My Mercedes??

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glojo

Hardcore MB Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
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14,652
Location
Torquay
Car
S211 Sprinter 213CDI, & the new T-class
I have NO idea what I am on about and am hoping wiser heads will figure out my questions.

We will be getting a new car with the latest electronic wizardry from Mercedes and the option I am asking about is something I believe is called 'My Mercedes'.

My questions are primarily about data usage and the car will have a dedicated Android smartphone with obviously its own number. This will be a non-negotiable requirement and this phone will live in the car. I cannot see my wife using this new wizardry that often and if this is the case, does it use much data? When the navigation is used is it still a COMAND type thing or is it now down to the car using the Internet?

The phone has a sim card only option which I believe is £6 per month, it comes with 2Gb of data and for low usage, will that be enough? A daft question to those who are knowledgable on this issue but for the likes of us folk who are waving good-bye to middle age, it is all very confusing. What else is this 'My Mercedes' good for?

For those with the latest features, what are the likes and dislikes?
 
Hi John

I found an excellent YouTube channel hosted by a guy at MB Poole which explains all the modern MB technology pretty clearly in short & focused videos:


Well worth a browse. We are about to switch from a 2007 C Class to a 2019 one and I've found this to be VERY helpful!
 
Hi Bill,
.Thank you very much indeed
 
It’s called MercedesMe and it’s Mercedes name for their online services. So you’ll be able to check the status of windows, choose to lock/unlock the doors, see tyre pressures and oil level, etc.

You can also use it to set “geofences” is is a circle around a location, and if the car either enters or exits you get an alert. You can also use MercedesMe to send destinations from Smartohone to car.

The exact features differ by model and model year. Some features will be really useful, some won’t, and some will be absolutely invaluable once in a blue moon, but not for the rest of the time.

The car will be able to connect to the internet itself to enable the features I’ve mentioned - there’s no need to connect to a phone within the car to get the car online. All free for the first 3 years, paid for thereafter.

What’s the reason for the firm requirement for dedicated phone in the car?
 
It’s called MercedesMe and it’s Mercedes name for their online services. So you’ll be able to check the status of windows, choose to lock/unlock the doors, see tyre pressures and oil level, etc.

You can also use it to set “geofences” is is a circle around a location, and if the car either enters or exits you get an alert. You can also use MercedesMe to send destinations from Smartohone to car.

The exact features differ by model and model year. Some features will be really useful, some won’t, and some will be absolutely invaluable once in a blue moon, but not for the rest of the time.

The car will be able to connect to the internet itself to enable the features I’ve mentioned - there’s no need to connect to a phone within the car to get the car online. All free for the first 3 years, paid for thereafter.

What’s the reason for the firm requirement for dedicated phone in the car?
Hi Bobby
Are we saying the car actually connects to the Internet all by itself for the first three years?

That's clever.

Do we get a manual for these features?
 
Hi Bobby
Are we saying the car actually connects to the Internet all by itself for the first three years?

That's clever.

Do we get a manual for these features?
On the latest models like yours will be, it connects itself, so it’s constantly online. There isn’t a manual as such - you download an app and it’s self explanatory - no instructions needed 👍🏻
 
There's a built-in GSM simcard in the car, which connects to MB at all times (i.e. even when the car is parked-up), and allows you to access certain systems in the car over the Internet via a mobile phone app.

However, this simcard cannot be used to provide Internet access for use by the infotainment system or by the car's occupants.

Internet connection for the infotainment and occupants is optional and will provided by Bluetooth tethering to your own mobile phone, using your phone's simcard, and using your data allowance, should you decide to use your phone in this way.
 
There's a built-in GSM simcard in the car, which connects to MB at all times (i.e. even when the car is parked-up), and allows you to access certain systems in the car over the Internet via a mobile phone app.

However, this simcard cannot be used to provide Internet access for use by the infotainment system or by the car's occupants.

Internet connection for the infotainment and occupants is optional and will provided by Bluetooth tethering to your own mobile phone, using your phone's simcard, and using your data allowance, should you decide to use your phone in this way.

As I understand it you can create a Wifi hotspot using the car's GSM connection, which the occupant(s) can then link their phones/tablets to. However you need to purchase a data bundle in order to do this:

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As I understand it you can create a Wifi hotspot using the car's GSM connection, which the occupant(s) can then link their phones/tablets to. However you need to purchase a data bundle in order to do this:

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Yes, though that's an optional feature, by default the built-in simcard will only connect to Mercedes Me services.

UK cars had a Vodafone 3g connection, not sure what they have now, though the hired W205 I drove in Netherlands last year had COMAND with 4g LTE connection.
 
Yes, though that's an optional feature, by default the built-in simcard will only connect to Mercedes Me services.

UK cars had a Vodafone 3g connection, not sure what they have now, though the hired W205 I drove in Netherlands last year had COMAND with 4g LTE connection.

From the video it's still Vodafone, and based on the internet speeds shown it must be 4G. That makes sense as the connection is used to download firmware & data updates.
 
This new wizardry sounds absolutely amazing and I suspect the 'state of the art' mobile phone from our 2004 E-class might not be the phone of choice for this new technology :) :)
 
This new wizardry sounds absolutely amazing and I suspect the 'state of the art' mobile phone from our 2004 E-class might not be the phone of choice for this new technology :) :)
If your mobile phone has Bluetooth then you should be able to connect it to your car for hands free calling.

Yeaterday you mentioned that a dedicated handset for the phone is essential, would you mind me asking why John?
 
If your mobile phone has Bluetooth then you should be able to connect it to your car for hands free calling.

Yeaterday you mentioned that a dedicated handset for the phone is essential, would you mind me asking why John?
A personal thing really,

My wife does not get on with these modern smartphones. She has a very basic mobile phone that does not have Blue Tooth or any other modern stuff :( and she will be the sole driver of this car. Having a dedicated phone gives me 'Hands Free' communication should I need to speak to her urgently (she is my sole carer)
 
A personal thing really,

My wife does not get on with these modern smartphones. She has a very basic mobile phone that does not have Blue Tooth or any other modern stuff :( and she will be the sole driver of this car. Having a dedicated phone gives me 'Hands Free' communication should I need to speak to her urgently (she is my sole carer)
Then I think it will work in the same way as at present. Your Android smartphone will need to be linked to the car by Bluetooth, which is fairly straightforward but you might ask the supplying dealer to do for you at handover (Covid regs permitting). As you are only interested in voice calls you won't in fact use any of your 2Gb data allowance. If you don't already, it might be worth getting a USB lead so that the phone can be charged in the car (unless you have wireless charging).
 
Then I think it will work in the same way as at present. Your Android smartphone will need to be linked to the car by Bluetooth, which is fairly straightforward but you might ask the supplying dealer to do for you at handover (Covid regs permitting). As you are only interested in voice calls you won't in fact use any of your 2Gb data allowance. If you don't already, it might be worth getting a USB lead so that the phone can be charged in the car (unless you have wireless charging).
Thanks Barian
Hopefully, the smartphone I have is capable of wireless charging?? I think the phone will simply rest on a base that keeps the thing charged. We have the Wireless Charging option which I am hoping will work.

The link supplied by Bill shows that Augmented Reality for navigation and I confess that it looks very impressive, although it will be frustrating that I will not be able to experience seeing those features :(

Unfortunately, there will not be a hand-over as the car will be delivered from Europe to our home address. The cunning plan will be for our son to figure out how to use the software and then he will attempt to educate my wife :)

It is brilliant fun listening to her disagreeing (arguing) with the COMAND navigation we have in my Sprinter (stretched limo) I suspect my son will have some fun with the 'talking My Mercedes' :)
 
Mercedes Me in my 2019 E Class links to Vodaphone Internet in the Car system that offered 30 days free trial and then reconnection rates are as follows:-

Daily 1 Best for a single journey 1 GB of in car data Duration 1 Day at £5

Monthly 2GB Best for use on short, frequent journeys 2 GB of in car data Duration 28 days at £11
Monthly 15G Best for frequent, worry free use 15 GB of in car data Duration 28 days at £20

Annual 100GB Best for year round use 100 GB of in car data Duration 365 days at £100
Far from free for 3 years
 
She has a very basic mobile phone that does not have Blue Tooth or any other modern stuff :( and she will be the sole driver of this car. Having a dedicated phone gives me 'Hands Free' comm
Please don’t take this in any way as offensive but if your wife in wary of new tech, such as smart phones, will she be comfortable hitting a button on the steering wheel to answer a phone?

Is leaving a message on her current phone, for her to answer when it is safe legal to do so, adequate?
 
Mercedes Me in my 2019 E Class links to Vodaphone Internet in the Car system that offered 30 days free trial and then reconnection rates are as follows:-

Daily 1 Best for a single journey 1 GB of in car data Duration 1 Day at £5

Monthly 2GB Best for use on short, frequent journeys 2 GB of in car data Duration 28 days at £11
Monthly 15G Best for frequent, worry free use 15 GB of in car data Duration 28 days at £20

Annual 100GB Best for year round use 100 GB of in car data Duration 365 days at £100
Far from free for 3 years
By the Englebert of Humble Dink...
 
I think we are confusing internet access and connected services.

There is 3 years use of connected services included, this gives access to live traffic, checking the car status, car location, tyre pressures, windows status, locked or not, etc

Screenshot 2020-11-22 at 18.42.19.jpg

If you want access the internet the wait to get home or use your smartphone! :dk:
 
Neither of which are required to make or receive phone calls via a blue toooth capable phone.
 

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