When Tesla helped popularize the idea of putting huge car screens in the middle of their infotainment systems, digital displays began to take up a big chunk of real estate in newer vehicles. Such screens have mutated in shape, size, and location as automakers tried to differentiate their offerings. Perhaps the strangest results so far are what you will find in the 2021 Cadillac Escalade.
Curved Escalade Car Screens – This ‘Escalated’ Quickly!
The new screens that Cadillac teased us with back in December, with a murky image of the driver’s seat, will be over 38 inches diagonal. There are actually two curved glass panels stacked in front of the driver. These two panels house three discrete OLED displays that add up to 38 inches of screen space. To many, it may seem to be a bit of a bizarre idea, though it somehow felt a little less strange when you see it personally.
For starters, the OLED displays are all made by LG. This means that there is a fairly direct link between the 2021 Escalade and the rolling screen that the South Korean conglomerate showed off all the way back in 2016. Cadillac works closely with LG to figure out exactly how far they can push the curve of their infotainment systems.
All The Info You Need While Driving
The most important screen of the three OLED displays that are placed in the new Escalade model is the 14.2-inch digital instrument cluster that sits just behind the steering wheel. It’s where the basic driving information and speed show up. As with many other modern digital instrument clusters, the one on the new Escalade can be fully customized. You can toggle between a “night vision” mode that leverages an infrared camera, a full-bleed map, and an augmented reality view that overlays turn-by-turn directions on a live camera feed.
This digital instrument cluster display occupies its own panel. It’s separated from the larger one behind it and dominates half of the dashboard. The two car screens are separated by a mostly negligible gap. Each panel is ringed with silver piping and lined with stitched leather. While the rear panel has one continuous piece of curved glass, it features two displays. On the left, you can find a smaller 7.2-inch display, on which you can see trip information or average fuel mileage. What benefits are we getting back as consumers, and what are we giving in return as cars increasingly take on the physical qualities of a smartphone? The future is sure to tell.