Audi Is Rethinking Car Interiors: 'Subtle' Screens, More Buttons, Better Quality

Audi is rethinking its car interiors by shifting away from oversized screens and lower-cost cabin materials toward what it describes as “subtle” displays and higher-quality finishes. In a Motor1 interview and later comments, Oscar da Silva Martins, Audi’s head of product and technology communication, acknowledged the brand had been better in past quality and said “Strive For Clarity” would bring improvements. The new direction, nicknamed “The Radical Next,” debuted in the Concept C, an electric two-seater preview with a targa roof due as early as next year, and calls for smaller screens, more physical controls, and upgraded materials. Audi’s chief technical officer said real metal should look and feel like metal and emphasized Audi-style haptic feedback and physical “click and touch” elements. For global markets, Audi noted differences between China and elsewhere, including a separate AUDI brand with SAIC for the Chinese lineup. The first volume model expected to follow the new approach is the 2028 fully electric A4 E-Tron.