Lexus’ new VR digital cockpit Black Butterfly is straight out of a sci-fi movie

Lexus Motor, Toyota’s luxury car brand, has unveiled a new digital cockpit inside the two electric vehicle concepts it showcased at the Japan Auto Show which offers Virtual Reality (VR) experience for drivers. The digitalised Intelligent Cockpit features which enhance its immersive driving experience. Called the Black Butterfly, the digital cockpit is an integration of Artificial Intelligence through various new-age software system that can make one feel sitting inside a spacecraft. Here is how it works.

The setup:

The interior of the LF-ZC and LF-ZL EV concepts offer a simplified, yet modern, cabin with the digital cockpit being at the heart of it. It has one large digital touchscreen to the right of the steer-by-wire yoke steering wheel which control functions like climate control, multimedia, phone and other infotainment features. There is another screen to the left of the steering wheel which helps the driver to select features like drive modes and ADAS settings.

There is a separate screen perched on the dashboard which offers essential driver-related information. Lexus calls it the "eyes on the road" principle as the display projects information on to the front windshield using the same concept as an Head-Up Display. There are digital mirrors on either side which project images of the vehicle's surroundings which helps in reducing shifts in the driver's gaze, focus, and head movement during driving.

How it works:

The EV concept uses Arene OS system and AI Butler. The Arena OS works with the help of OTA and Steer-by-Wire to bring vehicle settings from the virtual space into the real world. The AI system Butler gathers information through sensors which uses Interactive Reality in Motion to offer AI solutions to the driver's queries and needs. According to Lexus, “When drivers point to objects or places of interest during their journey, the car's display promptly delivers information along with voice guidance, enabling the car to enhance the connection between occupants and their surroundings."

The digital cockpit uses advanced AI technology. It offers next-generation voice recognition system which offers an experience of talking with the car which will share route and mode recommendations according to the driver's preferences through daily activity patterns and mood. The expansive monitor on the front passenger side functions as a highly programmable open platform for entertainment and diverse applications.