For many, driving is a stressful, burdensome chore that they, if given the option, would choose not to do. This condition, often know as IHD (I Hate Driving) Syndrome, is commonly caused by the vehicles this group is forced to drive - boring, uncomfortable, uninviting automobiles that lack any distinct purpose or character.

Thankfully, Mercedes has studied at length IHD Syndrome, and after numerous long-distance testing rounds, their researchers have found a cure - pioneer a new level of vehicle luxury, comfort and spaciousness; add to their vehicles a host of technological innovations never before witnessed on an automobile; and create an invigorating yet stress-free driving environment.

It is these fundamentals principles, principles designed to cure IHD, that make the Mercedes R-Class so unique - and recent testing proves it.  After an exhaustive study of 15 different drivers, it's been determined that stress-levels while driving the R-Class are reduced, comfort while driving the R-Class is at an unsurpassed high, and IHD, even among those inflicted since childhood, is non-existent.

Amazing.

To see the results of the study for yourself, keep reading to view photos during various stages of testing, followed by the press release outlining the full study.

Enjoy.













OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


Driver-fitness safety: New vehicle concept for stress-free, safe travel

• Scientific long-distance testing conducted with 15 drivers
  
  
• Heart rates, the stress indicator measured, were much lower in the R-Class
  
  
• Modern technology maintains and enhances the driver’s fitness and alertness
  

Stuttgart, Aug 02, 2006
The R-Class is a touring vehicle with special qualities. Its top-quality equipment, spacious interior and superior technology contribute greatly to the occupants’ sense of well-being. In turn, this high degree of comfort also boosts safety. The burden of driving is much reduced for the driver, who enjoys reduced levels of stress while retaining fitness and alertness and is therefore better able to concentrate more on surrounding traffic and react calmly and safely to critical situations. This commitment comes under a heading that Mercedes-Benz defined 25 years ago: driver-fitness safety, a hallmark of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.

Weeks of testing conducted by DaimlerChrysler Research in Berlin with 15 drivers confirm that the R-Class offers a high level of driver-fitness safety. During long-distance driving from Berlin to Leipzig to Dresden and back to Berlin, the researchers recorded the heart rate as a typical stress indicator and conducted online surveys while the test participants were on the road in order to determine their sense of well-being.

The recording devices alone recorded data related to the test participants’ physical condition at a rate of about 90 measurements per second for each test drive. All in all, the researchers collected a total of around 80 million measurements. Linking the recording device to the navigation system made it possible to correlate and interpret the figures with reference to where they were recorded on the test route, using GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates.

The measurements made during drives with the R-Class showed far lower levels of driver stress than for comparable models. The heart rate of the R-Class drivers averaged 81.9 beats per minute for the route as a whole and, depending on the section of the route, were up to 1.6 beats per minute lower than the values measured in other cars. This is a clear indicator of the reduced driving stress and exemplary driver-fitness safety offered by the touring SUV from Mercedes-Benz.

Online survey: R-Class offers strongest sense of well-being

To the Mercedes-Benz experts, fitness means more than simply physical fitness and the ability to perform tasks. Their definition also includes emotional factors, such as overall mood, tension and motivation, which are also indicators of a driver’s preparedness and ability to react and perform tasks. These factors were determined during psychological interviews before and after every drive, and by means of an online survey conducted in the vehicle. On certain sections of the test routes, the test subjects provided information about their level of well-being by entering responses on a touchscreen to questions such as: “How is your level of activity?” and “How is your level of enjoyment?”. Touching the number 1 on the display submitted the answer “very bad,” and touching 6 gave the response “very good”.

This allowed the physiology researchers to determine whether stressful situations while driving were experienced as positive (eustress) or negative (distress). This is important because physiological data measurements such as heart rate can tell them nothing about the type of stimulation experienced or about a driver’s preparedness to act, which is changed by the stimulation. The physiological data can only indicate the scale of the stimulation.

In the online survey on well-being the R-Class achieved a significantly higher score than comparable cars.

Detailed interviews conducted after every long-distance drive provided the scientists at DaimlerChrysler Research with additional knowledge of the participants’ moods, motivation and preparedness to act during the long-distance test.

Mercedes philosophy: driver-fitness safety helps to prevent accidents

In addition to being part of the comprehensive safety philosophy of Mercedes-Benz, driver-fitness safety also contributes greatly to accident prevention. That’s because a driver who is mentally and physically fit has a sufficient “performance reserve” to react quickly and correctly in critical traffic situations. This makes driver-fitness safety — along with driving, operating and perceptual safety — an element of active safety.

At Mercedes-Benz, driver-fitness safety includes:

• Ensuring that the driver is in a good physical and mental state.
  
  
• All technical measures that reduce stress for drivers and make them more comfortable, while making driving tasks easier.
  
  
• In addition to physical fitness and capability, psychological factors can also have a decisive impact on a driver’s preparedness to act.
  

In terms of goals for vehicle developers, driver-fitness safety therefore encompasses a broad range of interdisciplinary challenges. It begins with the concept for the interior dimensions, comprises all aspects of comfort related to suspension, climate control, seating and noise levels, and includes the development of intelligent support systems that perform specific tasks while the vehicle is being driven. The crucial factor, however, is ensuring a perfect interplay of these and other factors with the goal of reducing stress levels for drivers and helping them to maintain a good driving performance. That requires extensive experience and a high level of expertise in the area of overall-vehicle integration — an assignment that has a very high priority at Mercedes-Benz.

Spacious interior: tailored for relaxed travelling

R-Class drivers had particularly high praise for the vehicle’s roominess, which is a result not only of the interior’s “XXL” dimensions but also of a combination of various factors that give a sense of well-being. The smooth-running V6 and V8 engines, outstanding climate control, pleasant sound characteristics, air suspension, appealing colours, high-quality materials and other features combine to make the trip a comfortable one, and to make the R-Class interior an unforgettable experience.

Measuring 4922 millimetres from nose to tail (long wheelbase version: 5157 millimetres), the R-Class has the dimensions of an upper-segment saloon while offering a much more spacious interior. This ensures maximum freedom of movement for occupants, which is a fundamental prerequisite for excellent comfort during long-distance driving. The distance between the seats, an important indicator of freedom of movement and spatial comfort, measures from 860 millimetres or 920 millimetres between the first and second rows of seats in the standard position, equalling the standard found in luxury saloons. The knee room is 119 or 175 millimetres.

The R-Class also stands out by virtue of its generous headroom: 1014 or 1027 millimetres of headroom in the second row of seats, and 935 or 946 millimetres in the third row. The width of the interior also ensures new levels of roominess and comfort, significantly surpassing the figures of other upper-segment cars, for example its elbow room (front: up to 1550 millimetres, rear: up to 1562 millimetres).

Seats: individually adjustable for comfortable long-distance driving

The seats for the driver and front passenger are equipped as standard with an electronic control for adjusting their height and their cushion and backrest angles. The maximum length adjustment is 294 millimetres, plenty of comfort for people of all sizes. What’s more, the steering wheel’s vertical and horizontal adjustments ensure a seating position that is even more tailored to the individual’s needs. The individual seats in the second row can be manually adjusted lengthwise by 150 millimetres. Even more added comfort is available for R-Class drivers and front-seat passengers: multicontour seats with individually adjustable air chambers, and luxury seats with active ventilation.

Air conditioning: comfort in all driving conditions and in any weather

Equipping an interior as spacious as that of the R-Class with an efficient climate control system requires sophisticated technology. The Mercedes-Benz engineers designed two systems that can satisfy highly demanding needs when it comes to climatic comfort:

• The standard equipment in the R-Class includes THERMATIC, which provides two-zone climate control for the interior.
  
  
• Available as an option is multi-zone THERMOTRONIC, which offers individual temperature selections in three zones: for the driver, the front passenger, and the passengers in the second row of seats.
  

Multi-zone THERMOTRONIC can also be supplemented by rear air conditioning for the third row of seats. This system is installed in the rear behind the side trim on the left side.

The two systems were specifically tuned for the spacious dimensions of the new R-Class and boast an exemplary performance. In summer they ensure rapid cooling of the interior, and in winter they deliver the most comfortable temperatures for occupant comfort, even in extremely cold conditions.

THERMATIC automatic climate control works with sensors that measure temperature and sunlight intensity. The system is controlled by nine sensors. Multi-zone THERMOTRONIC (optional) works with 11 sensors. In addition to seven discharge temperature sensors in the air vents, the central temperature sensor in the control unit and the sunlight sensor, the automatic climate control also takes air humidity into account. The data measurements for this are supplied by a dewpoint sensor. What’s more, the multi-zone THERMOTRONIC in the R-Class is also equipped with a pollutant sensor that measures carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides in the ambient air.

Other optional extras for a comfortable interior climate are sunblinds for the side windows, dark-tinted thermally insulating glass for the rear side windows and infrared-reflecting laminated glass for the windscreen and front side windows.

Suspension: cushioned on air at the rear

With its wide track, longer wheelbase and newly developed axles, the R-Class satisfies the highest expectations when it comes to dynamic handling and long-distance comfort.

The front wheels are located by a double wishbone suspension, which uses the concept of what engineers call an “high-link suspension.” The upper transverse link is made of forged aluminium, and the lower transverse link and the steering knuckle are produced from ductile cast iron. The front axle, steering gear, engine and transmission are mounted on a frame-type integral support made of high-strength steel.

The high-link front axle features spring struts as standard. The struts are outstanding by virtue of their generous spring travel and highly effective rubber mounts. Working inside the spring struts are cylindrical coil springs, single-tube gas shock absorbers and large-volume head bearings. A rod is used to connect the torsion bar stabiliser to the spring strut.

The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering is standard equipment and features a speed-dependent parameter function that continuously reduces steering effort at speeds under 100 km/h, depending on driving speed. This means parking requires only half as much steering effort as when driving on the motorway, where the speed-sensitive steering ensures a good feel for the road surface.

The rear axle is supported by a subframe, which is isolated from the body by means of four rubber bearings. The Mercedes-Benz engineers developed a four-link design fitted as standard with air suspension, separate single-tube shock absorbers and a torsion bar stabiliser. Even greater comfort is ensured thanks to AIRMATIC air suspension at all wheels (optional extra). Mercedes-Benz combines AIRMATIC with the ADS adaptive damping system, which continuously controls the damping forces as needed in accordance with the road surface, driving style and payload. Drivers can also adjust the damping as desired at the push of a button in the centre console.

Support systems: outstanding stress reduction for drivers

Driver-support systems taken from the top-of-the-range Mercedes models make yet another important contribution to reducing driver stress and boosting comfort. Using voice control, ultrasound sensors and radar signals for maintaining distance between vehicles, to name a few examples, these modern “co-pilots” not only make driving more enjoyable, they also make an important contribution to preventing traffic accidents. Examples:

LINGUATRONIC: The voice control system developed by Mercedes-Benz can be used to operate the car phone, audio system and navigation system. Thus, the driver doesn’t need to take his or her hands from the steering wheel to operate one of these devices. The system will be available as an option for the R-Class from autumn 2006.

Headlamp assist:In darkness or when the car is entering a tunnel, a sensor fitted as standard on the windscreen automatically switches the vehicle’s external lighting on.

COMAND: Depending on the car model and equipment variant, this control and display system developed by Mercedes-Benz (optional extra) integrates a number of devices, including car radio, CD/DVD player, navigation system and telephone. As such, it makes the devices easier to operate.

DISTRONIC: The proximity control system uses a radar sensor mounted behind the radiator grille. The sensor allows the system to calculate the distance to the vehicle in front so that it can maintain a safe distance. If the distance should lessen, DISTRONIC eases back the throttle or activates the brakes. Beginning in late 2006, this Mercedes innovation will be available as an option for the R-Class.

PARKTRONIC: Ultrasound sensors help the driver to park the car or manoeuvre it in tight spaces. Available as an optional extra in the R-Class. In addition, a reversing camera will be available from autumn 2006.

Bi-Xenon headlamps: These bright headlights (optional) also come with the active light cornering light functions, thereby significantly reducing driver stress and improving safety after dark.

Copyright © 2006, DaimlerChrysler AG