The future of in-car design took centre stage at FT Live’s Future of the Car summit in London this week from May 12-14, as a panel of experts from across the automotive and technology sectors discussed how the cockpit is evolving in the era of connected and autonomous vehicles.
The session brought together Chris Hamilton, global design director for passenger cars and LCVs at Changan Automobile, Arkin Kol, vice president of commercial partnerships Europe at Dolby, and Emilio Scervo, former chief technology officer and board member at Bugatti. The discussion was moderated by Imogen Bhogal, presenter and producer of The Fully Charged Show.
During the session, titled In-Car Design – Redefining the Cockpit in an Era of Autonomous and Connected Vehicles, the panel explored how software, immersive entertainment and changing consumer expectations are reshaping the car interior – from mainstream EVs to ultra-luxury hypercars.
Here are the top five takeaways:
As vehicles become increasingly electrified and software-led, the cabin is rapidly emerging as one of the most important ways brands can differentiate themselves.
Moderator Imogen Bhogal opened the discussion by describing the cockpit as the place where “hyper-personalisation” and brand identity can be most strongly felt, especially as traditional performance differences between vehicles begin to narrow.
That shift is placing greater emphasis on user experience, comfort and digital interaction – areas that are now influencing purchasing decisions as much as drivetrain or styling.
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Changan’s Chris Hamilton said that Chinese consumers are driving a dramatic shift in expectations for cabin technology.
He explained that many buyers in China now expect large displays, premium sound systems and high-end interior materials even in lower-cost vehicles. “For relatively very cheap vehicles, their expectations are very high,” he said.
Hamilton added that Chinese buyers increasingly see the car as a connected extension of their wider digital lives, with seamless technology integration no longer considered a premium extra but a baseline expectation.
He also highlighted a cultural divide in how drivers interact with in-car technology. “In Europe, we’re used to customers that want to be in charge of technology… and sometimes to turn it off,” Hamilton added. “In China, it’s much more on-all-the-time technology, and they’re comfortable with it.”
One of the most striking insights came from Emilio Scervo, who revealed that Bugati deliberately conceals technology to create interiors that feel timeless.
He said visible displays risk dating a vehicle as technology evolves, particularly in the ultra-luxury market where long-term collectability and craftsmanship are central to value. “We said, let’s get rid of any visible display,” Scervo added.
He described how Bugatti developed deployable screens and highly mechanical instrument clusters, designed to ensure future models could still feel relevant and desirable decades – even a century – from now.
Dolby’s Arkin Kol highlighted how audio is becoming central to the in-car experience, especially as autonomous functions and larger digital cabins create more opportunities for entertainment. He said the company now works with more than 40 automotive brands and over 150 vehicle models globally.
Kol added that Chinese manufacturers increasingly view the vehicle as an “extended living room”, with premium sound and media experiences becoming an expected part of ownership. “Music is emotional,” he said. “A car is emotional. When you blend both of them, it really intensifies.”
The company’s Dolby Atmos platform was highlighted as one of the ways brands are using sound to create stronger emotional links between driver, passengers and vehicles.
A final theme running through the discussion was how AI could shape the next generation of personalised in-car experiences. Scervo suggested future vehicles may increasingly learn a driver’s habits, preferences and routines automatically, adjusting settings and cabin functions in the background without requiring active input.
Hamilton also argued that quieter EV cabins are making material quality more noticeable, shifting attention back to physical craftsmanship. “If you’re in an EV and it’s very quiet, then you hear the creaks and the groans of plastic parts,” he said. “Build quality becomes super important.”
That could range from seat and climate preferences to infotainment layouts, lighting and even how the vehicle behaves during regular journeys.
Rather than relying solely on visible interfaces, the next phase of cockpit design may focus on making technology less obvious – but more responsive than ever.
The panel underlined just how quickly the car interior is becoming a focal point for innovation, with screens, sound and software now playing as significant a role in brand identity as engines once did.
For in-car technology specialists, it’s a sign that the dashboard may become the most fiercely contested space in the automotive industry over the coming decade.
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