DS wants to shrink screens and offer analogue interiors in luxury cars

Screens have dominated the automotive industry in recent years. In almost every new car, when there’s not just a big screen for the multimedia center, the instrument panel has its own too. But DS, Stellantis’ luxury brand with models based on Citroën, decided to “go back in time” and go back to betting on the good old buttons.

The real problem with the screens is when you turn it off, it just turns into a black rectangular surface with fingerprints. “It’s not too sexy, not too luxurious,” said DS design chief Thierry Métroz.

Because of this, the focus of the brand’s next releases is to eliminate all screens, returning to displaying traditional elements on the instrument panel, unlike the giant screen that concentrates everything you can do in the car.

The brand’s latest cars are already shrinking their screens and allow you to handle the multimedia system without having to touch it directly as in the DS 4 and DS 7.

For now, the fight against screens is just an opinion from the head of design of one of the many brands that Stellantis manages in the world. However, considering things within this consortium, it won’t be a surprise if this thinking comes to other brands, such as Peugeot, Dodge and Jeep.

Security is also something that would benefit from this change. According to the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), the use of moving screens is already a major source of distraction that can cause accidents. In Spain, for example, a driver can receive a fine of up to 200 euros (R$1100) and three points if they are caught using the screen with their fingers while driving.

This debate about screens in cars seems to be in its infancy. Decreasing them or decreasing their relevance probably creates a new ergonomics problem in the steering wheel. For now, there are still no better alternatives to facilitate the use of some functions, such as checking the gps or selecting the driving mode.