A TOP-SELLING car brand has just announced the discontinuation of one of its flagship features.
The Chinese brand, popular in both the UK and Europe, made headlines when it first incorporated a certain something into their vehicles.
But in a bid to ramp up its use of third party apps and platforms, they’ve decided it’s time to toss their prior tech in hopes of something that performs better in the future.
BYD’s rotating touchscreens were loved for their ease of use while drivers were stationary or moving on the road.
Its ability to rotate 90 degrees offered a better view of maps and apps, bringing ease to anyone on a journey.
It also granted car owners the option to choose whether they prefer their screen in landscape or portrait, bringing customisability to the car’s interior.
The new Atto 2 crossover is the first car released by BYD without this distinguishing feature.
The spinning screens will continue to be phased out of other models in their line-up going forward.
Speaking on the decision Stella Li, vice president of Autocar, elaborated on why BYD feel fixed landscape screens will be better suited for the future of their cars, as well as better for those who drive them.
“We are starting to engage in a lot of apps,” she said.
“The Atto 2 will be the first model with Google and Apple CarPlay.
“And if they [BYD] want to give the best experience, then a rotating screen will limit their apps’ smoothness.”
Stella continued to share how the novelty of the rotating screens was far greater than the percentage of people who actually used it.
“We saw the feedback in the market. People love the rotating screens, but the usage is very small.”
Looking to the future BYD intend to continue collaborating with tech giants such as Apple and Google, in their mission to create a more universally compatible user interface.
