Automakers take digital cockpits to the next level

Digital cockpits have been on the horizon for a while now, and many automakers have already made large touchscreens a staple of the interior.

For the next-generation of in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, there appears to be a two-pronged attack: even bigger displays and embedded intelligence that can speak with passengers. At the 2021 CES, both BMW and Mercedes-Benz revealed new-look cockpit technologies that will underpin future models.

The new iDrive system will first hit the market in the BMW iX, an electric SUV that is slated to enter production in 2021. A curved digital screen wraps around the driver’s section of the cockpit, and can