STUTTGART/SAN FRANCISCO: Mercedes-Benz Group AG has just announced a partnership with US tech startup ZYNC.
The California-based tech company will provide the world-first implementation of its premium in-car digital entertainment platform for Mercedes-Benz.
By aggregating a wide range of owned and 3rd-party digital content onto a single turnkey platform, ZYNC will provide the platform as well as the interface between content partners and existing compatible Mercedes-Benz hardware.
The aim of the partnership is to provide customers with a seamless digital entertainment experience tailored to the unique environment inside a Mercedes-Benz, while maximising the benefits of the company’s UI/UX technologies such as the MBUX Hyperscreen.
Through ZYNC, Mercedes-Benz customers will be able to access to a wide range of renowned third-party global and local streaming services.
Mercedes-Benz said the system would not cause driver distraction as streaming services are restricted while the car is moving.
Passenger screens or audio may still be available on the move subject to local market regulations.
In future, Mercedes-Benz said it is prepared for the use of video streaming while the car is in motion where approval exists for Level 3 conditionally automated driving.
The first application of ZYNC is planned for the end of this year in the EQS and S-Class in Europe, with rollout in further models and markets planned for 2023.
ZYNC provides video streaming, on-demand content, interactive experiences, local video programming, sports, news, gaming and much more through a unified user interface.
Over 30 streaming services are available from high-end global, regional and local partners, with additional partners and channels continuously integrated over the air.
Most of these channels are included and do not need an individual subscription.
The prerequisite for ZYNC is an active Mercedes-Benz me account with the MBUX Entertainment Package, which is currently free of charge for one year from booking and can then be extended for a fee in the Mercedes me portal (country-specific deviations possible).
ZYNC was founded in 2019 and its business model revolves around bridging the worlds of automotive, software and entertainment. It is based in San Francisco and has offices in Munich and Berlin, Germany.
The company's avowed mission is to take in-car entertainment to a new dimension by incorporating real-time vehicle data. Its founder/CEO is Rana June aka RJ. In the 2021 video below, she made a slick pitch to key stakeholders in the German automotive industry - Mercedes-Benz included.
