From radios to digital gauges, displays in cars have been around for a surprisingly long time. At one time, the only screen in a car was the clock. The numbers were small and maybe they were backlit. Then they added digital radios, and things got a little more interesting, but that was the extent of car displays for many years. There was Kitt from Knight Rider, but that was a fantasy. There was also the 1986 Buick Rivera, but that was an example of an idea that came before the technology was available. In the late early 2000s, some manufacturers were able to install a CD-ROM navigation system, and Tom Tom arrived in 2004.
But there was nothing truly monumental until 2012 when Tesla changed the game. Soon other companies stepped in and there was a race between automakers to see who could build the biggest and the best. The first screens went to 8 inches, then to 12 inches. Now, some screens have surpassed Tesla’s offerings, some by far. Today, there are stunning screens bigger than anyone could have imagined 20 years ago. As big as the screens have become, there’s one more thing they haven’t figured out yet. How to beat fingerprint.
Nevertheless, here are 10 of the biggest screens available in a vehicle today.
ten Tesla Model S and Model X
When the first Teslas screen became available, people were excited and amazed. Not only were they 2 or 3 times bigger than most other cars, they were bigger than tablets. We now see in an increasing number of cars is thanks to them.
The 2022 Model S and Model X still use the same 17-inch screen size as the original, but now with 1300p resolution, close to that of a 1440p Quad-HD display. There are a few buttons, but a touchscreen operates most of the functionality. Model X also has a rear seat display exclusive to this model.
9 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y
These models are less expensive than the Model S and X, but the Model 3 and Model Y screens are 15 inches, which is still larger than what you find in most cars. They control the same functions on Model S and Model X.
These include climate control, navigation, volume, phone, dash cam, voice control and many more to list. At one point there was an issue with the screen being used to watch movies while the car was on autopilot, but that has now been fixed. And can only be used in the park. This fueled some concerns that the larger units would be a dangerous distraction, but this theory has been debunked.
8 Ford Mustang Mach E
The largest screen available in a Ford vehicle is the Mustang Mach E’s 15.5-inch screen. Other Ford models, such as the Escape, have much smaller 4-inch screens, and even the Mustang with the second largest screen is 6.5 inches. inches, with an 8-inch screen option.
The Mach E runs on Ford’s SYNC 4 system. It was the first vehicle to have an improved system. It’s hooked up to 4G LTE for over-the-air updates, but what it would cost to use it was undecided on release. Unlike most vehicles with touchscreens, there’s also a rotary dial at the bottom, although functions such as climate control and app selection are still operated by touch.
seven Rivian R1T
After the release date was pushed back, the first ones finally shipped in December 2021. The 2022 Rivian R1T slowly shipped to those on the waitlist, but those who did got models with 16-inch central screens. There’s a 12.3-inch screen behind the steering wheel that acts as a digital gauge.
The central landscape-oriented touch screen is 16 inches. It controls infotainment, including the 1,200-watt Meridian sound system, climate control and navigation. There’s also a 6.8-inch screen in the rear for passengers to control the rear climate controls. Reviewers commented that it looks great, but too many features are controlled by the screen, making it overwhelming and unnecessary.
6 Porsche Taycan
As you’d expect, the Porsche Taycan has a different setup. The top screen is located in the center of the dash, where you’ll find most screens, but the second screen tilts down into the center console. It’s not new and has been found in other cars, but it’s not as intuitive as simple touchscreens.
The total screen area is 16.8 inches combined but is a little harder to use. The upper 8.3-inch screen is touch-operated for navigation and stereo functions, while the lower 8.5-inch screen descends from the upper screen. It looks great but is very difficult to use as you have to look down to find the right place for climate control options while driving. The total screen area is larger than the 11-inch you’d find in a Porsche 911, and there’s also an optional third screen in front of the passenger.
5 Audi A8
The Audi A8’s touchscreens are configured almost identically to the Taycan’s, which isn’t surprising since they’re both built by the Volkswagen Group. There are touch screens at the top and bottom. There’s also a command dial, but it’s not as useful as it was when it was the only way to select functions.
The top measures 8 inches and controls the stereo, navigation and telephone, but with different menus and controls than the Porsche. The bottom screen is used for air conditioning. Because that’s its only feature set, you won’t need to watch as often. Being a more expensive car, the A8’s screen dwarfs the A4’s 10-inch.
4 BMW 7 Series
This one is a big deal. The driver’s display is the one traditionally found in any BMW 7 Series. It’s a 15-inch display with standard features and good old analog controls for the climate and stereo .
What makes the new 7 Series special is that you can choose what BMW calls its cinema screen. This one hangs above the gap between the front and rear of the car and measures 31 inches. Yes, 31 inches. It serves as an entertainment screen for the rear passengers and has an 8K screen that can be connected to Netflix, Hulu and HBO via its 5G Wi-Fi connection. To control it, there are touchscreens built into the door handles, which can be a little tricky to use. When not in use, the screen can be folded up to the roof of the car.
3 lucid air
A high-tech car needs a high-tech screen. For Lucid, it’s the 34-inch glass cockpit. The whole thing is a piece of 5K resolution glass that extends from behind the steering wheel to the center of the dashboard. There is also the lower glass screen called the pilot panel. The entire system was built to
make things easier for the driver.
2 Cadillac Escalade
The screen on the far left shows all the functions used to keep attention on the road. The center screen is the instrument cluster and the right screen has media, navigation and communication controls. The driver panel is larger than the screens in front of the driver and can display more information. With it you control the air conditioning and the functions of the car. Its controls can be voice-activated or changed with the touchscreen. The entire panel can also retract for additional storage. If that all sounds too complicated, there are also buttons to press that can control many features.
Cadillac’s 38-inch curved OLED screen looks a lot like Lucid’s system. The paper-thin display is long and stretches across the front of the dash. It is made up of three parts: the information screen on the left, the cluster of gauges in the center which can be changed to show speed, maps, augmented reality or night vision mode, and the multimedia screen on the right . It is angled towards the driver, but can still be easily seen by passengers.
Cadillac has also simplified things by having a full set of buttons for the climate control centered in its normal location. Unfortunately, it’s only available in the Middle East at the moment, but the tech should be coming to the United States soon.
1 Mercedes-Benz EQS
Mercedes is known for putting the latest technology in its cars before other manufacturers have even considered it. The EQS is Mercedes’ leap into the future, and they’ve developed a new dashboard to go along with it. Known as the MBUX Hyperscreen, it’s the largest screen Mercedes has ever built. It’s a little further than the Lucid and the Escalade.
The Hyperscreen is 56″ of the screen made from an OLED with a fluid and interactive face. There are 8 processor cores, 24 GB of RAM and 46.4 GB of memory. Artificial intelligence may suggest actions based on what the driver has done in the past, at a specific location, or based on time of day, previous user interaction, location and time If you always listen to classical music when you get home from work, it will recognize the time of day and where you are and automatically display classical music options for you. the future of screens.