Alfa Romeo CEO rejects the idea of using large screens in its cars

There's no denying the fact that large 'infotainment' screens tend to be featured front and centre in a lot of today's new cars. 

Some go so far as to dob these cars as tablets on wheels, and with cars like the Mercedes-Benz EQS and its almighty Hyperscreen, I can see why.

Love them or hate them though, screens have become an important feature to consider when it comes to buying a car. 

Or so it would seem!

Alfa Romeo CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato, is committed to using as few screens as he can get away with, saying in an interview "I don't sell an iPad with a car around it, I sell and Alfa Romeo."

 

In the interview with French news outlet BFM Business, he said drivers should be the focus—not some brightly lit display shoved in the middle of the dashboard.

In fact, even the latest Alfa Romeo cars are surprisingly analog compared to other modern premium car brands. This is by design. The high-tech, somewhat flashy, screen-centric interiors that you'll find almost everywhere else doesn't sit well with Alfa Romeo. 

"Alfa Romeo, I have a very particular positioning. The driver, the driver in the center, as few screens as possible in the car," Imparato says. 

The auto industry is rapidly changing, and with that, naturally comes more and more tech. But these high-tech features are expensive. And because of this, things like illuminated emblems, large screens, driver assistance systems, and even electric vehicles are often marketed as luxury items and status symbols.

With Alfa Remeo refusing to play ball, some say that the lack of screens and their refusal of keeping up with the trends, makes the cars seem dated. And for better or for worse, this could mean that more luxury-focused buyers will shop elsewhere for connected features and bigger screens.

So, will they be able to maintain their position as anti-screen in the world of luxury cars? After all, many car brands have been known to give an inch in the name of profitability.

Recently, we saw ex-Ferrai CEO, Sergio Marchionne, backtracking on his stance that building an SUV would "bastardise the brand," when we learned of the upcoming Purosangue crossover just the following year.

Will Alfa renege in the hopes of maintaining its luxury status? We can't be sure. But what we do know is Imparato won't let it happen without a fight.