Dashboard battles: the Goldilocks principle and the vehicle user interface

As consumer interest shifts from revs per minute to experience per mile, the cockpit user interface (UI) takes on growing importance. Volkswagen Group's Chief Executive Herbert Diess highlighted this at the company's annual conference in March, telling analysts: "Displays and ways of interacting with the vehicle will be a big differentiator in the car of the future... User interface is a central differentiator for us and we will continue to forge ahead here."

Even a well-funded giant like Volkswagen Group faces plenty of headwinds in the race to offer in-car digital displays that respond to rapidly evolving consumer requirements. Trends have been shaped by the familiar interfaces of smartphones, and consumer expectations are migrating into almost every type of digital device, including cars.