Rolls-Royce will not participate in the complete replacement of analogue control buttons for touchscreens. According to the luxury brand, new technologies must first offer an experience that actually feels more refined before they can be applied in its cars. However, increased digitization also offers opportunities.
Rolls-Royce is not about being the first to apply new technologies. That’s what Alex Innes, chief designer of the Coachbuild department, says opposite Autocar. According to him, the technology should serve the experience that driving a Rolls-Royce offers. This approach is clearly visible on the latest model of the Ghost and the current Phantom. Where the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, for example, features a large touchscreen, Rolls-Royce sticks to analogue controls and a display with a more traditional format. According to Innes, this has a clear reason. “Operating analog buttons with just the right weight still feels better than a touchscreen. That’s why we haven’t started using touchscreens with haptic feedback yet.”
This choice does not mean that Rolls-Royce will ignore digitization completely. According to Innes, it also offers opportunities, especially in the field of personalization. At Rolls-Royce, they say they prefer to take the time to develop certain technologies for longer, instead of using them just to have it. “It is important not to let our customers do more than is necessary. It is our responsibility to apply technology without breaking the bank,” said the designer. It may seem like a bit of a disguised excuse to slow down, or could it really be purely an alternative view?