- The new BYD Atto 2 will hit the market with its screen fixed in landscape mode.
- Existing BYD models can’t run Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in portrait mode.
When BYD burst onto the global stage a few years ago, it did so with infotainment displays that could spin 90 degrees and be operated in either portrait or landscape modes. While mostly a gimmick, it has helped the brand’s models stand out from the competition. However, the Chinese conglomerate has revealed its spinning screen won’t be around for much longer.
BYD’s vice-president, Stella Li, said that while the company’s customers liked having the rotating screen, it is limiting for some apps, in particular Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. As such, the automaker has ditched it for the new Atto 2 and will eliminate it from other models, too. Moving forward, the screens will be locked in their landscape position.
Read: BYD’s European Expansion Is About to Explode
“We are starting to engage in a lot of apps,” Li told Autocar. “The Atto 2 will be the first model with Google and Apple CarPlay. And if they want to give the best experience, then a rotating screen will limit their apps. And then secondly, we saw the feedback in the market. People love the rotating screens, but the usage is very small.”
According to BYD, its infotainment screen had been easier to use in portrait mode when stationary and while on the move, in addition to being better for navigation. However, in the models that we’ve driven, we’ve always found it easier to operate the screen in landscape mode, perhaps because this is the orientation of the screens in the vast majority of modern cars. Additionally, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto only function in that mode.
During the same interview, Li added that BYD will accelerate its partnerships with firms including Apple and Google, hence why it makes sense to use a cleaner and simpler interface.
BYD has big plans for 2026, particularly in Europe. Earlier this week, its regional managing director said the company will double its retail footprint in the region next year, aiming to have roughly 1,000 retail points.