Mercedes-Benz has given an early look at three technologies from its research and development pipeline: LED displays laminated into the car's windows, a holographic display that turns the windscreen into a screen, and a software-controlled Power Converter for future electric cars that can deliver a steady 800-volt output.

The German brand showed the technology in Stuttgart on 3 November as part of its "140 Years of Innovation" celebrations. These are research projects, so Mercedes-Benz hasn't confirmed which models will get them or when, and there's no Australian timing or pricing.

LED displays built into the glass

The first technology puts LED display elements inside the vehicle's windows, laminated into the glass composite. When nothing is being shown they are "almost invisible", says Mercedes-Benz, so the glass looks normal.

Two types of LED are used. Mini LEDs suit bigger areas like the rear window, where they could show brake lights, warning symbols or traffic information to drivers behind. Micro LEDs have a higher resolution, so they suit smaller areas and more detailed graphics such as animations. Mercedes-Benz's photos show a warning triangle, a parking symbol and a pedestrian graphic in the rear glass, plus displays in the side windows.

A holographic windscreen

The second technology is a holographic display that uses the windscreen as an on-demand screen. A projector in the dashboard beams content onto the glass, where a transparent film with "holographic optical elements" reflects the projector's light wavelengths back to the occupant.

Mercedes-Benz says this concentrates the light so the image is still visible in sunlight. Each image can only be seen from certain angles, so the driver can't see what's playing on the passenger's side, and vice versa. That opens the door to navigation, driving information, points of interest, video calls and even films on the passenger side. Like the window LEDs, it only appears when needed.

An 800V Power Converter for future EVs

The third project is the Mercedes-Benz Power Converter. It uses programmable micro-converters to manage the energy flow of individual battery cells, delivering a constant high-voltage output of up to 800 volts no matter the cells' state of charge or age.

The current version produces up to 3kW and supports both AC and DC applications. Mercedes-Benz says it could also support bidirectional charging such as vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid.

The big idea is that the system voltage would no longer depend on how many cells are wired in series. Several converters working in parallel at the cell or cell-group level would together provide a stable high-voltage DC output, controlled by software. Mercedes-Benz says this could let one unit handle jobs that separate components do today, make batteries and power electronics more flexible and compact, improve range and efficiency, and make it easier to build modular drivetrains for both EVs and plug-in hybrids.

"The future of mobility is not created through promises, but through precision and proven engineering excellence," said Ida Wolf, Vice President Development Innovations, Operations & Digitalisation at Mercedes-Benz AG.

How it compares with rivals

BMW already sells windscreen display tech in Australia. The new Neue Klasse iX3 has BMW Panoramic Vision, which projects information across the full width of the base of the windscreen. It's standard alongside a 17.9-inch touchscreen and a 3D head-up display. Unlike the Mercedes-Benz holographic concept, BMW's version is designed to be seen by everyone in the car. The iX3 uses an 800V system with up to 400kW DC charging in the 50 xDrive (10-80 per cent in about 21 minutes), and it's priced from $89,900 for the iX3 40 and $109,900 for the 50 xDrive, before on-road costs (BMW Australia).

Mercedes-Benz already has 800V hardware in its local range too. The electric CLA charges at up to 320kW in the CLA 350 4MATIC (10-80 per cent in 22 minutes) and costs from $72,200 before on-road costs for the CLA 200 (Mercedes-Benz Australia).

Hyundai and Kia have used 800V architectures since the E-GMP platform launched in 2021. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 charges from 10 to 80 per cent in about 18 minutes on a 350kW charger, and its vehicle-to-load function supplies up to 3.6kW (Hyundai, Hyundai NZ). Those cars get 800V from a battery pack with many cells wired in series. Mercedes-Benz's Power Converter aims to create that voltage with software-controlled electronics instead.

When will it reach Australia?

Mercedes-Benz hasn't said if or when any of these technologies will go into production. We'll update this story if Mercedes-Benz Australia confirms local plans.

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