Mercedes-Benz makes its mobile SDK available to developers

Mercedes-Benz is making its mobile software development kit available to developers. The automotive giant says it is one of the first in its market to do so.

Mercedes-Benz says the opening of the SDK is intended to “enrich the Mercedes me offering” with additional external services to create an even better customer experience.

Merceded me is a range of online services accessible via mobile, tablet or PC. It can be used to manage maintenance and support.

The Mercedes-Benz Mobile SDK is a kind of tool kit for simplified software development. It gives developers access to various programming interfaces to the vehicle. These can provide information, for example, on the current fuel level or on the mileage driven.

The company says it is harnessing the potential and creative possibilities of the growing developer community for the development of innovative customer services.

Mercedes is planning a hackathon – offering more than €35,000 in prizes – at the IAA Show, which starts tomorrow.

Britta Seeger, Mercedes-Benz board member responsible for cars sales and marketing, says: “Mercedes me provides digital access to the world of Mercedes-Benz.

“This is where, especially for our customers, we bundle innovative services, products and lifestyle offers from Mercedes-Benz, Daimler and our cooperation partners, which go beyond the ’car’ as a product. Our underlying principle is innovation.

“With our sales initiative ‘Best Customer Experience 4.0’, we aim to meet the individual needs of Mercedes-Benz customers in the digital age at the high level to which they are accustomed.

“We are now inviting the worldwide developer community to create attractive and international offers for the Mercedes me platform.

“Already today, Mercedes me delivers countless digital services such as switching on the auxiliary heating from anywhere, sending a destination to the vehicle via Amazon Alexa or Google Home, finding a roadside parking space using real-time information, opening, closing and starting the vehicle by smartphone or sharing one’s vehicle with friends and acquaintances.

“We feel sure that the large global developer community has the potential to come up with a host of creative and innovative ideas for new Mercedes me offers that will delight our customers in future.”

Sajjad Khan, executive vice president, Mercedes-Benz board member for connected and autonomous initiatives, says: “We are one of the first automotive manufacturers to give external software developers around the world access to our own Mercedes-Benz Mobile Software Development Kit.

“The SDK provides access to various programming interfaces to the vehicle. Of course, the focus is once again on security, one of the central core values of Mercedes-Benz.

“Mercedes-Benz has clear guidelines on which data is made available to developers. All Mercedes-Benz vehicles come with extensive security and anti-theft systems. Secure access to systems, data security, data privacy and anti-theft protection are key elements of our research and development activities.

“The same is true especially when it comes to the development of the Mercedes-Benz Mobile SDK.

“Hence talking about the Mercedes-Benz Mobile SDK and the chance to provide access between the vehicle itself and the outside world all will be assessed and proceeded through the Daimler Vehicle Backend, which is protected by appropriate security mechanisms.

“The data is also stored on this secure server. We employ the known IT security mechanisms in accordance with the latest recommendations of the BSI (German Federal Office for Information Security).”