Lexus Interface is a new infotainment system based on a next-generation multimedia platform developed by Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). It debuted in the redesigned 2022 Lexus NX compact crossover SUV and represents a significant improvement over the previous Lexus Remote Touch Interface (RTI).
Until Lexus began offering it with a touchscreen, the RTI system required the use of a touchpad control surface mounted on the center console. Moving your fingertip on the touchpad corresponded to movement of a cursor on the screen, which you could use to select menus and control functions. Additionally, you could issue specific voice commands to the system, and Lexus offered a smattering of physical controls on the steering wheel and center console.
Lexus Interface is entirely different. The touchpad is gone, the screens are larger, and the system understands naturally spoken commands. But that’s not all that Lexus Interface offers.
Highlights of the technology include:
Toyota will introduce this same infotainment platform in a new model in the fall of 2021. The automaker says it will ultimately offer the technology in all Lexus and Toyota models, regardless of make, model, trim level, or screen size.
Lexus expects its new Virtual Assistant voice recognition system to be so capable that users will interact with Lexus Interface using what it calls a “voice-first” approach. In describing the technology and its capabilities, TMNA promises “a human-like conversation experience.” Users will rouse the system using a wake-up phrase, such as “Hey Lexus,” and then use natural voice commands to execute various tasks.
Enhanced Navigation is a cloud-based system employing Google points-of-interest (POI) data to help users quickly find what they’re searching for via the Virtual Assistant technology. Anyone in the vehicle can request directions, find POIs, and explore nearby businesses, and the system has an offline operational mode that continues working without a network connection. Lexus also promises a navigation map with a “beautiful design” through updated graphics and details.
Digital Key technology transforms a smartphone into a Bluetooth-enabled key that can lock and unlock the vehicle and start or stop the engine. This functionality requires no PIN codes or passwords and can be shared with other people when necessary. Lexus says it is an extension of the platform’s User Profile technology, which transfers an owner’s preferred settings from vehicle to vehicle within the Lexus and Toyota lineups.
In the 2022 Lexus NX, the Lexus Interface infotainment system comes with a standard 9.8-inch touchscreen or an available 14-inch touchscreen with integrated climate controls. And, thanks to over-the-air update capability, the technology will remain fresh and modern for years to come.
It will take years for Lexus to roll this new infotainment technology out across its lineup, stamping out any last remnants of the RTI system. But the wait promises to be worth it.
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