Current Infotainment Priorities Should Focus on Core Functionality, Not Stationary UX
Strategy Analytics – This year’s virtual CES 2021 saw two trends combine to form one megatrend that dominated automotive exhibits: Immersive Infotainment. Many automotive stakeholders are realizing that infotainment related experiences are an increasingly important part of the car buying decision – a realization that has been hastened in no small part by the exploding popularity of the screen-based cockpit, as Tesla and smartphone projection systems dominate the design discussion.
Strategy Analytics’ In-Vehicle UX (IVX) service has summarized its findings from CES 2021 in a new report, “Automotive UX at 2021 CES: Suppliers Revisit Immersive Infotainment”. In midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, consumers see owned vehicles as “safe spaces” for not just travel, but for a variety of delightful group activities such as drive-in movies and drive-through meal pick-up. Immersive screen-based experiences (albeit in stationary vehicles for now) were prolific throughout automakers’ and suppliers’ virtual exhibits.
Commented Derek Viita, report author and Senior Analyst IVX, “Though richly immersive experiences are the obvious next step in the evolution of the screen-centric car interior, it still ignores what a large majority of car owners want for the next few model turns. ‘Stationary car UX’ is certainly an important consideration for some narrower market segments such as car owners in China and early-adopting EV owners; but for most car owners, especially key car-buying segments in the West, these immersive experiences still do not resonate.”
Added Chris Schreiner, Director, IVX , “The low-hanging-fruit of immediate importance for the next five to seven years will include connected and contextual satnav, clever integration of connected media and advanced safety features. Highly immersive in-vehicle experiences will bring value-adds in the future, but the more pressing priorities for the majority should not be overlooked in the shorter term.”
