LEXUS

Brand new SUV interior has a lot of innovation and Head-Up Display (HUD) touch screen

In a perfect relationship between rider and horse, only small, precise movements of the reins are required to communicate orders. This kind of direct, emotional connection is what Lexus has strived to achieve in the cabin design of its new luxury SUV, the NX.

The concept was called Tazuna - the Japanese word for horse reins - and it is used for the first time on a Lexus production vehicle.

The aim is to help the driver to concentrate on driving: “hands on the wheel and eyes on the road”. It's a fairly simple principle, but to achieve it many different elements must be combined and harmonized, from the driver's position at the wheel, to the shape and location of the different controls, and the way to communicate important vehicle data and the path.

Takeaki Kato, Chief Engineer at NX, explains: “We've redefined the ideal cabin space as the point of contact between the driver and the vehicle, with the aim of achieving a design that allows for a deeper, more intuitive connection and more faithful control. of the vehicle”.

Just take a seat behind the wheel of the new NX and immediately experience the meaning of the Tazuna concept.

Focusing on the person, the design allowed the door, instrument panel and center console to be united in a unified cabin, providing intuitive access to controls and information with minimal hand and eye movement.

The main sources of information: The multi-information screen, the touch screen and the Head-Up Display (HUD) are placed so that they can be read at a glance, with high definition graphics. The number of physical switches has been reduced and grouped according to their function, keeping the controls related to driving closer together.

The new tactile switches on the steering wheel can be customized so that you can use your preferred functions, without having to look down at the steering wheel, to locate the control you need. When you touch a switch, its operation is shown on the Head-Up Display (HUD) and on the multi-information screen.

The feeling of control and connection to the vehicle is also conveyed through the shape of the driver's seat, where the steering wheel, gearshift and pedals have been designed with rigorous attention to detail. So, for example, the side gussets on the front seats have been redesigned with concave shapes so there are no obstructions at the elbows when operating the controls. The shape and cross-section of the new steering wheel were precisely determined by Lexus' Takumi artisans to provide the ideal grip feeling: the key point of connection between driver and vehicle. The gearshift lever is also compact and has a perfect lean angle.

Taking into account the different sizes and statures of drivers, the Tazuna cabin can be adapted to provide comfort and ease of use for everyone, thanks to a wide range of electrical adjustments for the driver's seat and steering wheel. Likewise, Lexus researched the different measurements from the shoulder to the fingertips of people all over the world, in order to calculate the ideal design.

One of the results of this has been the increased length of the center console, another example of Lexus' design approach always centered on the person.

After its introduction in the new NX, the Tazuna concept will be applied to future models, making its intuitive control a key part of the Lexus driving experience.

Autonews