Beneteau’s digital bridge takes French design award

The Sea Drive Concept, penned by French car brand Peugeot for fellow French brand Beneteau, is a nautical adaption of the i-Cockpit concept originally proposed for road-going vehicles.

The Peugeot Design Lab project has won a Janus Prospective Award, a label handed out to cutting-edge thinking by the French Institute of Design.

The Sea Drive Concept is a bridge that “maximises the ergonomics, agility and control
of a powerboat’s captain,” Beneteau said in a media statement released overnight. “Its modern design is constructed around a seamless blend of touchscreens and physical buttons.

“Its premium materials from stitched Nappa leather and satin chrome keys, are proof of Peugeot’s expertise.”

Beneteau said the concept makes the best use of its Ship Control interface, an onboard computer that assists in both navigation and life onboard the boat.

“Its connectivity allows the crew members to consult information about the boat: navigation, engine regime, control of the level of the batteries and reservoirs, air conditioning, lighting, and Hi-Fi,” it said.

Peugeot’s cars now feature a steering wheel that is set lower than the car’s dashboard, giving drivers an uninterrupted view of the instrument cluster and the road ahead. Other car makers give drivers a higher-set steering wheel, meaning they need to look between the hub and rim of the steering wheel to see the cluster.

Peugeot has crafted a similar design for the Sea Drive Concept, with a low-mounted wheel providing a clear view of instrumentation. Important information is right in front of the helm, with ancillary controls offset to one side. Toggle switches mounted along the dash fascia are large and easily accessible.

Of more interest, though, is the concept’s three-spoke steering wheel. It is lifted straight out of Peugeot’s road cars, with integrated audio and mobile phone controls – and potentially barrel switches that can be used to adjust trim without needing to take a hand off the wheel – something we see in just about every road car, but yet to make its way into boats.

Beneteau is not the only boating brand to take an interest in what car-makers are doing to evolve the way that drivers interact with the vehicle.

Tom Barry-Cotter, Maritimo’s chief designer, told boatsalescom.au last month that the Gold Coast boat-maker was taking a good look at how dash designs in the automotive industry could help it evolve the next generation of digital bridges.

The boat-maker has already revealed its “glass cockpit”, a digital bridge based on multifunction touchscreens that eventually will be rolled out across its range of products.