Want to see how to use Unity to create rich, interactive human-machine interfaces (HMIs) in cars? Check out our new Automotive HMI Template, available for free on the Unity Asset Store, and watch our webinar for an expert-led walkthrough.
Step into any new vehicle today, and you’ll see dashboard innovations beyond Henry Ford’s wildest dreams. As automakers push the boundaries on the number and size of screens inside their vehicles, they unlock opportunities to create more engaging experiences for drivers and passengers.
Car companies want to build rich, interactive content and are under increasing pressure to do so. As one auto exec memorably put it, “Screens are the new horsepower.”
Modern HMI user interfaces (UI) aren’t that different from a video game. They need to be interactive, provide compelling visuals and incorporate various simultaneous transition animations.
With its roots as a game engine, Unity is especially well suited for creating this type of content. Just as it enables collaboration among game developers, automotive teams and partners can use Unity for prototyping and production, ensuring what they dream up is what users ultimately experience. Thanks to its collaboration and extensibility features, Unity is a popular tool for HMI and UI/UX prototyping across the automotive industry.
Unity also provides unparalleled multiplatform support for teams to deploy to their target of choice. We’ve worked to ensure Unity supports a range of embedded operating systems and chipsets to make the jump possible from prototyping all the way into production. We provide platform licensing for Intel, NVIDIA, NXP and Qualcomm processors, as well as major operating systems like Android Automotive, BlackBerry QNX and Yocto Linux. We’re also working with map providers like HERE Technologies to create more immersive navigation and location-based experiences.
HMI use cases extend across all sorts of embedded systems, from car dashboards and in-flight entertainment to home appliances and digital twins. Our Unity for HMI solutions support this vast range of applications.
Source: Unity Technologies Blog