We're being told not to use our smartphones while driving to avoid distractions. However, that's not stopping automakers from installing supersized displays on their dashboards. Mercedes is among the worst offenders with its so-called Hyperscreen. As it turns out, the German luxury brand is not done jamming screens inside its cars.
Speaking with Autocar, the company's chief technology officer Markus Schäfer says there's more where that came from. Apparently, Mercedes is "on a trajectory where you see even more screens in the car." The next big thing? A corner-to-corner display: "Mercedes will go to seamless screens from left to right. That's the next evolution."
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Schäfer promises a "really stunning experience" from the jumbo-sized OLED that uses LG technology and is more than 55 inches (1.4 meters) wide. The graphics should be nothing short of top notch as the goal is to use a video game engine. Meanwhile, the current Hyperscreen consists of three separate displays: a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch infotainment, and a 12.3-inch display for the front passenger.
Archrival BMW has figured out a way to put screens in other places inside its luxobarges. No, we're not talking about the 31.3-inch Theatre Screen that folds down from the ceiling in the 7 Series and China's long-wheelbase 5 Series. Both rear door panels of the flagship integrate 5.5-inch touchscreens to access a variety of features.
However, BMW has signaled it wants to take a different direction with future products. The next wave of EVs based on the Neue Klasse platform will do away with the current side-by-side screen setup. Instead, the Bavarian competitor wants to get rid of the instrument cluster and replace it with a dashboard-wide head-up display. In addition, the infotainment will be moved closer to the center of the dashboard.
As for Audi, the Grandsphere concept – believed to preview the A8 replacement – had a dashboard-wide screen as well. It also featured a separate driver's display mounted on the steering column.
The direction is clear – automakers are getting rid of conventional buttons and knobs and integrating access to those functions inside huge touchscreens. It's not just luxury brands as mainstream car manufacturers also seem to be gradually moving away from traditional controls.
There are some exceptions as Hyundai has pledged to stick to hard buttons. In addition, VW has admitted removing them has been a mistake it wants to fix, starting with the 2025 Golf GTI by reverting to old-fashioned keys on the steering wheel.
