Mercedes 'Mbraces' Telematics

MONTVALE, NJ - Mercedes-Benz is launching a voice-controlled telematics system that all but puts a personal assistant in the car to find most any location, answer most any question, and cater to most any whim, according to www.wired.com.

The German automaker says "mbrace" provides "an unprecedented level of connectivity" and a suite of 18 services that do everything from locate your car in a crowded parking lot to order flowers for your spouse. A real, live human will provide directions if you're lost and even call a cab if you're tipsy. The system rolls out Monday as standard equipment in most models in the Mercedes showroom.

"This is Mercedes-Benz's foray into the digital, connected universe that will soon enclose the car," Sascha Simon, director of advanced product planning, told Wired.com. "We're now used to a world where connectivity is everything and you expect to be connected to everything all the time."

Mbrace joins systems like Ford's Sync and GM's OnStar.