Bentley Says No To Front Passenger Screens: 'Technology Has To Add Value'

Front passenger screens are the latest trend in automotive infotainment. An optional, dashboard-mounted 10.9-inch screen first appeared in the 2020 Porsche Taycan, and over the last few years, the trend has spread like wildfire.

The BMW 7 Series has a massive, 14.6-inch passenger display standard, while the upcoming Audi Q9 also gets a 12.3-inch display, among others. And let’s not even talk about Mercedes-Benz’s Hyperscreen.

Early data proves that passenger screens may turn out to be more trouble than they’re worth. Now, at least one brand in the VW Group isn’t having it.

Bentley Thinks More Screens Aren’t Always Better

Bentley Product Line Director Martin Page made a point of highlighting the upcoming Torcal EV’s lack of a front passenger display during a presentation to media at the company’s Crewe headquarters. He said that the company would “never” add a passenger screen to its cars, noting:

'Technology has to add value. It should not dominate the experience.'
Page shared that while the idea of a passenger screen was discussed during the Torcal’s development, it was ultimately dismissed as a solution in search of a problem, and not fitting with Bentley’s ethos of being "human-focused." He added that maybe when cars are autonomous, it’ll be more useful.

Passenger Screens Have A Usage Problem

What’s still unclear is whether passenger screens do add any value for luxury car owners. According to a recent report from JD Power, more than a third of owners of cars equipped with front passenger screens say they never use them. And according to that same study, for every 100 vehicles equipped with front passenger screens, there were 21.3 reported problems—more than one in five.

The Torcal isn’t totally devoid of screens, though.

It shares a curved OLED central display with its platform-mate, the Porsche Cayenne Electric, reskinned with Bentley’s software. But where the Cayenne rocks a 14.9-inch passenger screen, the Torcal just gives you an expanse of wood, aluminum, or carbon fiber.

Page told me that curating the experience is part of the mission for high-end brands. He made an analogy to a Michelin-star restaurant that might serve a set of courses rather than an extensive, multi-page menu.

Another notable new EV without a passenger screen? The $640,000 Ferrari Luce.