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The process of designing operating concepts for new vehicles is more complex today than ever before, as customer needs have diverged drastically around the world. For example, sporty, largely distraction-free driving is much more important in Europe than in Asia, where bumper-to-bumper traffic is a part of everyday life in the big cities. Passengers should be able to take advantage of the time they spend stuck on the road – with features tailored to their personal needs. The Porsche solution is to transform the interior into an experience zone. “With Porsche Digital Interaction, we connect intelligent software and advanced hardware to create a seamless, personalized, and networked driving experience,” explains Sajjad Khan, Member of the Executive Board, Car-IT.

Conventional dashboards cannot fulfill the different requirements. The solution: a symbiosis of analog controls and a digital cockpit. While a few years ago, a handful of round instruments defined the driver’s direct field of vision, state-of-the-art cockpits like that in the Cayenne Electric incorporate large sections of the dashboard.

Up to four displays allow the driver and codriver to interact with the SUV. It was the responsibility of Ivo van Hulten, Director of Driver Experience, and his team to make these displays user-friendly. 

The main focus was to develop a UX/UI design that makes operation more intuitive and ergonomic, as well as safer and more comfortable. “UX” stands for user experience, and “UI” for user interface. A logically structured UX/UI concept therefore not only affects vehicle operation, but can also have an impact on the brand experience and customer satisfaction. 

A balance of emotion and function

“The Macan Electric concept served as a basis for the UX/UI design,” explains van Hulten. “Again, with the Cayenne, the aim was to create a good balance of emotion and function, without diminishing the focus on Porsche. Our models are developed with the driver in mind. Operating vehicle features should not distract them if at all possible.” 

That’s what Porsche refers to as the Driver Experience. The driver is the focus of activity, with each touch, every necessary action, designed to increase the level of comfort and support the task of driving. Considering the sheer number of functions available in the Cayenne Electric, that’s a herculean task.

In addition, the range of functions will continue to expand throughout the vehicle’s service life, as the Cayenne can be updated in the digital age. New functions can be downloaded over the air (OTA), which works much like with a smartphone. Simply install an update for immediate access to new features. 

AI-supported voice recognition

What that means for the driver is best explained using the Porsche Voice Pilot. “The AI-supported Voice Pilot is based on high-performance large language models (LLM),” says Sajjad Khan. “This makes it a true conversation partner that not only understands what you say but also what you mean.” 

Complex interconnected issues are therefore no longer a problem for the new voice assistant. “What is the best restaurant in Stuttgart? Which dish has the best recommendation? Where can I park?”

If specific questions like these come up while driving, the Voice Pilot recognizes natural language and can help. An online update can be carried out via the vehicle’s App Center, thereby giving it new functionalities. Rather than hardware alone, it will largely be software that determines the range of functions in the future.

Manual operation is a breeze, too. The design team has managed to seamlessly integrate the central input unit into the dashboard in the form of the Flow Display. This curved OLED design transitions smoothly into the central console and thus enables extraordinary control logic. A newly developed wrist pad simplifies operation. It allows the driver to operate the digital and analog elements ergonomically – even in dynamic driving situations. 

Generous display landscape

Along with up to another three monitors, the Flow Display forms the largest digital user interface in a Porsche. Directly in front of the driver, a fully digital 14.25-inch OLED instrument cluster displays information about the speed, navigation, assistance systems, and infotainment. There you can also choose a new view, the “Signature Screen,” which closely resembles the traditional round instruments that became a trademark feature during the air-cooled Porsche era. 

The optional 14.9-inch codriver display offers entertainment, app control, and video streaming even during the drive, without distracting the driver. The Cayenne Electric also optionally offers a head-up display with augmented-reality technology. With a size of 87 inches, it shows the road about 10 meters in front of the vehicle and embeds virtual driver assistance and navigation content into the real-world view as needed. 

Intuitive operation of the most important functions

In addition, configurable widgets in the lower part of the Flow Display enable intuitive operation of the most important functions. The color scheme of all the digital surfaces throughout the interior can be adapted using the Themes app. 

There are five color schemes and theme worlds to choose from, all of which modify the appearance of the Flow Display, the instrument cluster, other displays, and the ambient lighting, transforming the digital user interface into a customizable design element.

The App Center contributes to the increasing individualization of the Cayenne by allowing Porsche apps and those of third-party providers to be kept up to date at all times. Regardless of where in the world the Cayenne Electric finds itself, it can be adjusted to meet regional preferences with ease. 

The Cayenne Electric’s Digital Key can transform smartphones and smartwatches into vehicle door openers. Using ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology, the Cayenne is able to recognize cell phones or watches and automatically unlock or lock the doors as you approach or walk away. The Porsche Digital Key can be easily shared with Apple or Android users via SMS or AirDrop and used with Apple or Google Wallet. Up to seven additional users are possible. Individual users can also be assigned different permissions, restricting the Cayenne’s functions to certain users, including unlocking the trunk and opening the hood.

Designed to be touched

For all its focus on digitalization, Porsche never lost sight of tactile elegance. While the eye-catching Flow Display offers ultrasmooth operation, analog or capacitive control elements have been maintained for the most common functions. Buttons on the outer edge of the combi display, in the steering wheel spokes, and below the Flow Display allow convenient and direct access to radio, telephone, and air-conditioning functions. The lights, the Porsche Electric Sport Sound (PESS), and the parking assistance functions can also be controlled.

Additionally, there are two freely configurable joker buttons. These, too, contribute to the Driver Experience. Maximum ease of use with minimal distraction for the driver meets extraordinary innovation and state-of-the-art design. “Because the driver is of central importance in everything we do,” says Sajjad Khan.

Info

Text first published in the Porsche magazine Christophorus 417 – out now!

Text: Christian Bangemann
Photos: Porsche

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