Porsche is subtly advancing the design of its cockpit on the future Cayenne SUV by retaining physical buttons, avoiding touch controls, and integrating three screens, including one specially dedicated to the front passenger.
Porsche has no choice, it must go all-electric by 2035. At least for part of its catalog, since e-fuel will allow it to sell a few models. While waiting to discover the electric Cayenne, on April 18, Porsche will unveil the 4ᵉ generation of its famous SUV at the Auto Shanghai show in China. Ahead of this presentation, the German brand lifts the veil on its brand new cockpit, called “Porsche Driver Experience”, which promises to profoundly review the driving experience.
Three screens
Inspired by the electric Taycan, this cockpit features a fully digital 12.6-inch instrument cluster. It offers seven different views, including a clean version and a classic mode using the traditional layout of Porsche dials. The central 12.3-inch touchscreen manages the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) to access driving features, comfort, navigation and multimedia functions.
The new Porsche Cayenne also stands out with an optional 10.9-inch screen dedicated to the front passenger, allowing video streaming (via Screenhits TV). Porsche has designed this screen so that it is not visible from the driver’s seat, a matter of safety. Porsche has not given in to the temptation to digitize everything and retains physical buttons for essential controls.
The redesigned center console accommodates the gear selector to the right of the steering wheel, freeing up space for climate and volume controls. The German brand has also added a refrigerated storage space, which accommodates smartphones with four USB-C ports.
Still physical buttons
The steering wheel, also redesigned, brings together all the important controls without resorting to touch-sensitive surfaces.
The drive mode selector is now standard, as is the function and instrument cluster control button located directly on the steering wheel.
With this 4ᵉ generation of the Porsche Cayenne, the Stuttgart brand wants to offer a perfect symbiosis between digital innovation and traditional ergonomics. This obviously echoes Tesla.
Tesla in the extreme
Tesla has removed the switches from the new Model S and X, but that would only be the start. The Model 3 and Model Y would be entitled to a new steering wheel in 2023. The new steering wheel would follow what has already been done on the new Model S, with the replacement of the stalks by touch buttons on the steering wheel.
It could also look like the steering wheel of the Tesla Semi. This electric truck has no switches, it has the same control buttons on the steering wheel and the speed management (forward, reverse or neutral) is done on the touch screen. In short, between Porsche and Tesla, they are two different philosophies.
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