The best protection for passengers is still a driver who is fully concentrated. Which is why the driver's seat must be shielded from distractions and operation should be intuitive, with controls which are easy to reach. The Citaro sets new standards in this area, too.

Everything is in the right place here. Nothing should distract a Citaro driver from his or her work. This is what we've worked to achieve. The driver's seat position has been raised slightly to give better all-round vision ‒ the driver is now on eye-level with the passengers. In addition, through extending the front, legroom has been increased ‒ while improving collision protection at the same time, too. The change gives an optimal seat position on long working days.

There are two more large round air nozzles for air intake in the instrument panel. There is room for a larger pollen filter behind the larger air intake grille which is to the side immediately behind the driver's seat. The new air extraction unit behind the driver's seat ensures greater air flow through the cab.

Another new feature: the front box for ventilating and heating the driver's area has been positioned centrally. This ensures more even demisting of the entire windscreen. It is also electrically heated.

It is also easier to read the instruments and operate the switches in the Citaro: we have improved the shape and the grouping of both, and used more distinctive colours to make the tachometer and rev counter stand out. The multifunction steering wheel is also a new feature in the Citaro. Menu navigation is simple, by means of the function buttons on the steering wheel. Whether a status message or an operating indicator – everything is shown clearly and comprehensibly on the colour display.

The instrument panel is of such a stable construction that additional units weighing up to 1.5 kg and 2.5 kg could be attached to the left and right respectively. In such a case, anchorage adapters and cable ducting can be ordered as optional equipment ex factory ‒ the customer's own equipment can thus be integrated in a much more elegant way than before.

With attachments it is important to take care that the driver's field of vision is in no way restricted.

The new driver protection door can protect the driver from unexpected attacks. Depending on the intended deployment of the vehicle and the degree of protection desired, there are four modular constructions available.

The door is now hinged at the rear and opens at the front. This means the driver can get directly and really quickly from the main front door to his/her workstation and vice versa. In the event of an attack the driver protection door secures the escape possibilities for the driver.

With its independent suspension on the front axle, the Citaro has set new standards in regular-service buses. Great straight-line stability and excellent steerability together with comfortable springs ensure the same quiet and easy handling as found in a touring coach.