Where we’re going, we definitely need roads.
Introducing the Mercedes Future Truck 2025, effectively the automotive industry’s answer to Nike’s lace-up trainers from Back To The Future II, though unlike the cars in that particular film, it’s very much planted on the ground.
What it does offer, however, is autonomous driving, giving truckers the chance to take their hands off the wheel and let Highway Pilot take control via a collection of radars and cameras which can even tap into vehicle-to-vehicle technology and communication system to help the truck drive itself at speeds of up to 50mph.
Coupled with Google’s own developments in the autonomous driving world, this snapshot of the future a decade from now certainly has our fingers on our chin, and doubtless the same goes for any long haul drivers who could soon be reducing their workload in style.
The prototype you can see on the video below is decked out with a removable tablet and a driver’s seat which rotates and allows the user to stretch out, with wood flooring and leather trim giving a touch of luxury to a mode of transport not known for its classy interior.
Which certainly makes a changes to oil stains and service station burger wrappers.