While many enthusiasts publicly criticize the slow death of physical buttons inside cars, the relentless march of progress has convinced automakers that their vehicles should be rolling entertainment systems. Stellantis, on the other hand, is offering us luddites a tech-light option. The entry-level 2025 Opel Frontera Edition doesn’t feature the now-ubiquitous infotainment touchscreen, or any infotainment system at all. Prospective buyers in Germany can pay an additional $1,200 for a screen and a small slate of other features.
The distinctive feature, or lack thereof, drew the attention of Reddit users on Monday. A photo posted to the site highlighted the prominent smartphone holder on the Opel crossover’s dashboard. It’s also easy to notice that the interior isn’t completely devoid of technology, as you can see the Bluetooth button just to the left of the holder. According to Opel, the Frontera comes standard with a USB-C port for charging, as well as Bluetooth-enabled speakers and a microphone. If you don’t want to supply your own music, there’s also a basic radio. To round off the tech-light package, there’s an air conditioner with manual dial controls.
It might just be safer to not have an infotainment system
While a rarity in Europe and North America, new tech-light car models are readily available in other parts of the world. The Frontera Edition’s lack of screens isn’t a new shift for Stellantis either. Its sibling, the Citroën C3 Aircross, is also available without a screen in its base model. The Citroën Ami cheap teen-friendly electric quadricycle, along with its Fiat and Opel equivalents, doesn’t feature an infotainment system either. Notoriously cheap (and very successful) Romanian automaker Dacia also sells versions of nearly all of its models that don’t have a screen.
Another reason someone might not want an infotainment system in their car is that it can quickly become dated. Whatever automakers come up with, they can’t usurp the two dominant phone-mirror apps, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Why not just cut out the middleman? It effectively future-proofs the car while being safer. A 2022 study found that touchscreens made it more difficult for drivers to make basic adjustments, such as changing the climate controls or switching radio stations. We know it’s dangerous to text while driving, so why did we allow manufacturers to bolt super-sized screens to the dashboard?
Opel
