Dacia Duster Debuts Interior Design Devoid of Center Display
Dacia is set to join the growing number of automakers offering vehicles without a central infotainment screen on base trim levels, according to Motor1. Specifically, the cheapest variants of Dacia’s Sandero, Logan, Jogger, and Duster SUV will forgo a center-mounted display.
While the Sandero, Logan, and Jogger have been on the market for a few years, the Dacia Duster is an all-new model that is yet to be released.
According to Motor1, Dacia – the budget brand owned by Renault – isn’t the only one ditching the center screen on its products.
The entry-level trim of the third-generation Fiat Panda doesn’t come with a central infotainment display. Similarly, the Citroen ë-C3 from the Stellantis group is an electric model that is also likely to go without one.
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The dashboard of the Citroen ë-C3 electric car is devoid of a central display. Photo: Citroen. |
Over at Volkswagen, the base version of the Up! city car also does without a central infotainment screen. However, the Volkswagen Up! still allows you to connect your smartphone to the car, turning your phone into a plug-and-play infotainment device.
Other models that buck the trend towards central infotainment screens include the Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ in the Japanese market, as well as certain models from Bugatti and Ferrari.
The original Peugeot Partner and Citroën Berlingo also deserve a mention on the list of cars without a center screen, as they’ve been on sale in some markets since 1999, according to Motor1.
Volkswagen was previously forced to sell the Nivus and Fox in Brazil without infotainment displays in 2021. According to Motor1, this made the interior of the Volkswagen Nivus in Brazil look particularly odd at the time, with a noticeable empty space where a touchscreen would normally reside between the dials and controls.
Motor1 observes that doing away with a central infotainment screen may seem like a rather old-fashioned approach in this day and age. However, the reduction or elimination of the central infotainment display could see the return of buttons and dials to the car, which Motor1 views as a positive development.
Hyundai is seen as one of the brands that is trying to strike a balance between touchscreens and physical controls. The Korean automaker has retained a large central display in the 2023 Hyundai Tucson, but has supplemented it with a generous number of physical buttons.
According to Motor1, Hyundai has also expressed long-term commitment to physical controls, with the Korean automaker stating that buttons or dials are easier for drivers to use while operating a vehicle.
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The 2023 Hyundai Tucson’s dashboard features a combination of touchscreen and physical controls. Photo: Hyundai. |
On the other end of the spectrum, BMW has axed the iDrive controller in the BMW X1 and BMW X2. The rotary dial will also be phased out from the 1 Series and 2 Series Gran Coupe when their next generations arrive. Future BMW electric models based on the Neue Klasse platform will reportedly do without such controls as well.
Previously, CarBuzz reported that the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) will be downgrading the safety ratings of new cars that don’t feature physical buttons, stalks or dials for essential functions such as indicators, hazard lights, horns and windscreen wipers.
This is said to reflect safety concerns over drivers becoming overly reliant on in-car screens. Many drivers tend to take their eyes off the road for a longer period of time to operate certain essential functions via a touchscreen.
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