Samsung Digital Cockpit 2021: The Future Is Near

South Korean electronics giant Samsung is continuously evolving its Digital Cockpit concept since debuting at CES 2018. In a recent press release, Samsung has unveiled its newest Digital Cockpit 2021 with its bevy of crystal-clear displays and proprietary hi-tech safety features.

The newest Digital Cockpit 2021 is developed in conjunction with Harman and is "transforming vehicles into places where passengers would love to stay," said Samsung, with the main focus of "simplifying communication and delivering fun on-the-go experiences."

Whereas last year's Digital Cockpit made do with eight displays, the 2021 version takes it to another level. It now has a 49-inch QLED display in the front. In default mode, the screen rests neatly behind the dashboard. Only half of the screen is exposed in this mode and is enough to display essential information like driving settings, vehicle speed, and navigation maps.

But switching to media mode offers something different. When the vehicle is parked, the screen rises front and center at the blink of an eye. At the same time, the entire dash panel slides downwards to offer more room. You can play games in this mode, watch a live concert, make a video call, or edit multimedia files in full screen.

We've seen motorized screens before, but Samsung's version is the most immersive with its 49-inch landscape, with the idea of converting your vehicle into a moving office or living room while losing none of the functionality and appurtenances of modern technology.

Digital Cockpit 2021 also incorporates Automotive Samsung Health, a system that analyzes the occupant's health status before entering the vehicle using a combination of cameras and wearable mobile devices. The system can monitor your stress levels and adjust the vehicle's music, scent, and lighting to calm you down. It can also analyze your sleeping patterns and eyelid movements to prevent you from dozing off while driving.

Rear passengers can control the Digital Cockpit using an integrated touch control pad on the rear center armrest. When not in use, the controls magically fade in the background for a cleaner look. The Samsung Digital Cockpit 2021 remains a concept at this point, but we can't wait to see it in action on a production vehicle.

Meanwhile, the steering wheel has an 8.8-inch touchscreen display where the driver can engage the horn or turn signals, said Samsung. Frankly, we prefer physical switches for our horns and turn signals, thank you, but the yoke-inspired C-shaped tiller lends an old-school sporting vibe to the otherwise hi-tech setup.

There's more. Digital cockpit 2021 incorporates a 13.2-inch information display in the center console. It also adds a floating window display in the top-center of the windshield, practically like a digital rearview mirror that allows the driver to monitor road signs, weather information, and traffic signals.

Similar to last year's Digital Cockpit, the system has an audio-visual feature so the driver can communicate with pedestrians and other vehicles on the road. The hood has an integrated screen to display short messages to improve pedestrian safety. Additionally, it also gets a directional speaker that is softer-sounding than conventional car horns, which is apparently loud enough to grab the attention of pedestrians and 'soft' enough so as not to disturb your neighbors.