The passenger gets their own touchscreen.
The all-electric Porsche Taycan is the first in a line of electric vehicles from the performance brand. And while it’s running on electrons instead of dead dinosaurs, the automaker is determined to make sure that the vehicle is still an experience that focuses on driving first and foremost.
To stay true to the Porsche’s sportscar DNA, the Taycan will ship with the company’s brand new streamlined infotainment system. The automaker still has the three main customer-placed widgets on the home screen, but the data and how it’s displayed has been optimized to keep the driver’s eyes on the road instead of searching for important details.
To help reduce any confusion between how features work, the automaker also standardized the menu and layout for all the options. Plus, throughout the system, the home screen, vehicle and notification options are always one click away.
That minimalism extends to the new center console display that sits above the shifter and between the driver and passenger. The automaker has replaced the glass panel with a touchscreen that controls the climate controls and touchpad that features haptic feedback. Drivers can use it to navigate the main infotainment screen or as a handwriting input device.
The features (suspension, traction control, raising the suspension) that used to reside in the center console are now touch controls and reside adjacent to the dash cluster. While the design of the cluster stays true to the 911, it’s now completely digital. That opens the ability to fill the 16.8-inch screen with classic car information, remove everything but the speedometer, or fill it completely with navigation.
While three screens seem like the opposite of a “less is more” aesthetic, there’s also a fourth screen for the passenger. It’ll be interesting to see what features the automaker adds to that additional piece of visual real estate.
Finally, to help control all these features, the automaker will be adding voice control. The “Hey Porsche” wake word follows along with the rest of the industry but is a great step in reducing distracted driving. Talking to your car to play a song from Apple Music for example, is way safer than navigating via a touchscreen.
The production version of the Porsche Taycan is scheduled to be unveiled in September.
