Automakers plan for more intuitive digital cockpits

For years, automakers, suppliers and technology companies have been creating more software-driven and high-tech vehicle cockpits. And the results today are cabin environments that are highly technical and complex. But many companies are looking to simplify what the industry has done. Diverse technologies won't go away in next-generation vehicles — but how drivers and passengers interact with them will be simpler and less distracting, many believe. New digital cockpits, likely fitted with pillar-to-pillar touchscreens, will integrate entertainment, vehicle data and comfort features through software and artificial intelligence. One small glimpse into what's coming: German electronics supplier Preh has rolled out a physical, rotary knob that adheres to digital touchscreens as a way to make multifeature cockpits easier to navigate.