HELSINKI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rightware today announced that global icon Maserati used its Kanzi user interface (UI) toolchain to create the primary human-machine interface (HMI) for its 2023 Grecale compact luxury SUV. Kanzi software powers the graphics in both the digital instrument cluster and head-up display (HUD).
Kanzi enabled a highly productive process for creative design and software engineering, accelerating Grecale HMI development while bringing significant cost savings to the complex project, resulting in a major leap forward for the driving experience.
“To have the high-end, performance-oriented brand Maserati select Kanzi to develop its first digital instrument cluster is an honor,” said Freddie Geier, CEO of Rightware. “Brand identity is central to the company, and Kanzi enabled its team to design and implement a signature UI true to the Maserati lineage.”
Maserati Firsts
Not only is the Grecale the brand’s first vehicle with a full digital instrument cluster, it is also the company’s first production vehicle with on-screen graphics designed in-house. The Maserati Innovation Lab in Modena implemented a design produced by the Style Center in Turin.
In the past, Maserati provided high-level UI concepts to its HMI supplier, which in turn managed design and implementation. Using Kanzi, a small team of Maserati designers and engineers was able to take the instrument cluster and HUD from initial design concepts to mass-production-ready in just under two years.
The result is a content-rich digital cockpit which maintains the classic Maserati look. Kanzi allowed the team to deliver a unique UI with rich 3D graphics in the instrument cluster without losing the appearance of the brand’s traditional mechanical gauges.
Kanzi Benefits
With Kanzi, Maserati had complete control of the user experience and graphical visualization from prototype through production. Rapid prototyping in Kanzi Studio gave the team the flexibility to iterate the design often throughout the process. With traditional tools and workflows, such intensive iteration tends to cause lengthy delays.
UI design has traditionally taken at least three years. Moving from the start of design to production-ready in less than two years is a major achievement. Beyond shortening the development cycle, Kanzi enabled Maserati to leverage leading-edge graphics to create a contemporary and unique user experience.
Maserati plans to offer the Grecale with traditional and hybrid powertrains, and eventually a fully electric version. Each variant will require unique information to be shown on the digital displays while maintaining the look-and-feel of the model family. Leveraging the advanced capabilities of Kanzi, Maserati can easily manage UI variants within a single project, maximizing reuse for a consistent brand identity.
About Rightware
Rightware is the pioneering provider of automotive graphics software tools and services. We are uniquely positioned, with a heritage in gaming, graphics, and UI development, and with a dedicated focus on the automotive industry. Our mission is to help automakers become highly efficient and creative with no limits. Our vision is to transform the traditional HMI into a real Signature UI. Rightware is headquartered in Finland and has a presence in China, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, UK, and USA. As a ThunderSoft company, our combined skills and assets allow us to deliver fully integrated HMI solutions, engineering support, and design services. Kanzi is the market-leading automotive UI tool, trusted by over 50 automotive brands across the globe. www.rightware.com
