An automaker that has always been behind with its infotainment system can now have one of the best.
We focus on the updated Sierra and Curvv concept cars, we hover around the Harrier EV and Avinya. Heck, we even had a tease around Tata Punch and Altroz iCNG. Beyond that, there’s more on display at Tata Motors’ vast booth at the 2023 Auto Show, and more still being talked about during the brand’s hour-long presentation at the end of Day One. what Tata revealed at Auto Expo 2023 was not mentioned even once, let’s save a line of text hidden deep inside the press release.
Tata Motors’ touch screen always lags behind
Yes, it’s a brand new infotainment system, and infotainment is something the brand has struggled with over the past decade. If the memory serves up right, Tata first experimented with the touchscreen in the Indigo Manza, using a somewhat basic aftermarket system. That might have worked at the time, but by the time Tata introduced its own native system like Hexa and Tigor, the opponents had already taken the lead. This tiny display is slow, laggy and not very bright, and fortunately comes with physical buttons, as they make it easier to operate than using the display itself. The next version, branded ConnectNext, launched on Tata Zest and Bolt was not much better, with an increase in features but not functionality.
High hopes were placed on the next version of ConnectNext, which launched on Nexon in 2017 with a level of connectivity built in. But alas, despite being an improvement, it was also far behind its contemporaries. The 6.5-inch screen feels small, responses are slow, and the interface isn’t intuitive. Worse still, when the Harrier came out in 2019 with a 10.25-inch screen, it used a barely updated version of the same software with large gaps on the sides, as the software would does not expand to fit larger screens. sting in a very expensive car. There have been updates since then, but the improvements have been incremental. Apparently, the slate had been cleaned.
The new Tata touch screen is smooth and full of features
With no special or fancy marketing branding behind it (the aforementioned press release simply says ‘new generation 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display’), you You may not realize how big of an upgrade this is, but just a glimpse is enough. It has the same super-wide 21:9 aspect ratio as Safari’s screen, and this time the entire screen is used; there is no ‘mailbox’. The user interface is clean, minimal and clear, with large, easy-to-read text. It is also intuitively laid out with a series of shortcut widgets presented in large squares (like BMW’s new iDrive 8) that display real-time data without having to enter a submenu. These include the AQI for the in-flight air purifier (it shows ‘500 – severe’ in Greater Noida, so it obviously works), trip and fuel details calculator, controls climate control, radio and smartphone connectivity.
Clear and minimalist graphics with large, easy-to-read text.
Then you make the first swipe on it and you’ll come across a beautiful, smooth texture. No, it’s still not quite ahead of the ultra-advanced touchscreen that delivers smartphone-grade feedback, but it’s a quantum leap over the older system and much better. competitor; dare I say, even MG’s new 14-inch giant screen in the Hector. There’s even an on-board assistant that wakes up with voice commands – I activated it by accident – but we’ll have to see if its functions extend beyond changing the temperature and opening the sunroof. or not. It still pairs with the 9-speaker JBL sound system in the Harrier and Safari, the supplier still seems to be Harman and I’m curious to know about the processing power behind it.
And this says nothing about the sleek new 7-inch semi-digital dial display – now moved to the center instead of to the left. This time, the tachometer is analog rather than a speedometer and looks rather small are placed on the left, while the fuel and temperature gauges are on the right. The speed/MID monitor seems pretty informative, but we’ll need more time with it to know for sure. Sneakly, Tata introduced ADAS features to its flagship SUVs, with features like Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward and Rear Collision Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition, and Traffic Sign Recognition. Lane departure warning. But that is a story for another time.
The new 7-inch semi-digital dial display has the MID in the center instead of the offset.
While Tata Motors’ hugely popular concept cars are years away, the new touchscreens will make their debut on Harrier and Safari Red Dark versions – which themselves debuted with a little fanfare on the second press day of Auto Expo 2023 – and these models could launch as soon as next month. The time has come, as this seemingly innocuous upgrade could very well become the cherry for a pair of world-class SUVs.
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