MUNICH — Strolling through the heart of Munich for this year’s IAA Mobility expo, surrounded by a sea of futuristic cars, one thing stood out like a bad paint job — the traditional dashboard vanished like it missed the invite to the future.
Brand new vehicles, "cars of the future," on display weren’t shy about ditching the conventional instrument cluster — that familiar setup tucked right behind the steering wheel, whether embedded in the dashboard or displayed digitally — and instead, introduced entirely new ways to show what’s what.
BMW was the first to show what this shift could actually look like at the auto event, unveiling the new iX3, conspicuously absent a conventional cluster, with mass production set to begin in October. Instead, it was installed with Panoramic Vision, a 43-inch-wide pillar-to-pillar display positioned just below the windshield, which projects information on a screen. By eliminating everything that traditionally cluttered the dashboard, BMW has opened up the driver’s view, giving the cabin a far more spacious and futuristic feel.
“So one of our big goals was also to do away with this redundancy; It’s very clear that we wanted to do an interior that is more friendly, warmer with different types of materials because we feel that our customers’ time is very precious and we want the car interior to feel like it is their second home and almost a living space.”
Hyundai followed a similar strategy, as clearly shown in the dashboard design of its THREE concept car, also first unveiled at the auto show. On either side of the steering wheel sat a pair of four so-called Bring Your Own Lifestyle widgets, which are customizable shortcut apps, much like the widgets found on smartphone home screens, designed to give users quick access to their most-used features.
These widgets are positioned on the dashboard by default, but once the car is started, they smoothly slide over to sit beside the steering wheel — right where the driver’s hand and eyes naturally fall.
It may be the clearest sign yet that automakers are finally putting into practice what they’ve been preaching nonstop: Cars are no longer just a type of transportation but a lifestyle space where people can relax, work or be entertained.
Hyundai says it aimed to create a cabin that “feels as cozy and comfortable as a piece of furniture,” driven by the sense that, in an era of electrification and autonomous driving, people will be spending much more time inside their cars.
Audi also displayed its Concept C at the mobility show, which features a 10.4-inch foldable display that tucks neatly into the dashboard when not in use, but only reveals itself when needed.
Sensing this growing demand from automakers, parts makers have responded with their own wave of groundbreaking display innovations.
![Visitors to the IAA Mobility 2025 wait in line to enter the BMW booth in Munich on Sept. 10. [SARAH CHEA]](https://imgnews.pstatic.net/image/640/2025/09/12/0000076629_004_20250915141215587.jpg?type=w860)
A mockup at the Hyundai Mobis booth stood out; the front half of a car had a windshield, steering wheel and front seats — but with no instrument cluster in sight. But the real surprise came when visitors sat in the driver’s seat and started the car — the entire windshield transformed into a massive screen, a "holographic windshield display," projecting driving data, videos and a range of entertainment content.
Co-developing with German firm Zeiss, IAA marked the first time the technology was unveiled to the general public.
Samsung Display also unveiled its “Moving Cluster” display, a 10.25-inch screen positioned in front of the driver that functions as an instrument panel while driving, then discreetly retracts beneath the dashboard when the vehicle comes to a stop.
From carmakers to parts producers, one thing was clear — the traditional dash is going the way of the ignition cylinder, and revolutionizing display is the new name of the game.
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