Mentioning touchscreens to most car enthusiasts is a bit like talking about SUVs. Rather, they hate them. Of course, they serve a purpose, consolidating many of the purposes of today’s complex vehicles. But in doing so, automakers risk overwhelming the driving force and ruining the user experience. That’s even before we know the ergonomics and aesthetics of giant screens. forcing designers to design complete boards according to their location. Klaus Busse, Maserati’s global design director, is well aware of the threats, demanding situations and rewards involved in integrating touchscreens into Italy’s most iconic passenger cars.
The Drive caught up with Busse at the recent unveiling of the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore in Italy, where the superstar designer shared his emotions about fashion on touchscreens.
“We use screens because there are so many features in a car that if you had to put a button on everything, the cockpit would look like an old 747,” Busse told The Drive. “The concept is to organize things on a screen that presents the driving force with only what it wants at that moment. “
Famous for leading the design renaissance of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram a decade ago, the stylish German has had his hands full in recent years with brands like Alfa Romeo, Fiat and, of course, Maserati, working his magic with the new Tonale. , 500e and MC20. Busse admits he’s not a “big fan” of touchscreens, but he firmly believes they’re the right answer in today’s vehicles, especially luxury sports cars like Maserati.
Busse believes that the right formula for a harmonious lifestyle lies in design and satisfying the driver’s instincts. He explained that the placement of the screens and the data displayed on them deserve Maserati to be synonymous with excitement when driving and minimizing distractions.
“But where do we put the screen? Maserati puts it in such a position that if you have your hands on the wheel, you can let your hand fall on the screen,” Busse added. “I don’t need the driving force to take my shoulder out of the seat to get to the screen and lose the ideal riding position.
“It’s not here [on the most sensitive part of the dashboard] where it’s in most other cars because I don’t need the screen to visually distract the driver. As a species, we respond to movement. The last thing I need [as a designer] is movement in your peripheral view to distract you from what you should enjoy, which is the Maserati driving experience. From a distraction standpoint and from an ease standpoint, that’s why we cut down on screens.
If Busse had the freedom to design its ultimate interior, would it still come with a screen?
“yes, you know, when I say I’m a big fan [of screens], it doesn’t mean I would do anything else with interiors. I think [the screen] is the right answer,” he said.
“A Maserati isn’t just a sports car, it’s not just a comfortable long-distance cruiser: it’s one of two worlds, so I have to be one to cope with all the features that come into play in either experience. There’s only one way to do it,” and that’s screens. That’s why I use my smartwatch and not just my analog watch,” Busse said.
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