Cadillac’s new interface is called CUE, for Cadillac User Experience, and will debut on the 2013 Cadillac XTS sedan this spring. Also look for it in the all-new 2013 Cadillac ATS sedan, and in the revised 2013 Cadillac SRX crossover.
Not sure when the word “interface” became necessary when discussing vehicle interiors, but we are now squarely in an era where vehicle manufacturers have to come up with an “interface” philosophy or language for their vehicles. They can no longer throw a bunch of screens and buttons onto a dashboard and hope drivers can sort it all out on the way home from the dealership.
Cadillac’s design director, Robert Boniface, previously worked on the Volt program. He noted that, like the Volt, a luxury car’s infotainment system needs to present quite a number of “data layers.”
“If you present that all on one screen it becomes overwhelming,” says Boniface. The solution, he says, is to have the screen “come alive” only when you need it to.
This also solves the design problem of having a big screen overwhelm the interior look. When it’s not on, the CUE screen doesn’t look like a screen. Even the buttons don't look like buttons — they’re basically stylized bright pieces. The screen’s “piano black” faceplate looks like a continuous piece of the “piano black” console. The screen also swings up to reveal a small storage bin.
CUE features several industry firsts, including “proximity sensing.” As your hand approaches the screen, the full menu illuminates.
Proximity sensing is possible via CUE’s “capacitive” screen technology — the first time it has been used in an automotive setting. This technology allows the screen to be manipulated by “tap”, “flick” and “swipe” gestures. So you could spread your fingers to zoom in closer on a map, or flick them to breeze through your music collection. A swipe of the hand can also move navigation and audio information from the centre display to the instrument cluster.
The home page on the standard 8-inch LCD touchscreen resembles a smart phone screen, with large icons to execute demands.
The touchscreen and certain controls feature “haptics.” The term means “tactile feedback,” and in this case, the screen and the controls give your finger a little bump, to let you know you have successfully made a selection.
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| Photo: General Motors |
Not sure when the word “interface” became necessary when discussing vehicle interiors, but we are now squarely in an era where vehicle manufacturers have to come up with an “interface” philosophy or language for their vehicles. They can no longer throw a bunch of screens and buttons onto a dashboard and hope drivers can sort it all out on the way home from the dealership.
Cadillac’s design director, Robert Boniface, previously worked on the Volt program. He noted that, like the Volt, a luxury car’s infotainment system needs to present quite a number of “data layers.”
“If you present that all on one screen it becomes overwhelming,” says Boniface. The solution, he says, is to have the screen “come alive” only when you need it to.
This also solves the design problem of having a big screen overwhelm the interior look. When it’s not on, the CUE screen doesn’t look like a screen. Even the buttons don't look like buttons — they’re basically stylized bright pieces. The screen’s “piano black” faceplate looks like a continuous piece of the “piano black” console. The screen also swings up to reveal a small storage bin.
CUE features several industry firsts, including “proximity sensing.” As your hand approaches the screen, the full menu illuminates.
Proximity sensing is possible via CUE’s “capacitive” screen technology — the first time it has been used in an automotive setting. This technology allows the screen to be manipulated by “tap”, “flick” and “swipe” gestures. So you could spread your fingers to zoom in closer on a map, or flick them to breeze through your music collection. A swipe of the hand can also move navigation and audio information from the centre display to the instrument cluster.
The home page on the standard 8-inch LCD touchscreen resembles a smart phone screen, with large icons to execute demands.
The touchscreen and certain controls feature “haptics.” The term means “tactile feedback,” and in this case, the screen and the controls give your finger a little bump, to let you know you have successfully made a selection.
 |
| Photo: General Motors |