- Mercedes-Benz will allow drivers to use the car’s built-in selfie camera with Microsoft Teams while driving.
- Teams is an online conference software used by many companies.
- The German marque says its cars can become a third office space, after the actual office and the home office. But does anybody really want that?
Eight-year-old me would think that we would have flying cars by now, but that still hasn’t happened yet. Instead, in the year 2025, the car is becoming yet another place where we can have online work meetings, even while driving.
That’s all thanks to Mercedes-Benz, which will soon allow drivers of some of its cars to use the built-in selfie camera to join Microsoft Teams calls while on the go. The automaker says that the use of the camera abides by the laws of each country and has been approved for use on the move.
When the vehicle is stationary, the driver can see the video stream, but when the car sets off, the stream shuts off automatically to increase safety and minimize distraction. Meanwhile, the other meeting participants can still see the video feed from the car, but the camera can also be turned off for an audio-only experience.
Here’s Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius showcasing the feature during a Teams video call with Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella:
The new feature, which is part of a wider collaboration with Microsoft, was showcased on the new CLA electric sedan which is running the MB.OS infotainment system. Besides enabling in-car camera use while driving in Teams, compatible Mercedes-Benz models will also get Microsoft Intune integration, as well as the software giant’s 360 Copilot AI assistant. The former enables a secure workplace that separates private data from business data, while the latter can summarize emails and manage daily tasks through voice commands.
“Through our industry-leading collaboration with Microsoft, we are making it even easier for our customers to stay productive while on the move,” said Ola Kallenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. “By integrating the latest Microsoft workspace tools, such as Microsoft Teams, directly into our new operating system, MB.OS, we’ve created an intuitive and safe user experience that boosts efficiency and reduces distractions at the same time.”
With all these new features, the German marque claims its cars have the potential to transform into “a third workspace, complementing the office and the home office.” I don’t know about you, but that sounds like one too many workplaces.
