Mercedes Benz, Cisco partner to introduce Webex meeting on-the-go

German automaker Mercedes Benz on Monday announced a partnership with US-based IT networking company,  Cisco to introduce the new E-Class sedans with Webex Meetings and Calling and Webex AI audio capabilities for employees on-the-go to connect ‘anywhere’. 

Webex — a web conferencing company led by Cisco — develops and sells web conferencing, video conferencing and contact-centre-as-a-service application. 

The companies hinted the collaboration at last week's Mercedes-Benz E-Class event and now revealed more details at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, 2023. 

“This partnership will help people get work done safely, securely and comfortably in their vehicles,” the companies said in a statement, adding that if users attend a meeting while driving, the companies claim to provide “best-in-class noise cancellation” due to Webex’s audio intelligence technology. 

“Meetings and calls will only be available in audio unless users are parked, in which case they will have access to video meetings, AI-powered transcription, content-sharing functions, and emoji reactions, the statement said that there will be a Webex app available in the Mercedes-Benz Car App Store, and the built-in Wi-Fi and cellular data connection means users will not need to bring their phones to the meeting. 

Emphasising on how the companies are ‘transforming the car into a home office’, Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Security & Collaboration, Cisco, said, “The mobile office cannot progress without the reliable and secure collaboration technology... and the partnership is a “big step forward in delivering the flexibility that the hybrid workforce demands”. 

On February 23, Mercedes Benz announced a partnership with Google to develop branded navigation for its MB.OS operating system for advanced infotainment and safety.  

The company said that the operating system will launch in the next generation of Mercedes vehicles (internally called MMA), which are expected to go into production toward the end of 2024. 

Meanwhile, the luxury car company recently received the first Level 3 Autonomy approval for its “DRIVE PILOT” system, a first in the industry in the US. It said that Nevada in the USA is the first state to confirm the compliance of the system with state regulations.