Five cars with massive infotainment screens

When the tech world figured out how to create television-like screens that were so small and flat that they were able to be put anywhere, the automotive industry jumped on board in a flash. With each generation of a new car, comes a more high-tech, high-resolution and larger digital centre display which has been given the name infotainment screen. A combination of information and entertainment.

These infotainment screens display everything from maps, radio/Bluetooth/Carplay/audio, settings, climate control and camera views all within arm's reach of the driver. And that reach is only getting closer with these centre screens now larger than 12 inches, some cars even managing to squeeze some extra real estate across the passenger dash, encroaching on the size of a family size TV.

So if you're mad for a bit of futuristic tech and love the idea of being one step closer to driving a car that has the same futuristic feel as the Starship Enterprise, then these five cars are for you!

At 15 inches, Tesla Model 3's central touchscreen is a sizeable unit. It is home to both the infotainment and driver display information including satellite navigation, dual-zone climate control, heated and electric-adjust front seats, Bluetooth connectivity, voice control and a Wi-Fi hot spot.

In Tesla's application of the big screen experience, it deletes any physical buttons and dials which usually accompany a centre screen and gives the Model 3 a minimalist look with a maximum opportunity for space. There are other features incorporated in its massive infotainment screen that are quite unique to the brand including Sentry Mode, which can be set up to monitor the car with multiple cameras when parked, as well as a standard dash-cam when driving.

The Model 3 also has what are commonly known as Easter eggs – hidden fun features that you’re invited to unlock – such as Emissions Testing Mode, Romance Mode, Sketchpad, Santa Mode, Mars Rover, Rainbow Road as well as others that reference Back to the Future, Monty Python, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and the Rick and Morty sitcom.

Find your own large screened Tesla Model 3 on carsales

Measuring in at a whopping 1410mm (55.5") the Mercedes-Benz MBUX Hyperscreen system which is the whizz-bang (optional) infotainment screen which houses three displays that appear to merge into one under a single curved sheet of glass. The three separate screens are user-adaptive interfaces for viewing and controlling most of the Mercedes-Benz EQS’s functions.

In addition to the virtual dials and large central infotainment screen, there’s also a 12.3-inch OLED display for the front passenger that provides them with their own display and control area. The majority of the vehicle's functions, settings and features are all controlled from these screens.

Read more on the large screened Mercedes-Benz EQS here on carsales

The new Ford Ranger has not only been given a style glow-up on the exterior but the interior scores some decent and class-leading features too. The main highlight is the huge 12.0-inch portrait-style touchscreen for premium models.

First revealed in the Ford Mach-E electric Mustang SUV (not available in Australia), the portrait-style touchscreen with Ford's new SYNC4 infotainment system brought the Tesla inspired tech heft to the mainstream brand. Now slowly rolling out across the range, this new screen takes on a much larger role in infotainment and vehicle control accessibility compared to the old small screen.

Even entry-level versions of the new Ranger will come standard with a 10.1-inch vertical touchscreen with Ford’s latest SYNC4 infotainment system. All will be compatible with over-the-air Wi-Fi updates and remote access to certain functions via the FordPass smartphone app, such as engine start and climate control.

Read more on the large screened Ford Ranger here on carsales

The BMW 7 Series is the limousine of choice for many around the world, even the Australian Prime Minister gets around in a modified security version. For 2022, BMW has revealed a new version that is very much for the tech lovers where there is almost more screen real estate in this vehicle than there are windows.

The driver scores a 12.3-inch digital display connected beneath a single curved glass screen to a 14.9-inch centre infotainment screen. The iDrive 8 infotainment system gives the driver or chauffeur access to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, AR satnav and a personal assistant activated with a “Hey BMW” command.

Head to the back seats and passengers are treated to an enormous 8K 31-inch theatre screen with a 32:9 panorama format that rolls down from the roof. Passengers can stream whatever they like via the car's built-in 5G connectivity.

To top it off there are even small remote control touchscreens in the car's doors to control the infotainment system and features.

Read more on the large screened BMW 7 Series here on carsales

The Genesis GV70 SUV comes with a 14.5-inch ultra-wide central touchscreen infotainment system complete with navigation, handwriting recognition, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, nine speakers, digital radio and a wireless smartphone charging system. While not the largest screen on offer on this list, it sure is one that sticks out from the rest, quite literally.

The Genesis GV70 infotainment system is quite skinny and long in its application, sitting a-top the dash, compared to the other systems on this list which sit lower down and encapsulate the whole from the centre of the vehicle's interior space.

Find your own large screened Genesis GV70 on carsales

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