The Real Reason Car Screens Are Getting Bigger

Have you noticed that the dashboard in almost every new car is dominated by a giant screen? You’re not imagining it. In-car touchscreens are growing larger and more complex every year. This article explains the key reasons behind this major shift in automotive design and reveals what it means for the future of driving.

The Push to Consolidate Controls

One of the most significant reasons for bigger screens is the auto industry’s move to consolidate controls. For decades, car dashboards were a sea of physical buttons, knobs, and dials. Each one controlled a specific function: climate, volume, radio presets, seat heaters, and more. While familiar, this approach had its limits.

Automakers realized they could replace dozens of physical parts with a single touchscreen interface. This offers several advantages for them:

Reduced Manufacturing Costs: Every physical button requires its own wiring, assembly, and plastic molding. A touchscreen simplifies the hardware, lowering production costs and streamlining the assembly line.
Design Simplicity: A large, central screen creates a clean, minimalist interior aesthetic that many consumers find appealing and modern. Brands like Tesla pioneered this look with the Model 3, and now many others, from Volvo to Rivian, have adopted a similar philosophy.
Updateable Functionality: With physical buttons, adding a new feature is impossible without a hardware change. With a screen-based system, manufacturers can add new functions, apps, and improve the user interface through over-the-air (OTA) software updates, keeping the car feeling fresh long after it leaves the showroom.

The Rise of the Connected Car

Cars are no longer just for transportation; they are becoming connected hubs for entertainment, communication, and information. A larger screen provides a much better canvas for these advanced features.

Think about how you use your smartphone. You expect a seamless, app-driven experience, and automakers are working hard to replicate that in the car. Larger screens make it easier and safer to interact with complex systems like:

Navigation: A big, high-resolution map is easier to read at a glance, showing more of your route and surrounding traffic.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: These systems are designed to mirror your phone’s interface. As phones get bigger, the in-car screens need to grow to properly display the apps, music, and podcast information without looking cluttered.
Integrated Apps: Many new vehicles come with built-in apps for streaming services like Spotify or even video platforms like YouTube and Netflix (for use when parked). A larger screen is essential for a good user experience with this type of media.

For example, Ford’s SYNC 4 system, found on a large vertical screen in the Mustang Mach-E, and Stellantis’ Uconnect 5, seen in new Jeep and Ram vehicles, are built to handle multiple apps and functions simultaneously, which is only possible with a large display.

Electric Vehicles and the High-Tech Image

The trend toward massive screens has been heavily accelerated by the rise of electric vehicles (EVs). EV manufacturers need to signal to buyers that their cars are the future of technology. A massive, impressive screen is one of the most visible ways to do that.

When you step inside a modern EV, the screen is often the first thing you notice. It acts as the technological centerpiece of the cabin.

Mercedes-Benz EQS: This car features the optional MBUX Hyperscreen, a single 56-inch curved glass surface that spans the entire dashboard, combining three separate displays.
Cadillac Lyriq: This electric SUV boasts a stunning 33-inch curved LED display that serves as both the instrument cluster and the central infotainment screen.
Lucid Air: The “Glass Cockpit” in this luxury EV includes a floating 34-inch 5K display that curves around the driver, creating an immersive, futuristic experience.

These screens do more than just control the radio. They display crucial EV-specific information, such as battery status, charging locations, and energy consumption, in a clear and visually engaging way.

Visualizing Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS)

As cars become more autonomous, it’s vital for the driver to understand what the car is seeing and doing. Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) like adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic parking rely on a suite of cameras and sensors.

A large screen is the perfect tool for visualizing this information. For instance, Tesla’s Autopilot display shows a real-time 3D rendering of the car’s surroundings, including other vehicles, pedestrians, and lane markings. This helps build the driver’s trust in the system because they can see that the car is aware of its environment. As these systems become more capable, the need for clear, detailed visualization will only grow, demanding even more screen real estate.

Don't Forget the Passenger

The focus isn’t just on the driver anymore. Automakers are increasingly using large screens to enhance the passenger experience. Some vehicles now include dedicated screens for the front passenger, allowing them to act as a co-pilot or enjoy their own entertainment.

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer, for example, offers an optional 10.25-inch screen for the front passenger. This screen can be used to manage navigation, control audio, or even stream movies via a built-in Amazon Fire TV. A special filter prevents the driver from seeing the screen and getting distracted. This trend of creating a multi-screen environment for all occupants is a clear indicator of where in-car displays are headed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are bigger screens in cars less safe? This is a major point of debate. Critics argue that moving essential controls into a touchscreen forces drivers to take their eyes off the road to navigate complex menus. Some studies support this, showing that touchscreen interactions can be more distracting than using physical buttons. In response, many automakers are improving voice commands and ensuring that critical functions remain accessible with a single tap.

Will physical buttons ever make a comeback? Yes, and in some ways, they already are. After some backlash from customers who found all-touch interfaces frustrating, some brands are reintroducing physical buttons for core functions. For example, Hyundai and Kia have been praised for retaining physical knobs for volume and climate control. Volkswagen also acknowledged customer feedback and plans to bring back more physical buttons on its steering wheels. The future is likely a hybrid approach that combines a large screen with smart, tactile controls for the most frequently used features.

What is the biggest screen available in a car today? Currently, the largest single-unit display is the 56-inch MBUX Hyperscreen offered in the Mercedes-Benz EQS and EQE electric vehicles. While it looks like one massive screen, it is technically three separate screens (a driver display, a central infotainment display, and a passenger display) housed under a single piece of curved glass.