Rolls Royce: Technology Must Take Back Seat To Luxury

Sep. 20, 2020 8:15 AM ET by Michael Butler Luxury / 6 Comments

The brand won't let technology compromise on its personal approach to motoring

Rolls-Royce is the last name in luxury motoring and has been at the forefront of the market since 2003, at least in the modern era. It is the ethos of Rolls-Royce to build cars that exude premium craftsmanship and bring old-world charm into the 21st century. The company recently celebrated the reveal of the new Ghost which brings with it technologies such as lane departure warning, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and self-parking, but the experience inside the cabin is still somewhat analog in its approach; something that Rolls Royce believes is the way to go if you want a true feeling of quality and craftsmanship. Rolls is not scared of new technology and was happy to spend over 10,000 collective hours to perfect its illuminated fascia for the Rolls-Royce Ghost, but it is hesitant to go fully digital just yet.

"We're not always the first adopters, and for good reason," said Alex Innes, head of design at Coachbuild to Autocar UK. "For us, technology is about furthering the experience of what is expected of a Rolls-Royce. We carefully select the materials we use," he said. "That's why we haven't started using touchscreens with haptic feedback. The experience of beautifully weighted analog switchgear still beats a touchscreen." Innes made use of the Phantom and new Ghost as examples of how the company is slowly evolving its tech offering to match what is on offer from more contemporary competitors.

"Digitalization presents a phenomenal opportunity and will enhance our ability to personalize a machine in the customer's image. We'd never do anything just for the sake of using technology, but we can develop it to fit the marque and what it represents. It's important not to ask a client to do more than necessary. A Rolls-Royce should be a sanctuary from life's distractions. It's our responsibility to apply technology without overstepping the mark." he concluded. The new $332,500 Ghost is at the forefront of Rolls Royce's tech advancement, and with a cabin that is slowly relinquishing its analog dials to digital screens, we could soon be seeing an age where the personal touch is lost to progress.

Source Credits: Autocar

Rolls Royce: Technology Must Take Back Seat To Luxury

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