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Technology · 2026-11-03 · Afternoon briefing

Mercedes-Benz reveals holographic display to replace car screens

Mercedes-Benz is developing a holographic display to replace the vast touchscreens in its cars, catering to customers who prefer luxury materials like wood and metal. The firm's CEO, Ola Källenius, calls interior quality a "forever value," while its new design chief, Bastian Baudy, stresses that "materiality and haptics must remain tangible."

The system, prototyped in Sindelfingen, Germany, uses a projector and a transparent film laminated into the windshield. This film contains "super-small mirrors" that selectively reflect the projector's light, creating a clear image for the passenger that is invisible to the driver, even in direct sunlight.

Mercedes envisions turning nearly half the windshield into a passenger-only screen for entertainment or highlighting points of interest. It could also let drivers watch content when Level 3 autonomous driving is active. The project follows a declaration from former design chief Gordon Wagener that "screens are not luxury," creating a paradox: the solution to too many screens may be one that is simply better hidden.

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