![Mercedes-Benz W212 E 220 CDI Avantgarde 7-G-Tronic Obsidianschwarz Interieur](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Mercedes-Benz_W212_E_220_CDI_Avantgarde_7-G-Tronic_Obsidianschwarz_Interieur.JPG)
Cockpit Management and Data system - COMAND for short - acts as a combined command and control centre for all
audio
Audio most commonly refers to sound, as it is transmitted in signal form. It may also refer to:
Sound
*Audio signal, an electrical representation of sound
*Audio frequency, a frequency in the audio spectrum
*Digital audio, representation of sound ...
,
telematics
Telematics is an interdisciplinary field encompassing telecommunications, vehicular technologies ( road transport, road safety, etc.), electrical engineering (sensors, instrumentation, wireless communications, etc.), and computer science (multimedi ...
and
telecommunications
Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...
functions on
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
vehicles and includes a dedicated flat display screen. In addition to the
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
navigation system and general processing and control logic, COMAND includes components such as an address book, telephone, radio and in many cases a CD/DVD drive. It is connected to other (often separate) devices such as CD/DVD changers, sound system and surround sound amplifier,
TV receiver and the optional
Linguatronic
Cockpit Management and Data system - COMAND for short - acts as a combined command and control centre for all audio, telematics and telecommunications functions on Mercedes-Benz vehicles and includes a dedicated flat display screen. In addition t ...
voice control
A voice-user interface (VUI) makes spoken human interaction with computers possible, using speech recognition to understand spoken commands and answer questions, and typically text to speech to play a reply. A voice command device is a device con ...
system via an optical fibre network. The first generations of COMAND used the
D2B optical network standard whereas later models are based on
MOST
Most or Möst or ''variation'', may refer to:
Places
* Most, Kardzhali Province, a village in Bulgaria
* Most (city), a city in the Czech Republic
** Most District, a district surrounding the city
** Most Basin, a lowland named after the city
** A ...
.
A key feature of all COMAND systems is to provide deep integration between the various functions such as multimedia, navigation and telephony and to also allow multiple presentation and control facilities. An example of functional integration is where other audio sources can be muted when a phone call comes in or when navigation guidance is being given. It is also the case that the main audio system, speakers and microphone are used for all these functions instead of being logically and functionally separate. With regard to multiple presentation and control facilities, COMAND based vehicles allow steering wheel controls to be used alongside the main COMAND buttons and controller and COMAND related status information and instructions can be displayed in the instrument cluster in addition to the main COMAND display. On vehicles with a factory fitted Mercedes-Benz rear seat entertainment system, this also provides integration with the COMAND system, allowing for instance the rear seat displays to show content from the COMAND
TV receiver or to play out the rear DVD audio over the car's surround sound system.
On newer
S-Class and
CL-Class models such as the
W221
The Mercedes-Benz W221 is a chassis code of S-Class, the successor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W220) and the predecessor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222). The S-Class are the flagship vehicles of Mercedes-Benz and each generation typical ...
, the integration between COMAND and other vehicle functions is even more complete, including access via COMAND to the
HVAC
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HV ...
system, seat controls, etc. On these cars, in contrast to most other Mercedes-Benz vehicles, COMAND is part of the standard specification rather than an optional extra.
COMAND was introduced first exclusively on the flagship S-Class and CL-Class models. Later, it became available on other Mercedes cars too.
Model history
COMAND 2.5
![Mercedes W220 interior view](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Mercedes_W220_interior_view.JPG)
Somewhat confusingly, COMAND 2.5 (not to be confused with the much later COMAND-APS NTG2.5) actually refers to the first generation of COMAND systems, introduced on the
W220
The Mercedes-Benz W220 was a range of flagship sedans which, as the fourth generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class, replaced the W140 S-Class after model year 1998 — with long and short wheelbase versions, performance and luxury options; available ...
. The "2.5" label seems to refer to the fact that the main COMAND unit for this first generation had a height of 2.5
DIN. This COMAND system had a cassette drive, a built-in CD drive for the navigation map discs, an FM/AM radio tuner, a 4-channel amplifier and external connectors to other systems. The European models used
Tele Atlas
Tele Atlas is a Netherlands-based company founded in 1984 which delivers digital maps and other dynamic content for navigation and location-based services, including personal and in-car navigation systems, and provides data used in a wide range ...
map discs (CD). Towards the end of 1999, the system was upgraded to use the improved DX type navigation discs. COMAND 2.5 uses a
D2B optical bus for connection to the external CD changer, the telephone system, the optional
Bose
Bose may refer to:
* Bose (crater), a lunar crater
* ''Bose'' (film), a 2004 Indian Tamil film starring Srikanth and Sneha
* Bose (surname), a surname (and list of people with the name)
* Bose, Italy, a ''frazioni'' in Magnano, Province of Biella ...
surround sound system and the optional Linguatronic voice control system. The COMAND 2.5 unit was made by
Bosch.
COMAND 2.5 was an option on almost all models and denoted by Mercedes-Benz option code 352.
COMAND 2.0/COMAND 2.0 MOPF
The same COMAND 2.5 technology (with DX navigation maps) was next incorporated in a somewhat different form factor known as COMAND 2.0 (with "2.0" referring to the fact that this modified unit had a 2 DIN height), but with the cassette drive removed. These units were introduced on the
W210
The Mercedes-Benz W210 was the internal designation for a range of executive cars manufactured by Mercedes-Benz and marketed under the E-Class model name in both sedan/saloon (1995–2002) and station wagon/estate (1996–2003) configurations. ...
E-Class as rectangular units, later also in a more rounded form on amongst others the
W203 and
R230
The R230 generation of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class was introduced at the 2001 Frankfurt Motor Show and 2001 Bologna Motor Show, replacing the R129. The R230 underwent revisions in 2006 and 2008, and was superseded by the new SL-Class R231 in 201 ...
models.
From S-Class model year 2003, COMAND 2.5 was replaced by a widescreen version of COMAND 2.0 known as COMAND 2.0 MOPF.
Note that COMAND 2.5, COMAND 2.0 and COMAND 2.0 MOPF are collectively referred to as "COMAND 2" systems (despite these being the first generation COMAND systems and, confusingly, despite the successor being known as COMAND-APS NTG1.
COMAND-APS NTG1
This new generation of COMAND systems was introduced on the model year 2002
W211
The Mercedes-Benz W211 is the third generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class made from 2002 to 2009 in sedan/saloon and station wagon/estate configurations – replacing the W210 E-Class models and superseded by the Mercedes-Benz W212 in 2009.
The C21 ...
E-class and is in fact a complete redesign.
MOST
Most or Möst or ''variation'', may refer to:
Places
* Most, Kardzhali Province, a village in Bulgaria
* Most (city), a city in the Czech Republic
** Most District, a district surrounding the city
** Most Basin, a lowland named after the city
** A ...
replaces the
D2B optical ring network. The
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
option code became 527 (although, confusingly, COMAND 2.0 MOPF was also given this option code). These new
MOST
Most or Möst or ''variation'', may refer to:
Places
* Most, Kardzhali Province, a village in Bulgaria
* Most (city), a city in the Czech Republic
** Most District, a district surrounding the city
** Most Basin, a lowland named after the city
** A ...
based systems were given the name COMAND-APS to distinguish them from the older
D2B systems.
The NTG1 system further distinguished itself from earlier models by having DVD based navigation instead of the CD based COMAND 2. This allowed to carry a whole region (such as Europe) on a single disc. NTG1 systems were also able to play MP3 CDs/DVDs.
COMAND-APS NTG2
The NTG2 evolution was a cheaper and more integrated version of COMAND-APS, having all core components in the single double DIN head unit instead of three separate components as had been the case with NTG1 (an audio gateway including the radio, amplifier, and MOST controller; a head unit with display; and a navigation processor) and thereby also simplifying the wiring. However, unlike NTG1 models, the NTG2 COMAND was unable to play MP3 discs. To use the navigation at the same time as listening to an audio disc requires the optional CD changer.
This version of COMAND was used in various models such as the
W203 C-Class and the
W209 CLK and even the Vito/Viano. It was also fitted to the
Smart Forfour
The Smart Forfour (stylized as "smart forfour") is a city car (A-segment) marketed by Smart over two generations. The first generation was marketed in Europe from 2004 to 2006 with a front-engine configuration, sharing its platform with the Mitsubi ...
.
COMAND-APS NTG3/NTG3.5
![IAA-2005-S-Class Innenraum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/IAA-2005-S-Class_Innenraum.jpg)
Intended for the flagship
W221
The Mercedes-Benz W221 is a chassis code of S-Class, the successor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W220) and the predecessor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222). The S-Class are the flagship vehicles of Mercedes-Benz and each generation typical ...
S-Class and the
W216 CL-Class, COMAND NTG3 is a high-end system. Unlike for most other Mercedes-Benz cars, the
S-Class and
CL-Class from now on have COMAND as standard, allowing even better integration and for COMAND to operate even more vehicle functions. The navigation maps are stored on an internal hard disk instead of a DVD disc (although updates are installed from an update DVD). In addition to operating the audio, video, navigation and telecommunication systems, the NTG3 COMAND also controls a host of other features, such as the multi-contour and drive-dynamic seats, the
HVAC
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HV ...
system, the rear window shade, the vehicle locking, alarm and immobiliser, interior and exterior lighting functions, the optional ambient lighting feature, easy entry/exit settings, etc.
The NTG3 system comes with a large, high resolution 8" TFT 16:9 widescreen colour COMAND display mounted higher and more directly into the driver's line of sight and with a separate, large rotary controller mounted on the centre console in between the front seats. This system was the first COMAND to support DAB radio on the
MOST
Most or Möst or ''variation'', may refer to:
Places
* Most, Kardzhali Province, a village in Bulgaria
* Most (city), a city in the Czech Republic
** Most District, a district surrounding the city
** Most Basin, a lowland named after the city
** A ...
bus.
NTG3 uses an in-dash DVD (and CD) changer and
CompactFlash
CompactFlash (CF) is a flash memory mass storage device used mainly in portable electronic devices. The format was specified and the devices were first manufactured by SanDisk in 1994.
CompactFlash became one of the most successful of the e ...
reader for MP3 music. A digital TV tuner and a
Harman Kardon
Harman Kardon (stylized as ) is a division of US-based Harman International Industries, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, and manufactures home and car audio equipment.
Harman Kardon was originally founded in 1953 by business partners, Sid ...
Logic7 stereo sound system with 14 speakers and a 600W 13-channel DSP amplifier can be optionally installed and controlled via COMAND. Where a factory fitted rear seat entertainment package is installed, this can use the NTG3 digital TV tuner and the surround sound system for playing out its audio over the speakers instead of headphones. As with previous models, Linguatronic voice command and control is available as an option too.
The main controller for NTG3 is a large rotary dial with haptic feedback, although there are also buttons for quick access to commonly used functions and even a "favourite" button that can be assigned a function of choice. In addition, buttons on the steering wheel give access to various COMAND functions too and the large screen in the instrument cluster can display various COMAND related settings and information in addition to the main COMAND display.
The model year 2009
W221
The Mercedes-Benz W221 is a chassis code of S-Class, the successor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W220) and the predecessor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222). The S-Class are the flagship vehicles of Mercedes-Benz and each generation typical ...
S-Class received an upgraded version, COMAND-APS 3.5 NTG. This includes improved Bluetooth support and split view (where the passenger watches a DVD while the driver sees other COMAND functions such as the navigation map on the same display). The new NTG3.5 system also features a new rights management provision to prevent the use of copied map update discs. This rights management function means it is not possible to upgrade NTG3 based vehicles to NTG3.5.
COMAND-APS NTG4
The NTG4 system is a reduced cost version of NTG3 technology. It was first introduced when the
W204 C-Class launched in 2007 and features a 7" screen, much smaller than the higher resolution, bigger 8" screen on the flagship
W221
The Mercedes-Benz W221 is a chassis code of S-Class, the successor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W220) and the predecessor of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222). The S-Class are the flagship vehicles of Mercedes-Benz and each generation typical ...
. It is the first version of COMAND that supports the Mercedes Media Interface. Like NTG3, it stores maps on a hard disk and has a card reader for MP3 music. Amongst other implementation differences are the fact that in the W204 version the screen electrically folds in and out whereas in other incarnations it is fixed. The
Mercedes SLS has COMAND NTG4 too.
Unlike the NTG3 system, NTG4 did not support 7 character UK postcodes when first released (only 5 character postcodes), but some NTG4 units (e.g. those in the MY2010
W212
The W212 and S212 Mercedes-Benz E-Class series is the fourth-generation of the E-Class range of executive cars which was produced by Mercedes-Benz between 2009 and 2016 as the successor to the W211 E-Class. The body styles of the range are:
* 4 ...
and up) have a firmware upgrade available from Mercedes dealers which does add 7 character UK postcodes.
NTG4 is also used in Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class (X204).
COMAND-APS NTG2.5
![Mercedes Command APS](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Mercedes_Command_APS.jpg)
Somewhat confusingly, COMAND-APS NTG2.5 was introduced after NTG4, replacing COMAND in models previously fitted with NTG1 and NTG2 systems (apart from the
W209 CLK as that model was replaced by the W207 E-Class coupe. The unit has a
SD card reader in addition to the DVD drive. An optional DVD changer can replace the single drive. The Mercedes-Benz option code is 512 for the single drive unit and 527 for the unit with the optional DVD changer. Like NTG4 models, it supports the Media Interface. The unit also stores the navigation maps on an internal HDD which have some extra space for mp3 files.
COMAND-APS NTG4.5
In late 2011, Mercedes starting fitting the new COMAND-APS NTG4.5 to its
W204 cars for Model Year 2012, and then to other models such as the
W212
The W212 and S212 Mercedes-Benz E-Class series is the fourth-generation of the E-Class range of executive cars which was produced by Mercedes-Benz between 2009 and 2016 as the successor to the W211 E-Class. The body styles of the range are:
* 4 ...
,
W207 and
R172 R17 or R-17 may refer to:
Vessels
* , an aircraft carrier of the Royal Australian Navy
* , also HMS ''Valentine'' (R17), a destroyer of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Navy
* , a submarine of the United States Navy
Other uses
* R17 (New York ...
SLK. It thus became the latest generation of COMAND for its non-flagship cars (i.e. cars other than the S-Class and
CL-Class). It is also referred to as COMAND Online as it can use the mobile broadband connection on the telephone to connect to Mercedes-Benz Internet based services. It allows the running of various downloadable apps (such as Facebook) in the COMAND system. It uses a 7" colour display and has a SD-Card slot. The resolution, which is quite good at the time, is 800*480.
Initially, the graphics were brown and black, and this system became known as GEN1. The colour scheme of the display were then changed to Grey/Black/Red at the same time as the graphics in the instrument cluster changed and this is known as GEN2 and coincided with the MY2013 update. Initially different firmware was used in GEN1 and GEN2, but later on the firmware for GEN1 and GEN2 was merged into 1 firmware release and the colour scheme became a run-time configuration item.
Again, Media Interface is supported and maps are stored on a hard disk and restricted, as with NTG3.5, by a PIN based rights management protection feature. Like NTG3/3.5 it also has a separate rotary controller (although smaller than for NTG3/3.5 based vehicles).
COMAND-APS NTG4.7
COMAND-4.7 was installed in vehicles from June 2013 onwards, such as GLK350(2015). It now supports direct tethering of iPhones & Android phones to support the internet function which was not previously possible with these devices.
It also features internet radio plus slight changes to the route guidance.
The differences to NTG4.5 are new Mercedes Apps; CPU upgrading; 80G to 100G SATA; better Navigator figure performance, which enable a more fluent system as a whole.
Supported file formats are:
* Audio
** MP3 (supported bit rates: fixed and variable 32 kbit/s to 320 kbit/s, sampling rates of 8kHz to 48kHz)
** WMA (fixed 5 kbit/s to 384 kbit/s, sampling rates of 8kHz to 48kHz)
** CD-A
** AAC (Apple formats): .aac, .mp4, .m4a, and .m4b (copy protection files are not supported)
* Video
** MPEG
** WMV
** M4V
** AVI
COMAND-APS NTG5.0
![Mercedes-Benz S-Class Ambience (8713316053)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Mercedes-Benz_S-Class_Ambience_%288713316053%29.jpg)
This is the last version to use the COMAND name and has been introduced in the 2013/2014 S class, 2014 GLA and C-class. It includes Mercedes Online Radio which is broadcast from Europe 24/7. The maps zoom in/out more smoothly and are enriched with graphics and functions. The core of the system is an
Intel Atom (CPU)
Intel Atom is the brand name for a line of IA-32 and x86-64 instruction set ultra-low-voltage processors by Intel Corporation designed to reduce electric consumption and power dissipation in comparison with ordinary processors of the Intel Cor ...
processor.
There are three generations of NTG5, NTG5*1, NTG5*2 and NTG5.5. NTG5*1 has a keypad, whereas NTG5*2 / NTG5.5 does not. COMAND NTG5*1 has support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (Early units did not have this support but it can be added). Wireless CarPlay can be added using aftermarket adapter. NTG5*2 is fitted in S, CL, C, GLC, AMG-GTS, X-Class and the new generation Vito. NTG5*1 is fitted to facelift A, B, CLA, GLA, W207-E, W212-E, CLS, GLE and GLS vehicles. NTG5*5 was fitted to the new W213-E class and is replacing NTG5*2 as vehicles are face-lifted.
The NTG 5.0 plays the following file formats:
Audio:
* MP3 v1, 128 kbit/s, 44.1 kHz, Stereo (.mp3)
* MP3 v1, 320 kbit/s, 44.1 kHz, Stereo (.mp3)
* ISO Media, MPEG v4 system, iTunes AAC-LC (.m4a)
* PCM, 16 bit, stereo 44100 Hz (.wav)
Video:
* MPEG sequence, v1, system multiplex (DVD PAL, MPEG2) (.mpg)
* MPEG-4 AVC H264, AAC Audio (.mkv)
* ISO Media, MPEG v4 system, version 1 (.mp4)
Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX)
![Mercedes-Benz C118 Leonberg 2019 IMG 0137](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Mercedes-Benz_C118_Leonberg_2019_IMG_0137.jpg)
The COMAND name is no longer in use and has been replaced by MBUX. The new multimedia system is installed in many Mercedes-Benz vehicles. A second-generation system, called "My MBUX", is being introduced to the new
W223 series S-Class.
Marketing
OMD produced a mobile phone commercial for the MBUX feature.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Comand Aps
Advanced driver assistance systems
Automotive technology tradenames
Human–computer interaction
Mercedes-Benz
de:Comand