Even though displays will dominate future Mercs’ interiors, physical buttons for certain important functions will still be present
by Brad Anderson
7 minutes ago
- While Mercedes is going all-in on large screens, it says there’s still demand for physical controls.
- Premiering on the all-electric GLC is an expansive 39.1-inch screen across the entire dashboard.
- The all-electric Mercedes C-Class could be the next model to receive a screen like the GLC EQ.
If you’re not a fan of big screens in cars, then you’re probably not going to like the new era of Mercedes-Benz models. Shortly after unveiling the all-electric GLC in Munich, the German automaker confirmed that displays like the one in the GLC will be added to future models, allowing owners to customize their vehicle experience.
While recently speaking with Auto Express at the IAA Mobility show in Germany, Mercedes board member for sales and marketing, Mattias Giesen, said that the brand will use large screens alongside physical switches and controls for certain important functions. It likely thinks that this is the best way to remain at the forefront of in-vehicle technology, while still delivering some of the tactical options that consumers have grown accustomed to over the years.
Read: Mercedes Boss Brutally Mocks Audi Concept Interior
“I think it’s important that we address different customer requirements,” said Giesen. “We don’t want to be innovative for the sake of being innovative. We want to be innovative where it makes sense for the customer. This screen gives us a great opportunity, not just to put in a big screen, but to allow the customer to customize their whole vehicle experience. It’s not just a big screen.”
He added that, with the electric GLC, Mercedes has “brought back real switches on the steering wheel, because it was something customers said they weren’t happy with.” Chief software officer Magnus Ostberg noted that its internal data has shown that for the GLC, the buying demographic tends to be older and prefer traditional controls.
“In the GLC, you saw we put back the rollers because we see data that these physical buttons are very important for certain age groups and certain populations, so having that balance between physical buttons and the touch is extremely important for us,” he noted. “We’re really working on how we optimize it for the different regions, for the different age groups, and also for the different sizes of the vehicle.”
One of the next Mercs expected to receive a similar screen layout to the GLC will be the new all-electric C-Class that will rival the forthcoming BMW i3. While Stuttgart has yet to showcase its interior, a recent teaser image did reveal it will receive a similar illuminated front grille to the GLC EQ.
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