Futuristic laser beams scanning the road to give a car an immensely supple yet perfectly responsive ride sounds like science fiction. It isn’t. After riding in one of Mercedes-Benz’s Pre-Scan prototypes in Spain recently, I can confirm that the Pre-Scan system works and, if it doesn’t achieve Benz’s goal of halving the impact of bumps in the cabin, it would go very, very close.
Dubbed the “Magic Carpet Ride” by Benz engineers, the system will find its way into luxury Benzes inside two years, according to senior company officials.
The constantly scans the road one to seven metres in front of the car via infra-red laser beams, then tells the suspension to relax or brace itself for whatever it sees coming.
Officially, the sensors are LIDAR, for Light Detecting and Ranging and has been carried across from military hardware.
The real beauty of the system is that it can plug straight into Benz’s existing Active Body Control suspensions, currently standard on the S- and CL class luxury models.
The computer controlling the suspension will read the Pre-Scan data and compare it with the information coming from the steering, accelerator, brake and g-sensors to come up with a beautifully compliant ride.
Corner harder in a Pre-Scan car and it shows up as a suspension system with hardly any body roll and with hardly any bumps in the cabin, either.
Over stiff, sharp bumps, such as speed bumps, the system destroys at least half of the shock before it ever reaches the cabin. It dissipates noise just as effectively, too.
The system weighs only 1.5kg per unit – so 3kg across the car – but it will necessitate a new style of headlight. And, on Benz’s F700, that meant maximum ugly.
Its only real limitation is top speed. The system switches off over 100 mph, because it cannot scan far enough ahead of the car for the suspension to cushion the blows in time.
But, for the U.S. market, that’s hardly going to present a problem.
Words and photos by Michael Taylor.
06/20, 11:59 AM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Is there any way I can aim these lasers a bit further ahead, increase their intensity, and phaser into oblivion anyone that gets in my way?
06/20, 12:16 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Now this is my kind of technology. It can be most upsetting when you happen upon an unexpected road imperfection and spill some of your beer.
06/20, 12:55 PM
posted by:
xyunya
^^^ or you can be accidentally circumsized if you take driving less seriously then other aspects of life
06/20, 12:56 PM
posted by:
bmwmpower
Funny I actually had this same exact theory/fantasy in my head as a kid for Benz. In my mind, I called it “Road Sensing Suspension” where lasers would scan the road and prepare the suspension. This was 10-12 years ago when I had these thoughts. Wow.
06/20, 1:17 PM
posted by:
brassmonkey
Can the F700 be any uglier? The RX8 style fenders mixed with a Cadillac Sixteen grille and Lexus SC butt, and the plunging front door windows a la Ford F250. Why can’t they put the laser scanners in the grille, or put the star in the middle of the grille and use the negative space around the star for the sensors. Then, you could use a less ugly headlight configuration.
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If this gets combined with GM’s driverless software, then I will once again bring my frosty mug with me as I drive. Thank you for the idea, Johnny.
06/20, 1:25 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
xyunya: that’s only a danger when you attempt relief into the empty can during a long road trip.
06/20, 3:02 PM
posted by:
Rafa LL
I do know the F700 look is… bizarre or weird, but I like it. Have to say that this kind of tech is the kinda technology we need today, just have to think on what’s wrong and find a way to solve it, that’s how good ideas are born, and honestly, this is a good idea.
06/20, 6:35 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
Magic Carpet Ride sounds like a hippie song.
06/21, 2:43 AM
posted by:
maxcar
good technology wrapped in fugly sheetmetal.
06/22, 11:39 PM
posted by:
jayjc08
Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf…
06/23, 12:30 AM
posted by:
Veda
I’ve had this idea of an active radar based suspension for the longest time. Glad MB actually brought it to reality.
06/23, 7:41 AM
posted by:
JohnnyBlazE
Read about this the other day… the specs MB give are at 20mph 80% of the effect of speed bumps (sleeping policemen) we have in the UK would be removed. They say upto 93mph the system would work, albeit with less effectiveness.
They also suggested they may have to set something up to control the system so that speed bump abuse would be limited if a production model was created. This would avoid people tearing through built up residential areas and abusing the system. Time will tell.
06/24, 6:54 AM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
What we need is a Bluetooth-enabled thing that allows you to talk to the occupants of any car around you. You know, scream at the old hag to “get out the way” or let someone know their dress is hanging out the passenger doorjamb