Sometimes time doesn’t necessarily fix things. While the European Commission recently asked its staff not to use the TikTok app anymore “to protect the Commission’s data and strengthen its cyber security”for its part, Mercedes teased the arrival of its new E-Class by introducing the interior… and integration of the TikTok app directly into one of the car’s screens.

The next generation Mercedes E-Class is due to be unveiled within a few weeks with a new infotainment system called MBUX Superscreen, an evolution of the Hyperscreen introduced at EQS.

Thus, this new onboard system will be equipped with TikTok, one of the most popular social networks, which, on paper, should support the Mercedes Entertainment tab.

There are always more distractions on board cars

Bringing social media into car infotainment systems is an idea that manufacturers have been mulling over for some time.

The introduction of new sources of distraction in cars is a new niche for manufacturers, in particular Tesla, which, in order to reduce time at charging stations, offers, for example, games directly on the car screen or even streaming services such as Netflix or Twitch.

In the case of the future E-Class, the use of TikTok can also be shared with other passengers thanks to the presence of a second screen in the front, regardless of whether they have their own account: those who do not will not always be able to use the content of the platform as guests

The application will be usable only after stopping, but not for everyone

Obviously, the safety aspect comes into play, and as stated in the relevant press releases from Mercedes and the social network, this feature, once on the road, can only be used when the car is stationary. While the car is moving, the passenger’s screen will be completely hidden from the driver.

David Saidden, Director of Distribution Business Development at TikTok, commented: “Thanks to our app, everyone can enjoy a moment of joy on their mobile device at any time of the day. Our goal is to further enhance the experience for our users, and we are excited about this partnership with Mercedes-Benz, which presents an exciting in-car entertainment mode that gives our community new opportunities to enjoy the content they love.”.

This function will become available by the end of the year, after the launch of the new generation Mercedes E-Class, which will be equipped with a new infotainment system.

For our part, we have a little trouble seeing the interest not only in the TikTok app, but also because these screens want to replace smartphones, but they should still have the same quality, navigation and fluidity. We will definitely try all this when the new Mercedes E-Class hits the road.