I prefer driving without the interruptions of my work life, but if you want to stay connected, Mercedes-Benz offers a solution. Soon, you’ll be able to join Microsoft Teams calls in certain Mercedes-Benz vehicles and use the in-car camera to communicate with colleagues while on the move.
Mercedes-Benz is the first auto manufacturer to support the use of in-car cameras for Microsoft Teams during driving, though some important safety considerations apply. While you can stream video of yourself driving, you won’t be able to view shared screens or slides while the vehicle is in motion.
Typically, video meeting applications like Teams, Zoom, or WebEx are only functional when a car is parked. This Mercedes-Benz feature seems targeted at those colleagues who can’t resist letting everyone know they’re working, regardless of the circumstances.
The meeting video stream will be automatically turned off as soon as the in-car camera is enabled, but other meeting participants will still see your camera feed while you’re driving — so don’t forget it’s on if you get the urge to rummage around your nostrils. The in-car camera support for Microsoft Teams will arrive first on the new CLA, and it’s part of several “productivity enhancements” that Mercedes‑Benz is making this summer.
Microsoft and Mercedes‑Benz are also working together to integrate Microsoft 365 Copilot into “the latest vehicles,” which would be a first of its kind in a car. The experience will be driven by voice prompts, allowing drivers to summarize emails, manage daily tasks, and more.
Mercedes‑Benz gleefully describes this as having “the potential to transform the vehicle into a third workspace, complementing the office and the home office.” I don’t know about you, but I already have enough workplaces, thanks to smartphones and laptops, and I have zero desire to work while I’m driving.
Mercedes‑Benz only mentions the all-new CLA for this new Teams app, but given the latest E-Class models have a selfie camera for apps like TikTok and Zoom, it’s likely we’ll see this functionality show up on other MB.OS-powered vehicles.
