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Cisco thinks it’s found the next hybrid work trend and is working with Mercedes-Benz to deliver it, but spoiler alert: it’s not the first to come up with this.
The two companies have joined forces at MWC 2023 to bring their video conferencing platform Webex to mid-sized Mercedes E-Class sedans.
In a press release, Cisco explains how hybrid employees “expect an exceptional experience no matter how and where they work – and the car is no exception.”
Cisco Webex in Mercedes E-Class
The company added that it wants its business users to be able to “hold a meeting between visiting a client and picking up the kids from after-school care,” opening up a new kind of time optimization that flexible workers have only hitherto seen. could dream of. recently.
Employees whose company uses Webex will be able to participate in “frictionless” meetings and conversations on the go, taking advantage of the platform’s noise reduction technology, which will be used to reduce unwanted road and passenger noise.
Two levels are unlocked depending on the alertness of the driver. When the car is parked, they can access video conferencing, automatic AI-driven transcription, content sharing and comments just as if they were in the boardroom or at their desk. Even when on the road, employees can still participate in voice calls.
This feature is part of a wider Mercedes E-Class update previewed earlier in February, which includes the adoption of 5G connectivity. Mercedes says European customers will receive their new E-Class models by the summer, while US customers will receive their models by the fall.
Other applications currently announced for the infotainment system’s built-in app store include TikTok, Angry Birds, Zoom, and the Vivaldi browser.
Because car companies typically roll out newer features on their high-end cars, it’s possible that cars like the C-Class will also get Webex integration at some point in the future. The C-Class remains a popular car for commercial vehicle drivers and is substantially cheaper than the E-Class.
In addition to Mercedes, Zoom and Tesla announced a partnership before Christmas that would see the electric vehicles take advantage of video conferencing capabilities.