The Dash

[RWebb]

In terms of ergonomics, the dash is critical. It is where the vehicle's operator obtains information about the vehicle and what it is doing (besides the view thru the windshield and the built-in accelerometer in the operator's body...).

[RWebb]

This is close to optimum. The only issues are that the gauges are too black and the steering wheel block your view of some gauges.

[JackDidley]

I hate the one in my Cayman. 2 speedometers, no oil pressure or oil temp. I do not see the logic.

[JavaBrewer]

We recently rented an Audi A4 from Silvercar - here is one of the dash options... (not my photo)



I can see the iPhone/Android generation really liking this. I don't.

[RWebb]

Here are what I prefer - the green gauges (used in the early-mid 1960s):

[RWebb]

Here is an attempt (by Maserati) to "solve" the problem of getting a view of all gauges and idiot lights:

[herr_oberst]

I like the early 1960's General Motors dashboards.

[RWebb]

pic?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by RWebb

This is close to optimum. The only issues are that the gauges are too black and the steering wheel block your view of some gauges.

I loved the dash in my old '88. I'm tall-ish and don't sit way back, so my view was very different from the photo above. I turned the tach and speedo counter-clockwise so the redline was straight up and the speedo was turned the same amount. Those two were the two that were the most impacted by the steering wheel, and turning the gauges resolved that issue.

Originally Posted by JackDidley

I hate the one in my Cayman. 2 speedometers, no oil pressure or oil temp. I do not see the logic.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that I hate it, but I think it would have been a huge improvement to enable more output on the small electric display at the bottom of the speedo. I think it should include oil level and pressure and maybe temp (although not as vital with a water cooled car if you have water temp).
Apparently, you could put a 996 gauge pod in 986s to get the rest of the gauges, but I don't think there's anything similar for 987 and up. Not only that, but on the older 987s and 2.7L, you could put the dip stick back in, but on mine, with the 3.4L, I'm screwed, no way to add a dipstick.

I suspect Porsche did away with the oil pressure and level gauges for the same reason they did in the miata and almost everything else these days. My miatas had oil pressure gauges, but they were what most of us would consider "fake". As long as the car had something like 5 or 7 psi of pressure, the gauge showed "normal". If you dropped below that bottom threshold, the gauge would go to 0. It was basically an idiot light that looked like a gauge. I guess the problem was that so many folks don't understand how oil pressure works, that Mazda had lots and lots of service calls for oil pressure where there was no issue. I know most of us "get it" but we are probably also a tiny minority of Porsche owners. There are probably plenty of Porsche owners that don't/wouldn't understand oil temp, pressure or level gauges if they had them. Shoot, any of you that have ever spent much time on the tech board have probably read the posts from folks that have had a 911 for X time (sometimes years) and have never revved the motor higher than 4k.

Originally Posted by JavaBrewer

We recently rented an Audi A4 from Silvercar - here is one of the dash options... (not my photo)



I can see the iPhone/Android generation really liking this. I don't.

We rented a silvercar about a year ago. I really liked the dash and the ability to change it to show what I wanted. I wouldn't want to own one when it fails though.

[MysticLlama]

The dash was my one big worry when I ordered the Model 3, I thought it was going to drive me crazy. Now getting back in the BMW just feels like a big mess of stuff right in front of me + hood instead of seeing more road. The 911 isn't nearly as bad, and the gauges are rotated as needed to see them a little better with the smaller wheel and redline at the top of the tach, but still a great no-hood view out the front. (and reversed wipers for that same reason)


My daily dash:




But there are some differences with this car vs an old 911:
No tach needed
No oil pressure / temp needed
Starts charged every day, very little need for 'fuel' gauge
Clock is a glance to the side
Don't need the odometer right there (no oil changes or anything, has a trip button if desired)
Wipers auto-adjust
Headlights are auto w/manual override
Can hear the blinkers (and they cancel themselves consistently )
HVAC is set to auto 99% of the time other than a degree up or down or hitting the defrost button
No key
Adjust the stereo on the wheel
Adjust the speed/follow distance on the wheel

Nav would be a little nicer to have the turns in a HUD or something, but that's not 99% of my driving, so it's out of the way.


I dig it.

[MysticLlama]

Originally Posted by masraum

We rented a silvercar about a year ago. I really liked the dash and the ability to change it to show what I wanted. I wouldn't want to own one when it fails though.

I think this shouldn't be that big of a deal if automakers are responsible about the integration (not all are). Even the newest tech in 2020s with the digital dash, integrated nav, etc. etc. is only equivalent to a heavy duty laptop screen + a smartphone power wise. Shouldn't be overly expensive unless they just make it super hard to take apart.

Also, when's the last time any of us have seen a laptop just straight up die without getting broken? Cars are harsher environments sometimes, but the stuff is just way more reliable in general.

Sometimes I think the rise in complexity will actually make things simpler as it becomes more general purpose processor + software vs a ton of little unique modules.

[asphaltgambler]

GM Art - late 50's...……

[Seahawk]

Excellent thread. I love it.

Human factors in cars and airplanes is, beyond basic reliability, road and air manners, etc., the critical link in safety. Man/machine interface is my thing.

I have been a part or two detailed "crews systems working groups” for the Navy and the Army (SH-60R and the Comanche) early in the design process. Great experiences that really impacted the design.

Both were excellent designs, but the Comanche was better:

60R



Comanche



By far the best "dash" is the FJ Cruiser...pedestrian car (I have two) but everything is where it should be within reach.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by masraum

We rented a silvercar about a year ago. I really liked the dash and the ability to change it to show what I wanted. I wouldn't want to own one when it fails though.

$4K per my S3 buddy - but under warranty thankfully ;-)
Wife has one on her Q7 too, it goes back the day before CPO ends, as with all Audis we'll ever own.

[flipper35]

Paul, the 'hawk doesn't seem to have enough buttons.

[Evans, Marv]

We were at the auto show this weekend so my wife could look at and sit in cars to get an idea what she might like later on this year. She's short and one of the things she didn't like was the way dashes arch up over the speedo and distract from her view. The view of Rob's dash in the Tesla was good to see, since I'm now considering a model Y Tesla for her (maybe) later on.

[RWebb]

Lotus Elan - not bad

I also like the toggle switches (I know they will keeel you! - worth it tho)

[911boost]

I like the dash from the 997.2 series 911's. I can see all of the gauges through the steering wheel of mine and everything is where I want to look.

Not my car, but to give an idea.

[pwd72s]

One thing I like...very readable, also can change colors. I went with green, reminded me of the early 911. Also matched the non color change radio.
Tach on left, speedo on right, 4 smaller gauges in the center for fuel, temp, oil pressure, volts. Always kind of galled me that the old 911S dash, otherwise excellent, had no volt gauge.

The '19 Bullitt? Gauges from a Klingon bird of prey, big TV screen in the center. I hate 'em, the young guys love the dash...except when it goes blank, and there are reports of it doing just that.

[RWebb]

putting the aux gauges in between the two important ones (tach & speedo) is not a good idea IMO - commonly done tho


I agree re the water-cooled Porscheys - another nice feature is the 3D look to the cluster - really helps the eye

the horn o'plenty oil level gauge is good - once you figure it out