Making driving easy: How to gain trust in connected mobility

Summary

Let’s face it: life can be tough. But driving and discovering the world should be something to enjoy rather than stress about – right? Still, reality proves driving - especially in highly frequented cities - is a stress factor in everyday life. As research^{1 2} shows, drivers are most annoyed by slow-moving traffic and other drivers on the road. Sometimes, the stress level on the street can produce the same amount of stress hormones as skydiving.

It’s high time to change this! The new smart #1 aims to make driving easy, comfortable, and fun with a thought-through, market-leading user experience journey including cutting-edge connected mobility features. While fostering the huge potential of connected mobility features, the new smart #1 sets an example of improving driving experiences across Europe in a new era of connected driving.

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The new smart #1 aims to make driving easy, comfortable, and fun

Comfort meets technical innovation

The starting point for every relaxed drive with smart #1 is the digital cockpit developed in cooperation with ECARX, a global mobility company. The digital interface with two high-resolution screens is the centre of the connected ecosystem of the car, smart app and cloud data – all linked to a personal smart ID and protected by the highest cybersecurity encryption standards. Using highly advanced technology, the ECARX system introduces smart’s first-ever in-car virtual assistant in the form of a digital fox avatar. Over-the-air (OTA) capabilities ensure that software updates and car information are always up-to-date.

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smart’s digital cockpit developed in cooperation with ECARX

When it comes to safety and comfort, the new smart #1 meets the highest expectations: Apart from front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree-camera, the smart pilot assist package offers adaptive cruise control with a stop & go function, a lane keeping assistant, blind spot detection, a lane change and highway assistant as well as an automatic parking assistant³. This enhances road safety and delivers practical comfort in everyday life.

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Your easy guide to smart driving: What to know and where to start in your new smart #1

Furthermore, connected vehicle services are provided by HERE, the leading map data and technology platform. The system offers a variety of navigation features, including high-fidelity vector maps of nearly 200 countries. All smart #1 models are equipped with the HERE Real-Time Traffic feature: the service helps to avoid road congestion and thereby minimizes stress factors at every drive.

Xuan-Zheng Goh, Head of Product Management for Connected Cars & Products at smart Europe states: "Today’s urban customers demand the latest connectivity and advanced driving technologies, to fit with their busy lifestyles. At smart, we have taken a customer-centric approach to deliver an immersive and feature-rich connected infotainment experience for them. Complementing our connected infotainment experience, the new #1 comes equipped with a comprehensive active safety suite, delivering convenience, comfort, and most importantly, safety."

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Xuan-Zheng Goh, Head of Product Management at smart Europe

The positive effects of connected driving

When looking at the wide variety of features and functionalities of the smart #1, the perks of connected driving seem obvious: planning and following a route, parking and generally being on the road are made easy with the new smart #1.

This creates a new driving experience that even beginners or reluctant drivers will grow to love. The possibilities of connected driving are tremendous: studies⁴ show that connected driving enhances a positive development in road safety and minimizing traffic – road safety has increased significantly in the last years due to the evolution and consolidation of existing and proven assistance systems.