The fully automated smart cockpit is truly amazing, but… it’s just the beginning.

In 2012, the first glimpse of the Tesla Model S interior wowed everyone. The dashboard and information displays had been integrated into a large 17-inch control screen at the center of the cockpit ¬– the size of not one but two iPads!

The Tesla Model S triggered a revolution in the intelligentization of car cockpits. Ever since, car manufacturers have been looking for ways to make their touch screens even bigger. Nowadays, if you walk into an auto sales and service store, the salesperson will probably not only walk you through the horsepower, torque, fuel consumption (or battery life) and other general characteristics of the model, but also invite you to sit in the driver's seat so you can take in the generous dimensions of the screen right in front of you.

Figure 1: Tesla Model S uses a 17-inch touch screen to enhance user experience in the car cockpit (Image source: Internet)

From IVI systems to smart cockpits

Although cars are first and foremost a means of transportation, people are increasingly drawn to them for reasons other than this basic function. The automobile has morphed into something far removed from its original concept and primary purpose.

In fact, cars have always been more than “just a means of transportation.” Looking back, it all started from the day the radio was placed in the cockpit. Since then, the cockpit has become increasingly multifunctional. For example, in order to pursue a higher sound quality experience, the CD player was added. Meanwhile the display screen that enables intuitive and aesthetically pleasing graphic interfaces has also “gotten on board,” expediting the emergence of applications such as GPS navigation. The development of in-vehicle networks and wireless communication has further enabled communication and data interaction between car cockpit equipment and other external and internal electronic devices. As a result, a system with relatively comprehensive in-vehicle infotainment functions has gradually taken shape. Typically located at the center of the cockpit, it is known as the IVI system.

To date, no matter how cool the system may be, even enabling passengers to play 3D games, the IVI system is a far cry from being a “smart” cockpit. There are several reasons for this, including:

• Firstly, the IVI system fundamentally does not provide access to core driving information but is wholly utilized for peripheral functions such as infotainment.
• Secondly, in terms of human-machine interaction (HMI), traditional IVI systems lack innovation, are restricted by the specifications of respective car brands, and are primarily still controlled using knobs and buttons.
• Thirdly, they lack data-carrying capacity. In the current in-vehicle environment and the smart transportation system that cars must navigate, traditional IVI systems face challenges in data transmission and data processing as well as in the formation of a complete automated closed loop.

Now that the shortcomings of traditional IVI systems have been identified, we have a clear picture of what the ideal smart cockpit would look like. It should be a driving system that encompasses both in-vehicle infotainment and driving information, provides users with intuitive and efficient human-computer interaction, and supports the transmission and processing of massive amounts of data, thus delivering a complete automated control experience.

Measured against this benchmark, the large touch screen is in fact just one aspect of the entire ideal smart cockpit. Regardless, users are already smitten. The majority of those who have sampled this kind of intuitive control admit to being “addicted”, and declare themselves unable or unwilling to “go back” to the olden days of tinkering with buttons and knobs.

HMI: Market pivot for the smart cockpit

In view of the fact that users are “hooked” at first drive, car companies and tier-1 manufacturers are understandably vying to upgrade their cars.

According to Visteon’s research data, the global market for major smart cockpit products in 2018 was approximately US$32.9 billion, and is expected to reach US$46.1 billion in 2022. This equates to a compound annual growth rate of approximately 8.8%. The Chinese market in particular seems to eagerly embrace the smart cockpit. Research by Soochow Securities shows that China’s market for smart cockpit products reached RMB56.68 billion in 2020, and will climb to RMB103 billion in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 15.2%.

Delving a little more deeply into this macro-data reveals many more interesting insights. In these reports, the subject of the research typically includes the central control display, instrument panel, HUD, driving information display system, infotainment system, and so on. In other words, apart from “IVI systems,” the stand-out feature of the smart cockpit is HMI. This is not surprising since, relatively speaking, optimizing HMI will bring the most immediate benefits to users in the short term.

As mentioned, the “big screen” is not the only means of improving cockpit HMI. In addition, “multiple screens and multi-screen linkage” will definitely gain traction. This is because once the screen becomes too big, it will become a hindrance in the cockpit, where space is inherently limited. Moreover, when an increasing number of functions is crammed onto one single screen and different functions share the same display interface, switching between different functions becomes problematic. Therefore, for smart cockpits to become truly viable, on-board displays must be streamlined and pared down with linkage via data sharing. According to forecasts made by Strategy Analytics, the number of display screens installed in luxury vehicles of the future may exceed 10, and the central control display, digital instrument panel, passenger entertainment screen, smart rearview mirror, transparent A-pillar and so on will all become optional configurations.

Figure 2: NXP i.MX 8QuadMax application processor developed to support vehicle multi-screen applications (Image source: NXP)

HUD head-up display is another aspect that developers and manufacturers are actively exploring in terms of smart cockpit HMI. Using AR technology, HUD projects key driving information onto the front windshield in an image-based manner, and "superimposes" it with the actual road and environment. Hence the driver can intuitively view road and driving conditions without squinting and control the vehicle according to the projected information, such as navigation and safety alerts. Although some professionals believe that in-vehicle HUD has not yet reached maturity, its market inflection point has emerged. Data shows that in 2019, 325 of China’s newly launched car models feature HUD, with a penetration rate of 6.4% that includes mid-range and low-end models. Furthermore, HUD’s penetration rate in China is expected to rise to 40% in the next 3 to 5 years.

Figure 3: HUD system application diagram (Image source: NXP)

As a next-gen technology with strong growth potential in the HMI field, voice recognition is also being integrated into the smart cockpit. A compelling reason for using voice control in a car cockpit is that other HMIs, whether knob button or touch screen, require the driver to “use their hands.” Since voice recognition is “hands-free” and does not require the driver to take their hands off the steering wheel or their eyes off the road (or screen), it represents both convenience and safety.

Though voice control solutions are already “onboard,” and performance is still less than satisfactory, we have reason to believe that as the technology is improved and refined through its applications in other consumer electronics, it’s just a matter of time before voice control becomes a standard feature in smart cockpit configuration.

In addition to the these technical and market factors, "personalization" is also another driving force in the evolution of smart cockpit HMI. Whether touch-screen or voice-controlled, these HMI modes still require the user to issue a "command" before the car will respond. Could it be that one day a vehicle will be able to automatically recognize the user’s identity and make personalized adjustments to settings such as seats, air conditioning and driving routes, all according to the user’s preferences? In this scenario, electronic tags with identification functions would come in handy. NFC and UWB, for instance, will undoubtedly be technical options for personalized HMI in the smart cockpit of the future.

Strictly speaking, the smart cockpit should be a complete automated system that encompasses "perception, thinking, and action." The innovative features that have already been implemented in automotive HMI fulfill just one requirement of a truly smart cockpit, but they are a good starting point. A completely automated vehicle user experience is further down the road, if not just around the corner.