The most notable developments in car infotainment for 2023 include larger displays and new software from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Rivian, and Genesis.
When you’ve gotten used to a car’s electronics and know where everything is, relearning a new automobile is like learning a second language. Automotive infotainment software is evolving so quickly that even the most knowledgeable and experienced vehicle reviewers must study a new infotainment system before settling into it. We did exactly that recently during our weeklong 10Best Trucks testing, which included over 40 new crossovers and SUVs—and we spent just as much time parked as we did driving. Here’s an overview of five of the most recent infotainment platforms.
iDrive 8.0 by BMW
The absence of a cowled instrument cluster on a curved dual-screen display indicates that a new BMW is running iDrive 8.0. This design erases five years of muscle memory because version 5.0 introduced a tiled home screen—and even then, it wasn’t very different from version 4.0. Instead of minor tweaks, iDrive 8.0 is a total overhaul that will be unrecognizable to any existing BMW owner.
iDrive 8.0 by BMW
Climate settings are now permanently located on the lower section of the main display, but you’ll need to press the climate menu to change anything other than the temperature. The home screen includes larger, more colorful widgets that can still be changed and deleted, but the vertical menu bar has been reduced to just four options (Menu, Media, Phone, Nav).
GV60 Genesis
Without BMW’s splash of app icons and rainbow hues, Genesis opts for a cleaner interface. The inviting layout of the G80 and GV80 is jeopardized by a 14.5-inch touchscreen that is so broad that you can’t touch the right side without leaning. Instead, we like the electric GV60’s 12.3-inch touchscreen for its right-sized, easy approach to personalization.
GV60 Genesis
While many automakers now utilize a 3-D representation of the outside to browse car settings, Genesis goes the further mile by including a render of the inside. Matching a virtual viewpoint to your actual vision in the driver’s seat proves to be quite beneficial. Have you tried adjusting the backrest yet are unable to schedule the massage? Tap the virtual seat. Can’t figure out how to modify the arrangement of the instrument panel? When you tap the tiny version, the required settings will appear.
Preset functions may be assigned to two steering wheel buttons. If you haven’t configured them, touching anyone will bring up the touchscreen’s menu settings. It’s the same with the driving aids—everything you need is there at your fingertips. Installing these shortcuts across the software of the vehicle saves time and stress. It’s refreshing that Genesis is attempting to make vehicle setup a one-and-done experience. Not everyone wants to peruse every feature—and many owners may be unaware their cars even have them—so it’s refreshing that Genesis is attempting to make vehicle setup a one-and-done experience.
Rivian R1S and R1T
Rivian’s infotainment system takes cues from Tesla, Porsche, and McDonald’s self-service kiosks. It’s a mix of simplicity and intricacy. There are no actual air-vent controls, for example. You must navigate numerous menus to discover a depiction of the dashboard, then swipe each vent’s air flow as if finger painting. The mirrors and steering column must be adjusted using dials on the steering wheel, which also serve various other tasks.
Rivian R1S and R1T
Turning on the driver’s aids necessitates a certain movement on the column stalk (and we couldn’t find a lane-departure warning, which we assume is in another menu). Locking the car required touching a padlock icon in the top left corner of the screen, and we frequently looked at the locked icon, presuming the vehicle was secured when it was not.
Rivian R1S and R1T
Even though Rivian is a relative newcomer to the automotive market, the screen has solid underpinnings. Large visuals and plenty of white space make it simple to move between driving modes (with plenty of explanations for each setting). The map is clean and swiftly searches for POIs. The primary menu bar runs across the bottom, and the icons are large enough to use while driving.
Rivian R1S and R1T
The screen on the R1T truck opens the hood, charging port, two “gear tunnel” doors behind the cab, the tailgate, and the tonneau cover. The Gear Guard app records every time someone walks near the car, including us every time we approach with the key.
Hyperscreen Mercedes-Benz
Every other automobile display in the world pales in comparison to the Mercedes-Hyperscreen. Benz’s 56-inch glass covering the whole dash, available in EQ models including the EQS SUV, contains three different screens: a 12.3-inch instrument panel, a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the passenger, and a 17.7-inch touchscreen in the middle. Driving the Hyperscreen and the electric car linked to it is analogous to operating a desktop gaming PC.
Hyperscreen Mercedes-Benz
The eight-core processor and 24 GB of memory are sufficient to stream two media sources across both touchscreens, navigate with augmented reality, monitor traffic and particulate matter outside, save GPS locations for activating parking cameras, manage the precise level of perfume emitted from the vents, run massage therapy, and say “Happy Halloween” before you even pull out of the driveway. The ambient lighting in the greatest home PCs accomplishes more than any overclocked graphics card. The experience is both exciting and distracting: keeping your eyes on the road requires effort.
Hyperscreen Mercedes-Benz
The navigation makes it simple to discover charging stations with a single button and then activates the correct charger without requiring you to swipe a card or open a phone app. The EQS and EQE can charge at EVGA, ChargePoint, and Electrify America stations by just pressing the screen and plugging in. You must follow the steps exactly—and if you touch another screen menu, you must repeat the process—but this is a significant improvement for EV ease.
Ariya Nissan
Nissan updated its outdated software in the 2023 Ariya to accommodate the latest widescreens. Many other Nissan vehicles, notably the Armada, operate their wide screens in a smaller, square window that will only stretch map material across the full screen. Ariya’s basic screen makes use of every pixel on its 12.3-inch screen. With horizontal sliding, it adds colorful tiles to the home screen and a left-aligned vertical main menu of shortcut icons.
Ariya Nissan
The visuals appear archaic in comparison to the digital gauge cluster, which appears crisper and cleaner throughout its many configurations. However, for Nissan, which has struggled to develop a competitive infotainment system, this is a significant advancement.