What Makes The Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile Concept So Efficient?

Side view of the Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA

How does the Concept IAA work?

As new technologies are invented, cars are becoming more and more efficient. But exactly how efficient are they? The truth is that we lose a lot of the energy that the combustion engine creates to excess heat, idling time, and aerodynamic drag. Many people don’t realize the effect drag has on a vehicle. Just like in an airplane, when a car is in motion, it is fighting against the air pushing back in front of it. In an effort to combat this problem, Mercedes-Benz has unleashed the Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile, or IAA for short. It is a concept vehicle that was unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany and it is bringing the imaginations of motorists to life. If you are asking yourself “How does the Concept IAA work?”, then you came to the right place.

Exterior

Mercedes-Benz has recognized that the most efficient design in the city may not be the most efficient on the highway. With this epiphany, it created this transforming missile. Either by a press of a button or by simply reaching a speed of 50 MPH, the IAA goes changing to try and please you. The main attraction is the body length. The back end and the front both extend to make the car longer. This provides a smoother curve along the top of the vehicle. There is also an underbody guard that extends below the car from the front grille, which also has active grille shutters. Our favorite part about the IAA is the setup of the rims. They look like something out of a science-fiction movie, but just wait until they flatten out to further reduce drag.

Interior

[/bscolumns]Resembling the F 015 Concept, the IAA has a rich, white interior with an excess of LEDs and touch screens. It also features a huge panoramic sunroof as a friendly reminder that this is only a concept car and we will unfortunately never be able to own one. With the popularity this vehicle is basking in, though, we could definitely see a transformation of cars to look more like this in the next decade or so. Could this be a future CLS? We sure hope so. So how does the Concept IAA work? It gets long, skinny, and flat to minimize drag coefficient by as much as possible.