The Mobility Highlights of Week 45/2026

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled new research and development projects aimed at improving communication between vehicles and their surroundings, as well as the efficiency of electric powertrains. The focus is on intelligent LED displays integrated into vehicle windows, holographic displays in the windshield, and a new type of power converter for 800-volt applications. The technologies are still under development and are expected to open up new possibilities for safety, information displays, and energy management.

By integrating Mini-LEDs and Micro-LEDs directly into vehicle windows, Mercedes-Benz aims to create new communication options. While Mini-LEDs could display brake lights or warning symbols, Micro-LEDs are designed to enable high-resolution displays and animations. The display elements are intended to remain virtually invisible when not in use. At the same time, the manufacturer is developing a holographic windshield display that uses a special transparent film and holographic optical elements to make information visible. The technology is designed to allow drivers and front passengers to view different content, such as navigation instructions on the driver's side and entertainment options on the passenger's side.

Another development project involves a power converter for high-voltage systems operating at up to 800 volts. The technology is designed to use programmable microconverters to precisely control energy flows from individual battery cells or groups of cells and provide a constant output voltage. The current development generation delivers up to 3 kW of power and supports both AC and DC applications. Combining multiple modules is intended to allow flexible scaling of the power output. In the long term, the technology could enable more compact and efficient battery and powertrain systems, as well as bidirectional charging through Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) applications. Mercedes-Benz has not yet announced a specific timeline for introducing the three technologies in production vehicles.

BMW plans to introduce new navigation-guided driver assistance features for urban driving in Germany starting in 2027. The technology is designed to enable continuous SAE Level 2 partially automated driving from highways and rural roads into urban areas. With active route guidance through BMW Maps, the system is intended to assist with turning, lane changes, right-of-way situations, and navigating roundabouts, among other maneuvers. Drivers must remain attentive at all times, monitor traffic conditions, and be ready to intervene when necessary. According to the manufacturer, the required tests on public roads have already been successfully completed.

The new features will expand BMW's existing Highway and City Assistant and are based, in part, on BMW Symbiotic Drive technology. This allows drivers to influence vehicle control through their own steering, braking, or acceleration inputs, even when the assistance system is active. The system is also designed to take the driver's gaze direction and steering behavior into account. In addition, the driver assistance features will be integrated into BMW Panoramic iDrive. A new 3D navigation view is designed to display route guidance, the vehicle's surroundings, and the current status of the driver assistance system on the central display.

The rollout is initially planned for Germany in 2027, with additional markets to follow gradually. According to BMW, the necessary hardware is installed as standard in the new BMW iX3 and iX4 models, as well as in all variants of the BMW 3 Series, 7 Series, and X5. This will allow the features to be activated after purchase through over-the-air updates. Approval is based on the updated UNECE Regulation R171 (DCAS Series 2). According to BMW, an independent technical service has successfully completed the required tests in real-world traffic. However, regulatory approval is still pending and is targeted for early 2027.

XPENG has unveiled the L05, a new all-electric family SUV scheduled to enter the European market in early 2027. The model made its debut in China in late October 2026 and combines a spacious interior with proprietary AI technologies for intelligent driver assistance systems. The European version is scheduled to be presented in Brussels in 2027.

At the heart of the vehicle's technology is XPENG's proprietary "Turing" AI chip, which, together with the company's in-house VLA 2.0 (Vision-Language-Action) system, is designed to provide the foundation for its intelligent driving functions. The technology aims to combine visual information, language understanding, and driving decisions to analyze traffic situations in real time and support appropriate driving maneuvers. XPENG describes this approach as "physical AI," in which artificial intelligence interacts with the vehicle's real-world environment. The manufacturer plans to announce which specific driver assistance features will be available in Europe in January 2027.

Within XPENG's model lineup, the L05 is positioned above the L03 SUV coupe. The new model is designed as a five-seater and primarily targets families. Key priorities include a spacious cabin, a flexible interior, and intelligent vehicle features. XPENG has not yet released specific details regarding dimensions, battery capacity, range, charging power, or pricing for the European market.