Epic Games celebrates five years of its Human-Machine Interface (HMI) initiative, revealing that Unreal Engine now powers over 35 car models and millions of vehicles worldwide, setting a new standard for design-driven, visually rich digital cockpits across the automotive industry.
In 2019, Epic Games launched a bold human-machine interface (HMI) initiative with a revolutionary vision: to integrate real-time rendering and the advanced visual quality of AAA games directly into the vehicle cockpit. At the time, most HMIs were purely functional. The goal was to liberate HMI UI designers, empowering them to quickly iterate and incorporate dynamic functionality into highly engaging 2D and 3D infotainment experiences.
Five years later, this vision has become the industry standard. Unreal Engine now powers digital dashboard experiences in over two million cars and has shipped in more than 35 car models from global brands including Ford, GM, Rivian, Volvo, and Lotus. Epic Games has provided an overview of this massive shift and the powerful adoption their engine has seen.
Early Innovators and Mainstream Adoption
Automotive HMIs have drastically evolved since the first digital dashboards debuted in the 1980s. Today, vehicles feature augmented reality (AR) head-up displays, advanced 3D graphics, and even AI-driven personalization.
General Motors GMC HUMMER EV (2020): This vehicle served as the first proof of concept to feature Unreal Engine in its digital cockpit, setting a new bar for visually rich, immersive interiors.
Rivian R1T (2021): The Rivian R1T became the first commercial vehicle to ship to the mass market with a UE-powered digital cockpit. According to Eddy Reyes, Sr. Manager, Embedded Software In-Vehicle Experiences at Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies, Unreal Engine “just blew all of the other options out of the water, and it had the best graphics, it had the highest quality.” This high visual fidelity was an easy decision for the brand, and they have since expanded UE use to the infotainment system in the second generation R1.
Ford Mustang: Ford’s seventh-generation Mustang shipped with a personalizable, gamified UI that included custom color themes and interactive 3D elements. This “hero program” established a workflow that allowed Ford to scale UE-powered HMI to other models like the Explorer, Expedition, and Lincoln luxury SUVs, unifying exterior, interior, and HMI visualization.
Redefining the Driving Experience
Unreal Engine has allowed automakers to transition from utilitarian interfaces to HMIs that are expressive, design-driven, and brand-defining. Brands like Geely and Rivian are leveraging the real-time capabilities to create dynamic digital twins and atmospheric effects.
For example, Geely’s Galaxy E8’s 8K display uses UE to deliver seamless performance while maintaining high visual fidelity and low system consumption. The interface features a unique interactive 3D digital twin of the vehicle, allowing users to control lights, doors, and windows directly through the graphics, demonstrating sophisticated interactive design.
Accelerating Development Cycles
Beyond visual quality, one of the most significant impacts of adopting Unreal Engine is the drastic reduction in development time. Traditionally, designers specified the UI in one tool while developers implemented and tested it in a separate system, leading to long review cycles and bug reports.
Finland-based Siili Auto, which provides HMI tech to top-tier auto makers, found that working entirely within Unreal Engine has shortened their design cycle from approximately five years down to just three. As Jami Järviö, CSM and Partner Manager at Siili Auto, explained, using Unreal Engine’s intuitive visual scripting system, Blueprints, speeds up the entire pipeline, proving UE is a powerful tool for both design and engineering teams.
Conclusion
Unreal Engine’s foray into the HMI market has fundamentally changed how automakers approach in-car digital experiences, giving designers a powerful, cohesive toolset to build expressive, brand-defining interfaces. The success seen in major models across the globe confirms that high-fidelity real-time graphics are now essential for modern vehicle interiors. To dive deeper into the HMI revolution and see more brand spotlights, we highly recommend reading the full story on the Unreal Engine blog.
Interested in learning more about the tools driving innovation? Explore our other articles covering Unreal Engine features and recent Updates & Releases.
Source:
Five years, 35 car models: how Unreal Engine is accelerating HMI innovation
