Volvo has previewed its next-generation in-car control system and user interface, presented on a tablet-size touchscreen.
The system replaces the traditional range of hardware buttons and controls on the center stack, combining tablet functionality and vehicle controls. The display takes advantage of multi-touch gestures such as swiping and pinching, now familiar to the general public thanks to mobile devices.
“The basic idea is to organize controls and information in a perfectly intuitive and user-friendly way,” said Volvo’s senior vice president of design, Thomas Ingenlath. “Everything is exactly where you expect it to be, making the drive more enjoyable, efficient, and safe.”
The interface centers around a stack of expandable ’tiles’ that each provide access to a different function group, such as navigation, media and telephone. A thin notification band sits above the tiles, while climate controls are located at the bottom of the display.
“It is fine for an ordinary tablet to fight for your full attention but a touch screen in a car is very different,” added Ingenlath. “Information must be clear and user-friendly, without turning up the visual volume so much that you risk losing focus on the road. This also makes it easier to make really urgent information, such as a warning, much more distinctive.”
Touchscreens have become commonplace in vehicles, with varying degrees of success. Some view the approach as an inevitable technological advancement, while others find the touch-based controls and complex interactive displays to be distracting and unnecessary.
“Using the screen is so logical that it will be part of your muscle memory very quickly,” promises Ingenlath.
Volvo’s new in-car experience will initially arrive on the 2014 XC90.