Future of mobility: Defining the global automated driving strategy at Mercedes-Benz

Building the future of automated driving isn’t just about engineering – it’s about strategy. While Chinese and American tech giants push forward, Mercedes-Benz leads with safe, certified, and class-defining Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology. But staying ahead requires more than great software. It demands a clear, global vision. That’s why Georges Massing, Vice President of Automated Driving at Mercedes-Benz, turned to Mercedes-Benz Management Consulting (MBMC) for support in developing `OneAD` – a global automated driving strategy designed to transform innovation into market success.

MBMC brought together a diverse team of top consultants, a partner, and an ex-software developer, each bringing unique strengths – strategic vision, deep technical expertise and hands-on development experience, analytical skills, and problem-solving competence. With the full backing of Georges Massing and the trust of his entire organization, we operated at the heart of strategic decision-making. We spoke with leading experts in the US, China, and within Mercedes-Benz itself to uncover what truly sets them apart. Our MBMC office in China provided crucial insights into one of the most competitive and relevant markets for Mercedes-Benz. As internal consulting partners, we had an easier time driving change in this confidential and sensitive strategic topic: moving from generation-based development to an agile, incremental product development approach. We navigated through increasingly complex geopolitical and technical challenges while aligning technology with real-world business needs.

Mercedes-Benz is the industry leader in Level 3 ADAS systems and the first to introduce this feature. “OneAD” has become the strategic backbone of Mercedes-Benz’s automated driving efforts, reshaping how developers think, how managers prioritize, and how the company competes globally. As a consulting partner, MBMC played an important role in driving this transformation. We created transparency across the organization, providing clear insights into capabilities, benchmarking, and communication. Acting as a sparring partner, we offered valuable guidance while also establishing a central hub for strategic data and information exchange. This approach was crucial for navigating the complex transformation process, ensuring alignment across teams and a unified focus on the common goal.The result isn’t just a strategy – it’s a movement, and MBMC helped create it.