Research on design trends of intelligent cockpits: explore 3D, integrated interaction.
In 2022, multiple automakers have released new concept car models, showing their vision and understanding of future smart cars and providing innovative ideas for the development of future intelligent cockpits. For example, in early 2022, Mercedes-Benz unveiled ISION EQXX, a new concept car that displays a new interior cockpit concept. As well as lightweight, sustainable materials, this car packs a 47.5-inch completely seamless ultrathin one-piece display (with an 8K resolution and the backlight consisting of more than 3000 local dimming zones) and introduces game engines and fully optimized user interfaces. As concerns HMI design, the system mounted on the car is structured along neuromorphic principles and adopts an intuitive working method that mimics the workings of the human brain.
In November 2022, Yanfeng introduced XiM23, a new concept car that interprets the company’s understanding of future luxury cockpits: a through-type extended curved display (dashboard + 2 center console screens) that can be hidden and lifted + a lifting multi-functional Phygital controller (display + knob, with gesture control and interactive smart surface features). In terms of driving modes, this car (with L2 driving assistance functions) offers two default manual driving modes, Calm and Rich, and the L4 autonomous driving mode.
In addition to concept cars, there are also a number of innovative models launched on market in 2022. In particular, the cars from emerging carmakers, such as Li Auto L9, AITO M7, Avatr 11 and Jidu ROBO-01 Lunar Edition, bear new products and technologies including human-computer interaction, displays, seats, sound effects, ambient lights, and smart surfaces. New technologies, new scenarios and new modes are springing up.
Li Auto’s second model, L9, was rolled out in June 2022. With interiors laid out with new technological thinking, this car enables five-screen three-dimensional space interaction. The second-row central screen cancels the conventional instrument panel design, and the information content of the dashboard is distributed to the small-sized display in the center of the steering wheel, and HUD, offering intuitive, simple and direct experience.
Jidu ROBO-01 Lunar Edition released in November 2022 packs a 35.6-inch integrated display with a high color gamut of 95% NTSC and an ultrahigh contrast ratio of 10,000:1, as well as a 3D immersive cockpit with voice and user emotion recognition capabilities. This car can interact with the outside world about its own state and emotions. Its robotized front face design integrates interactive AI pixel headlights and an AI voice interaction system with a high recognition rate. The external voice recognition function enables the natural communication between people, vehicle and environment.
The intelligent cockpit is a space that provides users with human, vehicle and environment needs and information interaction. The intelligent vehicle consumption upgrade favors the interaction mode switching from the conventional flat, relatively independent interaction mode to the three-dimensional integrated interaction mode. Continuous efforts will be made to explore the demand for emotional interaction and human-vehicle “resonance”. Moreover users have ever greater demand for personalized car services and emotional interaction. The development of intelligent cockpits lays more stress on personalized space, and friendly interaction and services.
3D Unreal Engine is applied, and human-machine interface offers more three-dimensional, intuitive and convenient interaction.
As an open real-time 3D creation platform, Unreal Engine has found broad application in automotive design and engineering, especially in human-computer interaction. An increasing number of automakers have partaken in the joint development with Unreal Engine. The likes of Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, GM, SAIC IM Motors, and Xpeng Motors all use Unreal Engine in their intelligent cockpits to make the interaction more intuitive and three-dimensional and improve cockpit immersive experience and driving safety.
IM L7, launched on market in 2022, bears a 3D user interface (UI) co-created by Banma Zhixing and Unity. It supports multi-screen streaming and cross-screen display of 3D applications, 3D visualization of the car control interface, and 3D particle dynamic effects on the air-conditioner interface, intelligent driving HD map display, and immersive games that combine vehicle information and multi-mode interaction.
Xpeng G9, marketed in 2022, carries 3D UI for human-computer interaction. Developed with Unity 3D rendering engine, this feature enables control on suspension, air conditioners, windows, trunk and ambient lights via the 3D car model touch screen in the car control display. Moreover the new interaction system can render 3D maps in real time to improve navigation accuracy, and also allows users to control car details such as windows and suspension through the large display, a visible way.
The intelligent cockpit design of the new 7th-generation Ford Mustang launched in 2022 is inspired by fighter jets. The car is equipped with two displays developed with the 3D Unreal Engine platform, and supports customizable functions such as animation design and new driving mode display interface.
The future Unreal Engine is likely to become a general-purpose next-generation engine that empowers the automotive industry, and provides creation teams with efficient cooperative productivity and better interaction experience to bring the creativity of designers into full play.
The cockpit scenario mode design tends to be personalized, user-defined and all-scenario integrated.
Scenario mode is a major development trend of future intelligent cockpits. There are mainly two types of modes: interior scenario, and interior and exterior combined scenario. In terms of interior scenario mode, currently new car models enable simple scenario interaction through intelligent configurations such as voice, ambient lights, and multi-functional seats. For instance, when the nap mode available in most car models is turned on, the driver's seat will automatically "lay flat", the air conditioner will automatically open and the lights, windows, sunroof, and visors will all be closed; after the timing ends, there will be a music alarm, and the seat will return to its original state after clicking the end.
In the trend for software-defined vehicles and service-oriented architecture (SOA) design, this mode supports editing of intelligent scenarios on the intelligent cockpit screens. Many new car functions are not always developed from scratch, but as for a number of simple functions based on intelligent scenario combination, the SOA software architecture allows OEMs to abstract each minimum function into atomic services, and freely combine them into a more intelligent scenario-based function by way of service calling. The trend for user-defined, personalized intelligent cockpit scenarios becomes ever more obvious.
IM L7 that features IMOS and Onehit scenario-based experience design allows car owners to combine vehicle control items into their own exclusive modes. For example, it enables one-button definition of the female owner welcoming and built-in nap mode that supports one-button control on seats, air conditioner and fragrance, and display of the teamLab-customized flowering dynamic effect on the screen, so as to offer immersive relaxation experience, while in the pet mode, the system automatically adjusts the air conditioner ventilation to create a comfortable environment for the pet. Furthermore, the ISC at the front and rear of the car can express the state of the pet in the car in a warmly manner, so as not to worry passersby.
In addition, as new technologies are adopted and autonomous driving matures, in the future cockpit scenarios will evolve from single scenarios to multi-scenario integration to meet user needs. In different scenarios, the changing interior space facilitates the expansion of the interior modes, which can be converted according to different scenarios of driving, rest, and office. When the user needs a rest, the steering wheel can be retracted, and the seat can be folded down or even become a bed; when the user needs to communicate with other occupants or entertain, the seat can be rotated; when the user needs to watch a movie, the entire window or windshield can turn into a large display.
The vehicle cockpit game market is flourishing, and the market demand is waiting to be unleashed.
As intelligent driving advances, the entertainment functions of intelligent cockpits are being developed. In recent years, multiple automakers like Tesla, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, GAC, Great Wall Motor, BYD and Li Auto have begun to deploy vehicle games. Among them, Tesla is a pioneer. In June 2019, Tesla introduced the Arcade Game Platform in which users can access a variety of Atari games via the center console screen, and then the real-time game OTA updates are available. In June 2021, Tesla demonstrated the 3A masterpiece game "Cyberpunk 2077" at the Model S Plaid Launch. In July 2022, Tesla announced that it would integrate the Steam game platform into the car, allowing users to experience a mass of Steam games in the car.
The entertainment system of Li Auto L9, a new model launched in 2022, supports connection and mirroring of Switch and other game console devices, turning the car into a "mobile game space for the whole family" and bringing consumers better ride experience. The 220V power supply of Li Auto L9, equipped with the HDMI-Type-C adapter cable, allows users to play all kinds of game consoles and 3A masterpieces in the car.
At present, the demand for vehicle games has yet to be unleashed, but when the maturing autonomous driving technologies enable hands-free driving, the demand for vehicle games will usher in a boom period. It is expected that the penetration rate of vehicle games will be higher than 20% after L4 autonomous driving comes into service.
In the future, the maturing intelligent and autonomous driving technologies will help to make vehicles large mobile intelligent terminals; vehicle games will trend to provide more spatial and immersive experience; the forms and types of games will also become more diversified.
In-vehicle Payment and ETC Market Research Report, 2024
Research on in-vehicle payment and ETC: analysis on three major application scenarios of in-vehicle payment
In-vehicle payment refers to users selecting and purchasing goods or services in the car an...
Automotive Audio System Industry Report, 2024
Automotive audio systems in 2024: intensified stacking, and involution on number of hardware and software tuning
Sales of vehicle models equipped with more than 8 speakers have made stea...
China Passenger Car Highway & Urban NOA (Navigate on Autopilot) Research Report, 2024
NOA industry research: seven trends in the development of passenger car NOA
In recent years, the development path of autonomous driving technology has gradually become clear, and the industry is acce...
Automotive Cloud Service Platform Industry Report, 2024
Automotive cloud services: AI foundation model and NOA expand cloud demand, deep integration of cloud platform tool chainIn 2024, as the penetration rate of intelligent connected vehicles continues to...
OEMs’ Passenger Car Model Planning Research Report, 2024-2025
Model Planning Research in 2025: SUVs dominate the new lineup, and hybrid technology becomes the new focus of OEMs
OEMs’ Passenger Car Model Planning Research Report, 2024-2025 focuses on the medium ...
Passenger Car Intelligent Chassis Controller and Chassis Domain Controller Research Report, 2024
Chassis controller research: More advanced chassis functions are available in cars, dozens of financing cases occur in one year, and chassis intelligence has a bright future. The report combs th...
New Energy Vehicle Thermal Management System Market Research Report, 2024
xEV thermal management research: develop towards multi-port valve + heat pump + liquid cooling integrated thermal management systems.
The thermal management system of new energy vehicles evolves fro...
New Energy Vehicle Electric Drive and Power Domain industry Report, 2024
OEMs lead the integrated development of "3 + 3 + X platform", and the self-production rate continues to increase
The electric drive system is developing around technical directions of high integratio...
Global and China Automotive Smart Glass Research Report, 2024
Research on automotive smart glass: How does glass intelligence evolve
ResearchInChina has released the Automotive Smart Glass Research Report 2024. The report details the latest advances in di...
Passenger Car Brake-by-Wire and AEB Market Research Report, 2024
1. EHB penetration rate exceeded 40% in 2024H1 and is expected to overshoot 50% within the yearIn 2024H1, the installations of electro-hydraulic brake (EHB) approached 4 million units, a year-on-year ...
Autonomous Driving Data Closed Loop Research Report, 2024
Data closed loop research: as intelligent driving evolves from data-driven to cognition-driven, what changes are needed for data loop?
As software 2.0 and end-to-end technology are introduced into a...
Research Report on Intelligent Vehicle E/E Architectures (EEA) and Their Impact on Supply Chain in 2024
E/E Architecture (EEA) research: Advanced EEAs have become a cost-reducing tool and brought about deep reconstruction of the supply chain
The central/quasi-central + zonal architecture has become a w...
Automotive Digital Power Supply and Chip Industry Report, 2024
Research on automotive digital power supply: looking at the digital evolution of automotive power supply from the power supply side, power distribution side, and power consumption side
This report fo...
Automotive Software Business Models and Suppliers’ Layout Research Report, 2024
Software business model research: from "custom development" to "IP/platformization", software enters the cost reduction cycle
According to the vehicle software system architecture, this report classi...
Passenger Car Intelligent Steering Industry Research Report, 2024
Intelligent Steering Research: Steer-by-wire is expected to land on independent brand models in 2025
The Passenger Car Intelligent Steering Industry Research Report, 2024 released by ResearchInChina ...
China Passenger Car Mobile Phone Wireless Charging Research Report, 2024
China Passenger Car Mobile Phone Wireless Charging Research Report, 2024 highlights the following:Passenger car wireless charging (principle, standards, and Qi2.0 protocol);Passenger car mobile phone ...
Automotive Smart Exteriors Research Report, 2024
Research on automotive smart exteriors: in the trend towards electrification and intelligence, which exteriors will be replaced by intelligence
The Automotive Smart Exteriors Research Report, 2024 r...
Automotive Fragrance and Air Conditioning System Research Report, 2024
Research on automotive fragrance/air purification: With surging installations, automotive olfactory interaction is being linked with more scenarios.
As users require higher quality of personalized, i...