[RahulNagaraj]

According to media reports, Porsche is said to be deliberately avoiding the introduction of larger screens on its new models, while also retaining the physical buttons for various controls.

Most new vehicles today come with multiple large screens, be it for the digital instrument cluster, the infotainment system or even an additional screen for the front passenger. However, Michael Mauer, head of style at Porsche stated that the brand will not be drawn into the race for screen size. He stated, "I'm very happy that we are so far not following what most of the other brands are doing."



He further added, "Regarding the screens, we always said, first of all it should be integrated, so not having these freestanding big tablets in the car. We always want to create driver orientation, which is one thing [we did with] the curved instrument [cluster in front of the driver]."

New models like the Taycan and Cayenne come with a curved digital instrument cluster, which replaces the three mechanical gauges. However, none of the models from Porsche offers massive tablet-style touchscreen infotainment screens like other models.

Mauer, stated, "So, very much related to our brand identity. And an additional part and point is that we believe that just having touch screens [on their own] is, from an [user experience] side for a car, [hard to use] maybe at higher speed or curvy roads."

In addition, Porsche will continue to offer physical dials and buttons to control its various in-car functions. A decision previously announced by its parent company Volkswagen. Talking about the physical controls, Mauer added, "Still having analogue switches to have direct access… [is key] you do not always have hard or a hard time to push a certain button on the screen."

He went on to add, "We are back to… what is technology offering you, all the new possibilities? But what does the brand stand for, and how do you create a strong brand identity with a certain design? Risking that [for] some potential [new] customers, for that reason, go for another brand. For a strong brand identity you have to have clear strategy and idea."

Source: Drive.au

Link to Team-BHP news

[frewper]

Well, Thank you Porsche, for taking decisions with common sense and not following the masses and putting those painfully large screens and touch screen controls.

Always get an eye sore when I see them and grunt when I have to swipe a screen to find a control rather than press a button.

[abhiijithbhatn]

I think, it may be a age based behavior. I am 40, my parent generation find hard using touch screen in mobiles. I see my kids intuitively touching laptop touchscreen, while i always manage to close the important window i am working.
I believe Porsche is telling its audience that it is a driver's car and mostly catering to my generation which buys their car most.

[cijoalex]

Originally Posted by abhiijithbhatn

I think, it may be a age based behavior. I am 40, my parent generation find hard using touch screen in mobiles. I see my kids intuitively touching laptop touchscreen, while i always manage to close the important window i am working.

Very true an observation I feel. I am also 40. And my parents who are in their seventies have difficulty in handling a touch phone. Calls go unintentionally and many apps gets installed erroneously. They were always comfortable with the keypad phone.

I am comfortable with my touch phone while I can't digest the concept of studying from tablet PC's or laptops. For me, hardcopy text books are the best option.

My niece who is 20 and my daughter who is 8 are super happy reading and studying from their iPads and laptops. For them, doing so from hardcopy books are difficult. They prefer digital highlighter over the pen underlying which I can't digest !

Generation gap do exists and everything changes, except change.

And its true, we all like it our way, how we learned the things to be on the first place. Can't claim they are the best though ! Rosy Retrospection could be a related, interested topic !

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by abhiijithbhatn

I think, it may be a age based behavior. ....
I believe Porsche is telling its audience that it is a driver's car and mostly catering to my generation which buys their car most.

Originally Posted by cijoalex

Very true an observation I feel. I am also 40.
Generation gap do exists and everything changes, except change....Can't claim they are the best though ! Rosy Retrospection could be a related, interested topic !

Sorry, but using touchscreens on phones or tablets can't be compared with trying to use touchscreens while hurtling in a ton/ton and a half piece of metal missile going 40+ km/h.

[asingh1977]

Originally Posted by DicKy

Sorry, but using touchscreens on phones or tablets can't be compared with trying to use touchscreens while hurtling in a ton/ton and a half piece of metal missile going 40+ km/h.

True, to be honest. But sadly, I hardly see a driver these days who is not looking at his phone screen while driving. Majority are. Even bikers. So even if benevolent car makers limit touch usage on screens, the smartphone remains. It is crazy. Totally insane behavior. Now with a high perched Thar I see this abysmal behavior even more. Dangerous.

[BharathXUV700]

Thank you Porsche.

I wish other vehicle manufacturers also adopted this policy of keeping physical buttons for majority of in car functions rather than porting it to screen based operations. I have had the pleasure of driving older generation vehicles with 100% physical buttons and also modern vehicles like Tesla which is almost fully digital and i can say without any doubt that i prefer physical buttons to operate various functions than having to do the same via digital screens. I cannot name one function which i felt it was easier to carry out over a digital screen versus physical buttons.

Also, it bogs my mind that till a few years back, the prevailing thought process was that drivers attention and their hands must be on the steering wheel at all times. In fact, you had certain countries that had overly strict penalties for operating mobile phones while driving. In fact, i recall there was even a discussion somewhere where the government was looking to ban even drivers using hands free phone technology while driving (although i am not quite sure on whether this really got implemented anywhere). Compared to those times, nowadays you have manufacturers developing vehicles that require a driver to operate functions by taking their eyes and hands off the steering wheel and the same governments approve such vehicles to run on the roads.

[abhiijithbhatn]

Originally Posted by DicKy

Sorry, but using touchscreens on phones or tablets can't be compared with trying to use touchscreens while hurtling in a ton/ton and a half piece of metal missile going 40+ km/h.

You are right, there is no denying about safety aspect. Its a catch 22 situation where manufactures are desperately bringing touchscreen and mobile like features to cater to 20-30 year old market (who by statistics are going to spend less on automobile). Unless the car is digitally connected, the young buyer wouldn't buy

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by abhiijithbhatn

You are right, there is no denying about safety aspect. Its a catch 22 situation where manufactures are desperately bringing touchscreen and mobile like features to cater to 20-30 year old market (who by statistics are going to spend less on automobile). Unless the car is digitally connected, the young buyer wouldn't buy

Let there be touchscreens, connected features et al. Needed in this age and like you said to attract young buyers.

But cramming functions and features that has nothing to do with latest connected features into the screen is just cost cutting. Why cram stuff like climate control in touchscreens. Atleast basic controls should be physical. Even smartphones/tablets use physical buttons for volume control. And the menace has reached steering controls too with capactivie touch controls. Heck, even buttons on the doorpads have gone capacitive touch in luxury cars and in due time will trickle down to normal cars.

[kadanaJ]

Originally Posted by abhiijithbhatn

I think, it may be a age based behavior. I am 40, my parent generation find hard using touch screen in mobiles. I see my kids intuitively touching laptop touchscreen, while i always manage to close the important window i am working.
I believe Porsche is telling its audience that it is a driver's car and mostly catering to my generation which buys their car most.

It's not an age thing. I'm 30, and super comfortable with tech. I rely on my laptop, phone, tablet, smartwatch all the time.

But when I'm driving, I'm focusing only on driving. Physical buttons are way easier to use than a screen when on the move. Screens give no physical feedback, and you have to take your eyes off the road for longer.

Heck, I dislike the touch based volume slider in my Baleno, and am super thankful that their are volume buttons on the steering wheel.

IMO, touchscreens are useful for one thing only, and that is navigation/Google maps. Every other control and feature should have a dedicated physical button for ease of use and safety.

What Porsche is doing is smart, and something they can afford as a luxury brand. Putting as many physical buttons in a car as Porsche does, must cost more than moving all those functions into a single screen.

I hope we get more manufacturers following Porsche's lead, and less like Tesla.