Car interiors evolving into living rooms on wheels. Here’s how

A decade ago, visitors to an auto show would have seen cars with dashboards loaded with dials, knobs and mechanical buttons. Interactive engagement between the occupants and the car’s onboard system was still a futuristic idea.

However, a decade later, the situation has gone through a massive evolution. Human-machine interfaces (HMI) are now taking over the car interiors with the auto OEMs implementing smart digital interfaces built on advanced technology platforms. This gradual and drastic transformation from mechanical to electronic HMI controls promises to revolutionize the driving experience of drivers and vehicle users.

The mechanical interfaces in passenger vehicles are increasingly being replaced by voice controls, touch-sensitive panels, digital surfaces, wireless communications etc. With the advent of advanced technology-aided features that are focused on the convenience and comfort of the driver as well as driving safety, technologies such as windshields being used as heads-up displays, showing traffic updates, weather reports and other information may become a reality shortly. Overall, the HMI capabilities in modern cars are growing increasingly sophisticated, propelling massive growth in the segment of the in-car electronics market.