Besides offering state-of-the-art automotive engineering, its cars will continue to offer next-generation infotainment components to stay competitive
Besides featuring advanced automotive engineering, do high performance sports cars also need to come with superior in-vehicle “infotainment” systems? The term “infotainment” refers to the systems ranging from the dashboard touch-screen panel to the navigation system to the sound system.
One car maker has been featuring such an experience for drivers since 2021, when it starting reengineering the “Human Machine Interface” (HMI) component to enhance the vehicle cockpit.
For example, in October 2024, the cockpit of Ferrari’s F80 supercar (suitable for road and track use) featured multiple displays aimed at delivering a high-speed, performance-oriented experience for the driver as well as the passenger. The ‘digital cockpit’ system offers functionality that is meant for enhancing driving on normal roads, but the system can be transformed into a racing display during use on race tracks.
The digital cockpit provides real-time performance data (speed, G-force, revs, and tire pressure) and immersive visuals that create a unique and interesting racing experience for the user (and optional passenger).
On 9 Jan 2025, the auto maker was announced to have extend their partnership with an IT firm to continue development of the next generations of its in-vehicle infotainment systems to remain competitive in the market while enabling owners to enjoy not only the high-performance functionality of Ferrari vehicles but also the versatility of their driving experience.
According to its Chief Research and Development Officer, Ernesto Lasalandra, such a partnership enables the firm to “accelerate the development of our software platform and its components as well as state-of-the-art functionalities and usability.”
Said Luz G Mauch, Executive Vice-President (Automotive & Manufacturing), DXC, the incumbent IT firm developing the HMI for Ferrari, the partnership will help ensure that the infotainment systems are engineered to provide a superior automotive experience for owners while giving the manufacturer the agility to stay ahead of the market. “The cutting-edge software innovations we develop today will help transform the driver experience for decades to come,” Mauch said.
The F80’s cockpit (Source: Ferrari)
