Is the technology inside a car as important as the engine?

Over the last few years we have seen how the technological components fitted to a car have become one of the key selling points when promoting a new model. Besides the information that has traditionally been important for understanding a car’s characteristics, emphasis is placed on the capacity of its touchscreen, its connectivity options, the capabilities of its navigation system and all the applications available on the car’s operating system.

With all this, it is increasingly important for people to have a clear purchasing option. So much so that trends are increasingly leaning towards making the cabin as technological as possible. This is a debate that has taken place at the Consumer Electronics Show held in Shanghai, where many of the technologies applied to driving are being presented.

All brands are working to achieve more efficient engines that consume less while offering more power. The technology applied to the materials used, the injection systems and other elements that improve how cars perform is advancing by leaps and bounds, but the technology that brings an improvement in driving comfort has undergone an impressive advance in just a few years.

Only five years ago it was difficult to find a car with a built-in navigation system on the dashboard. Today, it is rare to find a model without one, although more basic versions still do not have it. From having one of these devices, we have moved to full internet connectivity through a SIM card integrated into the infotainment system.

According to the head of purchasing at Audi, Luca de Meo, the importance given to the technological side of the interior is going to grow over the coming years. So much so that he predicts that from 2020 onwards this side of connectivity and technical possibilities will matter more to the average buyer than the addition of extra horsepower.

For de Meo, the arrival of cheaper electric vehicles and the proliferation of hybrid models will mean that buyers prefer more of these kinds of features over greater power or more mechanical performance. We are a little under five years away from this situation occurring. Do you think we will look more at connectivity options and driver-assistance equipment than at engine specifications?