Entertainment systems: When it comes to in-car entertainment, it didn’t seem long ago when a tape deck or CD player was at the leading edge. However, it is desperately attempting to catch up with the introduction of satellite navigation, cell phones, and the ever-increasing convergence of digital and actual automobile infotainment systems.
Screens now dominate the majority of modern automobile dashboards others, classic dials in the instrument panel have been removed. There is now a lot of connectivity and configuration controlled by our infotainment systems, whether you’re making a call, using your preferred streaming service, looking up your location, or just changing the colour of your ambient interior lighting.
We’ve been debating whether touch screens are a blessing or a problem. Since it’s frequently your primary method of interaction with a car, the quality of the infotainment system is probably as important a consideration when choosing a car as anything else when safety is at risk. Some manufacturers do this better than others. Manufacturers compete to produce user-friendly systems for both technophiles and technophobes and offer the essential functionality we expect in a quick-paced environment. Some of our favourites are included below.
Design of the BMW iDrive system
If there was a turning point in the evolution of in-vehicle technology, it was most likely the introduction of BMW’s iDrive in 2001. At the time, it was widely criticized for being too awkward and confusing to combine a straight push-button on the centre console with a centre display operated by a sizable, multifunctional console. The fact that Apple was also marketing the turn-and-drive limitation with its iPod music player may have helped BMW stick to its guns. As time passes,
The interface has improved steadily over time, including options for touch, voice, and gesture activation and more sophisticated and fluid graphics and menus. It is simple to use and has a fantastic appearance to combine customized shortcut tiles for favourite services with a phone-like widget menu. This technology is now in its eighth version. For those who want a tangible connection, some vehicles, like the iX, even kept the push-and-run tachometer, which is currently composed of clear crystal for an incredibly wealthy appearance.
Peugeot cockpit design
Peugeot has worked so hard to digitize the driving experience that they even had to reposition the steering wheel! The tool assembly is visible above the little wheel in this unique design rather than through it. After taking the time to do so, Peugeot produced some of the most innovative digital tools ever, including the floating 3D effect, making crucial data appear in floating layers. In addition to looking cool,
Additionally, it is simple to use due to its unique design and clear graphics. Instead, it demonstrates how clumsily many manufacturers emulate traditional analogue gadgets in digital form. We particularly appreciate the combination of the row of programmable “i-toggle” touch-sensitive shortcut buttons above with the physical, tactile switches for essential functions like audio and ventilation without taking your eyes off the road. Peugeot, congrats!
Volvo interior design
The Swedish qualities of pragmatism and elegance, which characterize Volvo, translate into how it interacts with the many technologies in its vehicles. Earlier, I discovered that displaying information like maps and various layers on a screen in portrait orientation was more user-friendly. It is simple to grasp a combination of shortcut boxes and easier to use more detailed widgets. We applaud the decision to keep the massive central knob, which you can operate with your hands, and a few physical buttons adjacent to it for quick access to critical functions.
It partnered with Google to power its infotainment system alongside brand partner Polestar. It is fantastic news if you want to link your Android phone, notes, and intelligent speaker-powered home gadgets and know how it functions. However, there is less good news for Apple customers, which is made worse by the early lack of a CarPlay connection. Thankfully, this has already been fixed with an over-the-air update, so whichever smartphone clan you belong to, you may now enjoy Volvo’s fantastic UX!
Design technology Mercedes-Benz MBUX
In an unprecedented move, Mercedes has already begun rolling out its newest “MBUX” operating system on its entry-level A-Class, presumably realizing that this vehicle’s target market is younger and more interested in the latest technology. Since then, the focus has shifted to scope, growing in scale and complexity until it reaches the luxurious option of a full-width “Hyperscreen.”
This transforms the entire dash into a digital wonderland on more expensive variants like the electric EQS. It takes a little while to get used to, but eventually, the combination of the touch screen, and the touch-sensitive thumb pads on the wheel makes sense, and it’s simple to access the astonishing assortment of menu system features. It is the ideal digital complement to Mercedes’ high-quality hardware and fittings and has lovely, vivid graphics.
Design technology at Tesla
Although Elon Musk’s “my way or the highway” attitude isn’t popular with everyone, Tesla deserves praise for its exhaustive work with screen-based technology in a way that precisely embodies the values of its tech brand. Tesla has turned its usually straightforward cabin into a showcase for technology by removing nearly all conventional buttons and screens and replacing them with a sizable touchscreen that is vertically oriented.
Its infotainment system incorporates games, streaming entertainment, and various other features. Giving you something to do while your car is plugged in and charging, or if you want to, turning your Tesla into a mobile version of your living room. Some funnier design elements, like the whoopie cushion position for the chairs, are sure to amuse children or those with a childlike sense of humour.
