If you want to know what pieces of technology are just around the corner, there are lots of places you can look. There are many magazines, many television programmes, and many more websites that chronicle the advancements of technology. But for me, theres only one place i need to turn to. The one guru thats never wrong, expecially when it comes to technology in cars. If you want to know which pieces of kit will, in ten years or so, come as standard options on your new car, you need only looks as far as a Mercedes S class.

But before we move on to the car itself, lets start with a bit of a quiz. What was the first car ever to be fitted with electronic anti-lock brakes? What was the first car ever to be fitted with air bags? Three point seat belts? Satellite Navigation? The answer to all these questions is the Mercedes S class. It really is the genesis of in-car technology. Every major advancement in motoring equipment and efficiency has been pioneered in the S class.

Whilst you won’t be very excited about the aesthetics of the car (for example, there are four doors, four wheels, and some space in between the front and back bumpers for you to sit), it is very hard indeed not to get excited about what is resting underneath the bonnet. You can order a range of power houses for the S class from Mercedes, ranging anywhere from a not-so-impressive V6, right the way up to a heart-stopping V12. But that’s  not the truly impressive part. What is impressive, is the two massive turbochargers that have been added to the V12 engine, pushing up the output to a very helpful 517bhp, and resulting in a 0-60 time of 4.6 seconds. But before you go thinking this car is all about speed, let me tell you about some of the comfort on offer.

Never mind that it has sculpted leather upholstery throughout, and that the rear legroom would put most cathedrals to shame, the S class doesn’t require you to do anything as old fashioned as pushing buttons. Instead, you just talk to the car. For example, one mention of the words “Radio two”, will ensure you are immediately enveloped in the lustful tones of Sir Terry Wogan. And the magic doesn’t stop there either, because Mercedes have equipped the S class with something called “Radar Guided Cruise Control”, which essentially means you can give both feet a rest, as the car just sets its speed to the car in front, and follows such movements as braking and accelerating with no input from the driver. What this means then is that you are no longer really needed as part of the driving process. The satellite navigation will ensure you never get lost. The on-board digital television will ensure you are never bored. And now, thanks to this frankly brilliant piece of kit, you’re not even needed to drive it; you’re just along for the ride.

It is only when day turns to night however, that the S class can turn on its party piece. Aside from the headlamps being light sensitive, meaning they’ll come on automatically as soon as it gets dark, this car is fitted with an infer-red camera at the front, and what this means is that it sees what’s in front, before you can.  This revolutionises night time driving, and is sure to reduce road traffic accidents in the future.

But what does most amaze me about the S class, is that all this equioment, all this baffling technology, is so easy to use. I’m not kidding when i say the entire car could easily be operated by a child. This means that the whole car experience is very relaxing, and thats without help from the auto-massaging chairs. In fact, studies have shown that your heart beats 5 or 6 times a minute less in an S class, than if you were sitting in a BMW or a Ford.

The conclusion here then is very simple. The S class is the first place to look for technology, it’s the first place to look for safety, and it’s the first place to look for comfort. It really is all things to all men. The S class is to me, like a butler. It knows what you want, without you having to ask for it. Your next car choice then should be a very easy one. Just ask for Jeeves.