Usually when a car brand exhibits at Milan Design Weeks, it uses the occasion as an opportunity primarily to show off its latest vehicle. This year, however, Lexus has taken a more novel approach, focussing its entire show on its brand new in-car display design. And it might just be more impressive than an entirely new car.
Black Butterly is the brand's new dual-interface cockpit control system shaped, as the name suggests, like a butterfly. With two curved edges protruding outwards with touchscreen controls, and space for vast swathes of information, it offers the kind of futuristic aesthetic ones confined to sci-fi vehicle designs. And to demonstrate its versatility, Lexus has enlisted several creators to use the screen itself as a canvas for exploring various possibilities for interaction as part of the show. (For more software inspiration, take a look at 9 great UI designs.)
While digital user interfaces have been growing in size inside cars for a while now, the Black Butterfly takes the concept to the next level. "The keyword is discovery," Moto Takabatake of the Lexus design team told Creative Bloq at the exhibition. "Whereas most cars still feature so many switches and sticks, the Black Butterfly lets you control operate everything in one display: the car's controls, entertainment, and even aspects of your smart home."
And while an entirely immersive display that controls both the car and its entertainment might suggest obvious safety concerns, the placement of the display atop the steering wheel of the new LF-ZC concept car is designed to help the driver keep their eyes on the road. "The design is for the safety of the driver first," Takabatake tells us, "entertainment and everything else comes after that."
As for the challenges of designing both software and hardware for the inside of a vehicle, Takabatake says it's all about ensuring that, despite any limitations including those all important safety requirements, designs are "simplified, intuitive and humanised".
Indeed, the tactile nature of the Black Butterfly, along with its curved and somewhat organic design, makes for something much more natural feeling than a standard rectangular display – particularly one that sits in the middle of the car forcing the driver to take their eyes off the road. While Black Butterfly is still in concept stage, it's easy to see how it could become a feature that's enriching enough to the driving experience that it'll be hard to go back to a standard dashboard.
Lexus's exhibition is open to the public at Superstudio Più in Tortona, Milan’s creative district, from 8 – 13 April. For more Milan Design Week coverage, take a look at our take on ASUS's new 'ceraluminium' laptops, and Ikea's Democratic Design exhibit.
