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Mazda: ‘Let’s Cut It Out With the Giant Screens, Already’

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Tesla Model S

Huge infotainment screens have become something of a staple of vehicle interior design lately, from Tesla’s huge center screen that controls everything in the car to the many cars where the screen dominates the center of the dashboard.


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However, Mazda has said that’s about enough of that. It said, “In recent times, car interiors have come to be dominated by large displays. Although considerable amounts of information need to be supplied to the person operating the car, these screens can easily become a barrier that blocks the driver’s view.”

Mazda KAI CONCEPT

Notice what isn’t there?

Come to think of it, when Mazda revealed its two new concept vehicles at the Tokyo Motor Show last month, there was a conspicuous absence of infotainment screens in the either the VISION COUPE or KAI CONCEPT—what screens there were are sandwiched into a long, thin area, out of the driver’s line of sight to the road. This is a pretty strong break from the automaker’s previous approach, which featured a center-mounted screen that rose above the dashboard.


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Mazda may be on to something about the distraction factor of infotainment systems—back in October, AAA and the University of Utah released a study that concluded that in-vehicle systems, particularly those using touchscreens, are dangerously distracting for the driver.

Instead, Mazda wants us to focus on the drive, maximizing the brand’s philosophy of Jinba-Ittai, which is defined as a bond like between a horse and its rider, and really, we can’t fault any automaker for getting drivers to pay more attention to the road.

News Source: The Verge