Lucid’s Infotainment System Is Reinvention Done Right: Review

Automakers go to nice lengths to attempt to reinvent their infotainment techniques. Generally it really works, different instances… not a lot. Fledgling manufacturers are particularly bullish on the prospect of introducing prospects to a completely new approach of interacting with their vehicles, tossing out the outdated guard in favor of one thing new.

Lucid debuted its new working system—merely dubbed Lucid UX—in 2021 with the arrival of the Air sedan. In the identical vein as Rivan and Tesla, it too ditches most old-school controls in favor of extra screens. However in Lucid’s case, all of it works exceptionally properly. Just some issues nonetheless want ironing out.

Photograph by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Lucid’s consumer interface is de facto fairly. It consists of a “floating” curved glass show with 34.0 inches value of display screen actual property extending from the driving force’s aspect to the middle of the sprint. Inside that show are three purposeful screens: One tiny display screen to the left of the steering wheel, a digital cluster straight within the driver’s view, and naturally, a central touchscreen.

The tiniest display screen to the left of the steering wheel gives fast entry to some primary features, like opening the charging port, controlling the headlights, or defogging the windshield. It is a good factor to have if you might want to entry any of these in a pinch.

The digital instrument cluster is minimalist however pretty. It reveals a primary speedometer, driving modes, site visitors signal recognition, a visit laptop—and that is about it. It isn’t tremendous configurable, but it surely does not must be.

Photograph by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Professionals: Appears Fairly, Graphics Are Crisp & Clear, Most Choices Require Simply One Or Two Clicks

The middle touchscreen—in a world of monolith shows—is small. However it works properly. The minimalist house display screen design reveals you what you might want to see and nothing extra. Climate and navigation sit entrance and heart, together with your favourite satellite tv for pc radio stations on the decrease right-hand aspect of the display screen. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay comes commonplace, however given the awkward curved nature of the show, the projection takes up a a lot smaller floor space than I would like. It appears to be like awkward. Android Auto is presently unavailable, however coming quickly, in keeping with Lucid.

A couple of arduous buttons sit beneath the middle touchscreen—together with a quantity knob, reward be, and HVAC controls. Most every thing else is a touchscreen affair. That may be damning if all of it weren’t really easy to make use of; the graphics are crisp, clear, and trendy, whereas the font is huge, daring, and straightforward to learn. You will don’t have any bother discovering what you want whereas on the transfer.

Photograph by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photograph by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photograph by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

However wait, there is a fourth show within the entrance compartment. Just under that row of arduous buttons sits a 12.5-inch iPad-like vertical show. That is the display screen you may work together with most regularly. It adjusts the seats, adjustments the drive modes, calibrates the regenerative braking ranges, and permits you to dig into car settings with a quick-access menu on the base of the display screen. There’s even a set brightness adjuster on the left-hand aspect—one thing too few vehicles supply as of late—and the flexibility to fold the display screen up utterly, exposing a big cargo maintain for smartphones or keys behind it.

Driving the Lucid Air for the primary time, you’ll have to fiddle with the display screen to regulate the steering wheel and mirrors. I nonetheless want arduous buttons right here. However when you do have your best steering wheel and mirror positions, you’ll be able to set it and overlook it, because the Lucid Air saves your preferences.

Photograph by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Cons: Nonetheless Not Sufficient Buttons, Buggy, Some Overly Delicate Security Options

However for different issues, buttons nonetheless reign supreme. There is not any handbook deal with for the glovebox, it is a button on-screen. In contrast to the remainder of the seat controls, that are situated on the outward aspect of the seat bottoms, there is not any arduous management for the heating perform, you must click on the seating adjustment possibility on-screen. And there are not any mounted controls for the headlights, the trunk, the frunk, or the charging port. Every little thing is on display screen. Mildly annoying.

Contact performance can also be hit-and-miss. Usually, it really works flawlessly; Lucid’s infotainment system responds with the pace and preciseness of a contemporary smartphone the vast majority of the time. However in a single occasion, the decrease display screen froze solely. I fiddled with it for a couple of minutes earlier than folding it up and forgetting about it. Some bugs nonetheless clearly want fixing.

The voice command system may help alleviate a few of these points with its “Hey, Lucid” perform. You’ll be able to say, “Hey, Lucid, take me to the closest charging station,” or “What is the temperature tomorrow,” and the responses are largely seamless. However as with most trendy in-car voice command techniques, Lucid is all the time listening, and which means typically it would activate when you don’t need it to. It was so delicate that it even activated throughout a podcast.

Photograph by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Photograph by: Jeff Perez / Motor1

Equally delicate are Lucid’s driver monitoring techniques (which you’ll flip off by way of the settings within the decrease touchscreen, fortunately). Take your eyes off the street for greater than two seconds and the Air will shortly let you know to focus up. Quite a lot of instances the automotive yelled and beeped at me whereas I used to be messing with the decrease touchscreen. Shut up.

In any other case, many of the different security techniques are glorious. The rear parking digicam is crystal clear, as is the overhead 360-degree digicam. Lucid even reveals you the way distant you’re from an object when parking with inches projected on-screen. That’s a reasonably nifty factor to have.

On this base Pure mannequin, every thing talked about comes commonplace, together with navigation and the aforementioned security tools. Satellite tv for pc radio is free for 3 months earlier than you must subscribe, and the net navigation system is barely free for the primary 4 years of possession. After that, Lucid says you’ll have to pay a subscription charge—although the corporate doesn’t specify how a lot.

All in all, although, Lucid’s infotainment system is great. Positive, I’d nonetheless want extra arduous buttons and there are nonetheless clearly some bugs that want understanding, however for essentially the most half, I had no problem utilizing the Air’s UX all through the week. Should you’re going to attempt to reinvent the infotainment system, that is the way it’s carried out.

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Jeff Perez / Motor1