Daimler share price up, takes on the future with F015 concept

Daimler AG unveiled its visionary Mercedes-Benz F 015 concept yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, shaking up the traditional usage of cars.

The all-electric, fully self-driving vehicle is not only a tool for transportation, but also a luxury lounge on wheels wired with all kinds of top-tier electronics.

“We see cars widening their functionality to become a third place to relax, work, play,” said Dieter Zetsche, Daimlers CEO.

The F015 concept vehicle is equipped with turning front seats that could face backwards while the car is in motion as the steering wheel moves to the dashboard and the vehicles takes control.

The car also has six build-in screens that enable travelers to see a 360-degree exterior view provided by outside cameras. The displays respond to eye-tracking, hand gestures and touch. The vehicle has the ability to park itself, while also allowing the driver to track its location via a smartphone application.

All the high-tech gadjets are powered by an electric motor and hydrogen fuel cell. The impact-resistant chassis is made by a mix of high-strength steel, aluminum and carbon-fiber. The bigger cabin is carried around by 26-inch wheels, while glare-reducing windows provide better vision for the driver.

Despite all the hype the vehicle caused at CES, Mercedes representatives agreed that many of the cars features need years of development before reaching the wider market. While some innovations are less than likely to get safety approval, like the swiveling front seats.

Another safety concern is related to the autonomous cars behavior during accidents. Automakers, including Daimler, are facing ethical issues when programming the vehicles actions when a crash is imminent.

The so-called Luxury in Motion prototype vehicle outlines Daimlers push to catch up with Google Inc in the development on self-driving cars.

“We think fully autonomous vehicles are a real possibility,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s CEO, before CES, cited by the Financial Times. “For the industry, probably in the next five years you’ll see somebody introduce autonomous vehicles.”

Other carmakers will also show-off their vehicles during CES. BMW will unveil its new system that, when activated by a smart watch, will find a free spot and park a vehicle within a multilevel car park.

Meanwhile, Audis autonomous vehicle is expected to cover around 900 km all by itself, traveling the distance between Silicon Valley and Las Vegas, while also changing lanes and overtaking.

Daimler AG fell 3.75% on Monday and closed at €66.17. On Tuesday the stock edged up 0.18% to trade at €66.29 at 10:04 GMT, marking a one-year increase of 7.83%. The company is valued at €70.79 billion. According to the Financial Times, the 28 analysts offering 12-month price targets for Daimler AG have a median target of €76.00, with a high estimate of €85.00 and a low estimate of €60.00. The median estimate represents a 14.86% increase from the last close price of €66.17.