Audi Wants Fewer Giant Screens, More Tactile Controls

[Source: Top Gear]

Audi fans rejoice! The automaker wants to move away from massive touchscreens and move back to more traditional and tactical controls. And word of that comes directly from Chief Creative Officer, Massimo Frascella. Top Gear recently sat down with Frascella, and he told them he wants to return Audi to the glory days of functional, high-quality interiors and away from technology for technology’s sake.

Many Audi enthusiasts have been disenchanted with the direction of recent Audi designs inside and out. Some have said the designs are too generic and derivative. Frascella agrees. “Audi has always been at its best when it has been confident. So, you have to listen to what the customer needs, then find your own way to deliver that with your brand experience, not like everyone else. It’s not about taking things out, it’s just offering the technology and the functionality in a way that’s beneficial for the customer. And is premium.”

You see this design shift in the Audi Concept C. Everything on the interior looks high-quality and tactile. “Tactility is very important. Big screens are not the best experience. It’s technology for the sake of technology. For us, technology is there when you need it, not there when not needed. This mix of digital and analogue, the tactility, the perception of quality that is so important for Audi, the precision, the metal parts… we talk about the Audi click. These made Audi what Audi is,” said Frascella. Amen! 

That is what many Audi fans have been saying for years. We love technology, but we love quality as well. Sure, we could all wear an Apple Watch with a little touchscreen loaded with all the technology you could ever want. But look at the mechanical watch market. People love the look and the feel of a mechanical watch. You can see and touch the quality. Every touchscreen feels the same way. And they all generally look the same as well.

Frascella seems intent on bringing what made Audi great in the past back to Audis of the future. That is something that all fans should be excited about.