior, with a nearly button-free dashboard and center console, and an instrument cluster consisting of three inter-meshing layers.

The passenger side of the dashboard comes with a separate information display, while the rear seats are fitted with two additional displays that can communicate with the one fitted up front. A detachable Touch Command Tablet is also at the disposal of the rear passengers. Naturally, the Vision Future Luxury is equipped with the latest in terms of luxurious amenities, including acres of leather surfaces, wood inserts and even silk carpets.

Read our full review on the BMW Vision Future Luxury here.

Conclusion

While some will likely not enjoy its swoopy but somewhat boring exterior lines, others will probably love its lounge-like, high-tech interior, but what is certain is that most petrol heads will never be comfortable with a personal car that can drive itself. On the other hand, I consider myself a petrol head and I very much welcome the introduction of autonomous driving, but only if all future self-driving vehicles will still allow full driver intervention whenever he or she so desires. Otherwise, we might as well be better off taking the bus or wait for teleportation. Other than that, I kind of dig the amount of technology cramped into this rolling cocoon that Mercedes-Benz calls the F 015 Luxury in Motion.

Update History

Updated 01/06/2015: Mercedes' latest F 015 Luxury in Motion concept car made its world debut at the 2015 CES, and we've updated our review with the official details, images and specs.

Updated 01/23/2015: We've added a series of new images from the car's official debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. Check the new images in the "Pictures" tab.

Updated 12/31/2014: Mercedes has just revealed a teaser image of the odd concept car that we caught under heavy cover earlier in 2014 on its Facebook page. Along with the teaser image was the quote "The future will be bolder than you’ve ever imagined. ‪#‎mbCES‬." The hashtag indicates that this concept will make its debut at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show on January 6, 2015. Stay tuned!!!

Updated 01/05/2015: Mercedes dropped a series of new teaser images for the future concept car set to be unveiled at 11:00 pm. EST on January 5, 2015. Mercedes will also stream the live press conference online. Check out the teaser images and the live stream after the jump.

Streaming Press Conference - January 6, 2014 at 11:00 p.m. EST

Teaser Images

Spy Shots

October 15, 2014 - First testing session

The first thing that catches the eye is the unconventional shape of the car. Although the vehicle is heavily camouflaged, its low-slung, teardrop-like body is visible underneath the drapes, as well as the massive windshield extending towards the front fascia. At first glance, this may look like a hybrid or electric sports car that could go against the Volkswagen XL1, but the images showing a company engineers getting into the car reveal the concept is quite large. The wheelbase seems longer than a midsize sedan's, while the front and rear overhangs are shorter than usual.

The vehicle reminds us of the F700 concept that was introduced at the 2008 Frankfurt Motor Show,->ke235 but similarities end with the size and the shape of the glasshouse. Unlike this mysterious concept, the F700 came with a traditional hood and a taller front fascia. Making things even weirder are the small, narrow space-savers-like tires the vehicles rides on. However, judging by the size of the fender flares, these will be replaced by significantly larger rims and tires.

Considering its size, we can rule out any sporty intentions this concept might have, but the shape of it is a strong suggestion Mercedes-Benz is toying with high fuel efficiency and either a hybrid or an electric drivetrain. As with most concepts from the company's F series, this study is likely to showcase technology Mercedes might be using five years from now. That said, this is either a preview for a mid- or full-size sedan, or an aerodynamic MPV of the future.