"Screens are not luxury," declares Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer at Mercedes-Benz, in defiance of the current trend of massive screens inside cars. This statement contradicts what Mercedes has previously said about its extensive Hyperscreen, a massive 56-inch display found in the EQS sedan. In fact, not long ago, the company suggested that screens could get even bigger in future models.
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Mercedes-Benz
While its roots trace back to the Benz Patent Motorwagen in 1895, Mercedes-Benz was officially founded in June 1926 when Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie. (the world's oldest car company) merged to create Daimler-Benz. This German manufacturer of premium cars is historically known for its motorsport pedigree in early Grand Prix racing, its off-road prowess in the creation of military vehicles like the Genadewagen (now G-Class), and its focus on utmost luxury and technological innovation in models like the S-Class and SL. Today, it is one of the world's largest automakers.
S-Class Still Getting the Hyperscreen
Even though Mercedes is now questioning the need for huge screens, the upcoming S-Class facelift will still include the Hyperscreen. Spy photos of test vehicles confirm that the flagship sedan will adopt this display, bringing its interior in line with the EQS. This suggests that, while Mercedes may be rethinking its approach, the transition away from large screens will not happen immediately.
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Meanwhile, BMW has taken the opposite approach. The company has made it clear that it will not follow the trend of increasing screen sizes but instead choose to focus on displaying important information through technologies like the Panoramic iDrive, which projects data across the windshield, allowing drivers to stay connected to the road without the distraction of oversized screens.
Mercedes-Benz
Big Screens Still Have Their Benefits
Despite the debate, large screens do have their benefits, especially for passenger entertainment. BMW's 7 Series, for example, offers an optional 31-inch 8K panoramic Theater Screen for rear-seat passengers, turning the cabin into a mini movie theater. Mercedes is also exploring ways to use big screens creatively. The company is working with Sony to bring IMAX movies to its vehicles, which could be especially useful as self-driving technology advances. Mercedes already has government approval to use hands-free, autonomous driving systems in certain regions, which suggests that in the future, drivers can safely engage with in-car entertainment systems during periods of automated driving.
For now, automakers are taking different approaches. Mercedes is still using massive screens but is beginning to reconsider its role in luxury cars. On the other hand, BMW is sticking to its belief that bigger is not always better as it continues to focus on driver-centric design. Regardless of which direction carmakers choose, the goal remains the same - to improve the driving experience without sacrificing comfort, safety, or convenience. The comment made by Wagener at the outset indicates that Mercedes will aim to improve other aspects of the motoring experience to convey luxury rather than counting just on the abilities of screens, but for many, that should be done in conjunction with smaller screens, not instead of them.
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Source: "Screens Aren't Luxury" Says Mercedes As It Installs Its Biggest Screen Yet Into S-Class
