One look at the interior of the 2024 Mercedes E-Class reveals a primary design preoccupation: the positioning of entertainment at the top of the driving experience. For the upcoming model year, the front of the mid-range ride is positively dominated by screen area. To address risks of distraction, Mercedes designed a ‘Visual Shield’ into the new E-Class, too. The technology can be used to make the passenger’s screen invisible to the driver.

The overall look that rests underneath all that screen space is informed deeply, Merc tells us, by interior design principles. A careful look at the interior reveals a fluidity that extends from the screen design to the seats; everywhere, it seems, curves wax and wane, and the eye literally surfs over them.

The whole thing is flashily tech; whether or not it comes across as over-engineered is in the eye of the buyer. At the bottom of the new E-Class is a new software-heavy electronic architecture geared toward user experience, with diversion as the logic: games, content, music. Mercedes also works in a section on ‘sound visualization’; rather different in Merc-world than electric Kool-Aid synesthesia, of course. It’s a strobe effect called ‘Active’ that enhances the car’s Ambient Lighting feature. But the influence of the new psychedelia is certainly evident in the cabin experience.

Other creature comforts on board include a wellness program Mercedes calls ‘Energizing Comfort’ and an AI-driven driver routine learning feature. More apps are included, too, with TikTok and Zoom among them.