Mercedes-Benz drivers can soon turn their cars into mobile offices.
The popular automaker recently partnered with web conferencing company Cisco to bring the latter's technology to their cars, providing drivers with the means to attend meetings wherever they are.
Both companies assure drivers that their safety on and off the road will be one of their highest priorities with the addition of Cisco's web conference software on Mercedez-Benz cars.
Cisco-Mercedes-Benz Partnership Details
Cisco recently revealed at the Mobile World Congress that it is partnering with Mercedes-Benz to provide mobile office experience in the latter's new E-Class vehicles.
According to Cisco's statement on the matter, the partnership between itself and Mercedes-Benz will help people get work done safely, securely, and as comfortably as possible in their vehicles using the "modern luxury and intuitive features" Mercedes-Benz and Webex customers are used to.
For those unaware, Webex, popularly known as Webex Meetings, is Cisco's video conferencing and collaboration product suite created by merging Cisco's Webex web conferencing platform and its Spark team collaboration app, per Tech Target. It gives users access to various conference software such as Webex Meetings, Webex Teams, and Webex Devices.
To bring the mobile home office experience to Mercedes-Benz E Class vehicles, Cisco is bringing its Webex conferencing tools to the vehicles' dashboards, per Reuters. This addition is only possible through Mercedes-Benz equipping its E-Class vehicles with Wi-Fi and a Cellular data connection.
This addition lets E-Class drivers download the Webex application to their cars and use it directly on the touchscreen of its infotainment system without using a mobile phone. As a result, drivers can enjoy Webex's noise cancellation (whether the noise comes from within or without the car), voice clarity boosts, and Cisco's continuous, secure, and reliable connectivity.
Although Webex's app comes with the ability to host video conferences, Mercedes-Benz E Class drivers can't use this feature while on the road, Cisco mentioned that drivers could only use audio when the vehicle is moving, meaning that users are only limited to voice calls when driving on the road. However, drivers can use all of Webex's features when safely parked, which include video meetings, automatic transcription, content-sharing, and reactions.
Adapting To The Changing Of The Times
Following the reopening of economies and lifting of travel restrictions, companies like Zoom, Microsoft, Webex, and Google found it difficult to sustain growth in the video conferencing industry.
As a result, these companies sought opportunities to expand, with cars turning into mobile offices being the current trend these companies are taking.
For example, Zoom partnered with Tesla to equip the latter's vehicles with the former's conferencing tools. Meanwhile, Cisco may soon announce its partnership with Samsung to allow Webex integration in its flagship phones.
Cisco Webex App Availability For Mercedes-Benz E-Class Vehicles
Cisco mentioned that the Webex conference app would arrive in dealerships this spring, specifically in the coming weeks. To get the Webex app for Mercedez-Benz E-Class vehicles, users can use either Wi-FI or a cellular connection to access the Mercedes-Benz Car App Store and down the app from there.
Once downloaded, the Webex app should appear directly on the touchscreen of the vehicle's infotainment system.
