There is no one-size-fits-all solution for the automotive user interface (UI). Different automakers invariably have unique needs based on their vehicle types, target markets, and customer expectations. While some brands may prioritise deep integration of smart devices—such as Nio and its proprietary smartphone—others will prioritise helping drivers manage their digital fatigue, like Scout Motors.
In the same way, developing a UI for a sportscar poses a unique set of challenges to automotive and software engineers. Rino Ariganello, Automotive & Manufacturing Industry Leader of IT services firm DXC, tells Automotive World that the key to success lies in building a UI that matches the unique performance characteristics and aesthetics of the car. In January 2025, DXC announced it would extend its partnership with Ferrari. The company will now build the software for several of the automaker’s next-generation vehicles, including the F80. DXC believes its UI technology will elevate the Ferrari experience, but what does a software-defined sportscar look like?
Setting the mood
“It begins with a dynamic aesthetic,” explains Ariganello. “The colours and layout of the screens adapting to the driving style – this creates a next-level driving experience.” In the F80’s cockpit, a large 21:9 display sits in the instrument cluster, with a second embedded in the dashboard centre. The functionality of these screens is largely the same as standard infotainment systems: while the instrument cluster screen displays critical driving information, the centre screen handles mapping and entertainment options.
By adjusting the UI across these displays—for example, dynamically adapting the colour scheme or adjusting the widget layout to match how the vehicle is used—the user interface matches both the emotional and practical expectations of the driver. Ariganello emphasises that the UI aesthetic must not jar with the aesthetics of the vehicle itself, which is, according to Ferrari, a “strongly futuristic visual impact with unmistakable references to aerospace.”
Balancing this with the more lofty aspects of the F80’s UI aesthetic presents a substantial challenge. In addition to more rudimentary elements like dynamic colours and widget layouts, DXC also sees merit in bringing the outside environment into the cockpit. “We’ve done showcases where, for example, you’re out on the California highway and driving towards the sun,” explains Mauch. “We take that in as raw data and adapt the interior to match the look and feel of what’s going on outside.”
This is enabled, in part, by cameras on the vehicle’s exterior that function as part of its advanced driver-assist system (ADAS), alongside radars and LiDAR. However, it also requires deep cloud integration to enable the vehicle to receive extensive data analytics, generate real-time insight on its surroundings, and make adjustments on that basis. “Everything in the UI is designed to make you feel connected to the outside elements, the driver will feel seamlessly integrated in its environment” notes Ariganello.
Enabling the driving experience
According to Ferrari, all standard ADAS features will be included free of charge with the F80 when it enters production. These include adaptive cruise control with stop and go function, automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, automatic high beam, traffic sign recognition, and driver drowsiness warnings. Ariganello emphasises that these are largely nice-to-haves—the real reason to own a Ferrari is to experience the performance directly. An additional function of the cameras feeds their input to the ‘rear-view mirror’, which shows real-time footage from cameras located on the back of the car. This is done to enhance visibility but also elevate the futuristic aesthetic that the F80 aims to evoke.
The ADAS functions are enabled through physical switches on the wheel UI. Previously, Ferrari used touch-sensitive and haptic feedback buttons, but it has since returned to the more mechanical aesthetic and feel of knobs and buttons. Other software-powered wheel switches include the standard drive modes: wet, sport, race, and traction control off. There are also three powertrain options: Hybrid, which prioritises efficiency; Performance Mode to increase performance while keeping the battery hovering around 70%; and the maximum-power Qualifying Mode, which eschews power conservation and lets the driver go full-tilt. The F80 is a hybrid, containing a small 2.6kWh battery that recharges while driving.
The touchscreen UI dynamically adapts its functionality depending on whether the driver is on a public road or the track. Besides the addition of ‘immersive visuals’, which have not yet been revealed by Ferrari, the instrument cluster broadens the scope of information to include g-force, revs, and tyre pressure. In other words, factors that may prove unnecessary or even distracting when commuting but which are of critical importance in high-performance situations. “You have to choose what to include and what to omit,” notes Ariganello. “You likely don’t need to know about g-force when you’re cruising along the Champs-Elysées.”
He adds that DXC has employed psychological specialists in its organisation to better understand how the driver relates to their restriction within the UI space: “Overloading the driver with too much information at once can lead to distraction, fatigue, and safety-related risks.” For this reason, the company is also working on generative AI voice assistants to help keep drivers’ eyes on the road. However, it remains unclear if this will be featured in the F80 UI. In the performance-oriented nature of the sportscar’s drive modes, a momentary distraction from the road could prove life threatening.
Immersion in performance
Ultimately, everything about the F80’s digital UI is in service of its performance characteristics. “The immersive experience of the car’s performance is what drives people to dream about and buy a Ferrari,” Ariganello remarks. This must be embodied in the latency and overall responsiveness of the UI, and software has to be deeply embedded into various aspects of the vehicle’s hardware for response times to be as low as possible. When the driver accelerates in the F80, they implicitly expect real-time information flow on areas like speed, g-force, and tyre pressure to match what they are experiencing inside the cockpit. Even a couple milliseconds of perceptible delay will ruin the immersion.
That feeling of immersion in the car’s performance is why people buy a Ferrari
This feeling of immersion can also be augmented beyond standard UI into other software-enabled cockpit features. One example Ariganello suggests is embedded software that adjusts the seat to make the driver “tighter and more pressed-in” in alignment with high-performance driving behaviour. Similarly, the tension of the wheel can be increased to match driving intensity.
While such functionalities may seem tangential or remote in the context of the wider vehicle market, Ariganello emphasises that the ultimate success of a software-defined vehicle will be determined by how the onboard software both matches and elevates the driver’s expectations. This means performance for the F80 but comfort, leisure, or practicality could be prioritised in other vehicles. “You are always trying to pitch the best ideas for the product you are developing,” he concludes. “Premium segment innovations often set the benchmark for the mass market. Our UI is positioned to lead the way in seamlessly integrating software functionalities and aesthetics with the vehicle, setting a new standard for the industry.”
