Design your own cockpit/dashboard
Discussion
Looking at the latest cars (probably cars from the last 10 years in fact), a common complaint amongst PH'ers is the excessive use of screens and lack of physical buttons. I agree, hate it.... !
This got me thinking about what I'd want in a perfect world in a NEW CAR, whilst bearing in mind certain necessities to do with legislation etc.
Aside from the obvious distraction the main thing that irritates me is how bright everything is... My Evoque has three screens (four if you include the rear view mirror which I leave switched off!). Luckily there is a configurable button on the steering wheel which I've set to minimise brightness and turn off the centre screen with a single press which makes nighttime driving easier on the eye!
I can't stand screens and would love it if new models were available without screens, or at least had screens which disappear!
All I'd really want as a driver is as follows:
- No centre screen at all
- A completely clean dashboard which is tucked as close to the windscreen as possible
- Physical buttons/knobs for heater/heated seats/steering wheel (door mounted on each side like a mclaren but a single knob with multifunction based on number of presses, and a very small display showing temp/status) eg three clicks for steering heat
- Physical volume knob for stereo, accessible from either seat (possibly on the doors)
- Physical buttons/switches for electric seats
- A single physical button tucked out of the way that is fully configurable to disable whichever safety aids you want. This would be a latching type button which remembers the setting
- Cruise control on the steering wheel
- Wiper and lighting stalks configurable for left or right handed use
- Some configurable shortcut buttons like a modern BMW, for example "call wife" or "navigate me home" etc
- The main instrument cluster would be a simple sensibly sized TFT which is highly configurable but only when the car is stationary so basically no "sub menu" settings can be accessed when driving and it would display a full screen map with everything else (speed, range, time etc) slightly above and below the map
- I'd like the panel to be sunken into the dash so essentially the dash is more or less symmetrical without a "hump" where the display is, but locked to the steering column position a la Porsche 928
- I'd also like the screen to have some sort of filter in front of it to minimise the harsh brightness of the backlights (possibly like an Alfa Giulia centre screen but better executed)
- A configurable HUD
- A SAAB "night panel" style button which darkens everything and switches pretty much everything off except for speed and nav
- I'd want all buttons to be well damped and very "notchy" so every click is solid and there is no vagueness
How would you design yours? I'm talking brand new cars, not modifications of existing designs!
Also do you think we will ever go back to tactile controls or are we stuck with screens forever?
LC500 is approaching perfection to me, I love these interiors (if you ignore the dated tech):
This got me thinking about what I'd want in a perfect world in a NEW CAR, whilst bearing in mind certain necessities to do with legislation etc.
Aside from the obvious distraction the main thing that irritates me is how bright everything is... My Evoque has three screens (four if you include the rear view mirror which I leave switched off!). Luckily there is a configurable button on the steering wheel which I've set to minimise brightness and turn off the centre screen with a single press which makes nighttime driving easier on the eye!
I can't stand screens and would love it if new models were available without screens, or at least had screens which disappear!
All I'd really want as a driver is as follows:
- No centre screen at all
- A completely clean dashboard which is tucked as close to the windscreen as possible
- Physical buttons/knobs for heater/heated seats/steering wheel (door mounted on each side like a mclaren but a single knob with multifunction based on number of presses, and a very small display showing temp/status) eg three clicks for steering heat
- Physical volume knob for stereo, accessible from either seat (possibly on the doors)
- Physical buttons/switches for electric seats
- A single physical button tucked out of the way that is fully configurable to disable whichever safety aids you want. This would be a latching type button which remembers the setting
- Cruise control on the steering wheel
- Wiper and lighting stalks configurable for left or right handed use
- Some configurable shortcut buttons like a modern BMW, for example "call wife" or "navigate me home" etc
- The main instrument cluster would be a simple sensibly sized TFT which is highly configurable but only when the car is stationary so basically no "sub menu" settings can be accessed when driving and it would display a full screen map with everything else (speed, range, time etc) slightly above and below the map
- I'd like the panel to be sunken into the dash so essentially the dash is more or less symmetrical without a "hump" where the display is, but locked to the steering column position a la Porsche 928
- I'd also like the screen to have some sort of filter in front of it to minimise the harsh brightness of the backlights (possibly like an Alfa Giulia centre screen but better executed)
- A configurable HUD
- A SAAB "night panel" style button which darkens everything and switches pretty much everything off except for speed and nav
- I'd want all buttons to be well damped and very "notchy" so every click is solid and there is no vagueness
How would you design yours? I'm talking brand new cars, not modifications of existing designs!
Also do you think we will ever go back to tactile controls or are we stuck with screens forever?
LC500 is approaching perfection to me, I love these interiors (if you ignore the dated tech):
Edited by Llew on Tuesday 23 January 18:57
s94wht said:
First point: no centre screen, but the LC500 is approaching perfection 
Just nitpicking. It's a very handsome interior, especially in that colour
Hence the use of the word "approaching"! Just nitpicking. It's a very handsome interior, especially in that colour
I sat in one once and have been smitten ever since, the leather quality and general quality is unbelievable - On par with Bentley and RR in my opinion.If I had a Saab, I’d never use the night button. The more buttons, switches and lights the better 
However, something like this, maybe a screen which pops out of the dash when needed and one of those cool overhead consoles like in a DS5 for some additional lights and buttons. Digital instruments and climate. Sorted.
However, something like this, maybe a screen which pops out of the dash when needed and one of those cool overhead consoles like in a DS5 for some additional lights and buttons. Digital instruments and climate. Sorted.
That Lexus does look quite nice though from that image I'm slightly suspicions that the buttons under the screen might be hard to pick out individually without looking at them and I'd hope there is a rotating volume control in the middle there somewhere too. Rotary temperature controllers seem to work well too.
To be honest, I hate stuff being overcomplicated. Apple carplay works nicely for music and nav and that's about all I'm likely to be interested in seeing on a centre screen when on the move. I really am not a fan of too much configurability. Don't give a s
t about getting the tone of the ambient lighting on my knees just right and I'd rather just have one good driving mode rather than being able to adjust every aspect of the car (wrongly). Good old fashioned clear dials for speed and revs (90's BMW's hit perfection here). Maybe after that a bit of digital info, for OBC stuff, maybe a map overlay or something but generally less is more. I do like an HUD though. Again, just speed and maybe some direction stuff is enough. Oh also, slightly related, I don't want to have to use the dash or centre screen to check the oil level, so a big stick in the engine bay is much appreciated thank you.
To be honest, I hate stuff being overcomplicated. Apple carplay works nicely for music and nav and that's about all I'm likely to be interested in seeing on a centre screen when on the move. I really am not a fan of too much configurability. Don't give a s
t about getting the tone of the ambient lighting on my knees just right and I'd rather just have one good driving mode rather than being able to adjust every aspect of the car (wrongly). Good old fashioned clear dials for speed and revs (90's BMW's hit perfection here). Maybe after that a bit of digital info, for OBC stuff, maybe a map overlay or something but generally less is more. I do like an HUD though. Again, just speed and maybe some direction stuff is enough. Oh also, slightly related, I don't want to have to use the dash or centre screen to check the oil level, so a big stick in the engine bay is much appreciated thank you. DoctorX said:
If I had a Saab, I’d never use the night button. The more buttons, switches and lights the better
However, something like this, maybe a screen which pops out of the dash when needed and one of those cool overhead consoles like in a DS5 for some additional lights and buttons. Digital instruments and climate. Sorted.
I would, at the very least, want the steering wheel on the side where I sit.However, something like this, maybe a screen which pops out of the dash when needed and one of those cool overhead consoles like in a DS5 for some additional lights and buttons. Digital instruments and climate. Sorted.
I think the dash in my old S2 106 Rallye was just about perfect for a driver's car without fripperies.
In key position 2 with the engine off, the oil temp gauge would act as an oil level check (so you could check it on every start).
With unlimited budget I'd have the coolant gauge do the same, and swap the speedo and rev counter sides so that the redline is in the centre of the cluster.
In key position 2 with the engine off, the oil temp gauge would act as an oil level check (so you could check it on every start).
With unlimited budget I'd have the coolant gauge do the same, and swap the speedo and rev counter sides so that the redline is in the centre of the cluster.
What I want from an interior depends hugely on the car. For a sports car I think my Elise gets it about right - everything I need to enjoy driving falls easily to hand and there's nothing else to distract (although I'd prefer to have the indicators on the right-hand side anda telescopic steering column wouldn't go amiss) but it would be an utterly unsuitable interior for a family car (I mean even ignoring the shortage of seats).
I find it quite easy to adapt to any control systems as long as they are easy to hand.
I like a car’s interior to feel comfortable and for want of a better word cozy.
I want to sit ‘in’ the car not ‘on’ it.
I like a high & wide centre console, I also love wood.
In this respect the Jaguar XJ-S should be perfect.
But the footwells are cramped & the whole package feels cramped rather than cozy.
I do like lots of gauges to live out my ‘Spitfire pilot’ childish side.
The Jensen Interceptor III is very cool in this regard.
I would like CarPlay, but that can be discreetly incoporated lower down. I hate the floating iPad look and really dislike touch screens. So tech will be via a small CarPlay display & an iDrive controller.
The car that comes closest to my perfect interior is the 1990’s Bentley Continental R. Needs a higher arm rest like the XJ-S though.
But I would prefer a nicer wheel, the one in my Range Rover is perfect, as are the stalks which are shared with contemporary Jaguars.
That’s about it.
If someone could put all of this into a 1970 Aston Martin DBS V8 body:
With a Jaguar Supercharged V8 attached to the 8 speed quickshift ZF automatic from the F-Type R I may just have my perfect car.
I like a car’s interior to feel comfortable and for want of a better word cozy.
I want to sit ‘in’ the car not ‘on’ it.
I like a high & wide centre console, I also love wood.
In this respect the Jaguar XJ-S should be perfect.
But the footwells are cramped & the whole package feels cramped rather than cozy.
I do like lots of gauges to live out my ‘Spitfire pilot’ childish side.
The Jensen Interceptor III is very cool in this regard.
I would like CarPlay, but that can be discreetly incoporated lower down. I hate the floating iPad look and really dislike touch screens. So tech will be via a small CarPlay display & an iDrive controller.
The car that comes closest to my perfect interior is the 1990’s Bentley Continental R. Needs a higher arm rest like the XJ-S though.
But I would prefer a nicer wheel, the one in my Range Rover is perfect, as are the stalks which are shared with contemporary Jaguars.
That’s about it.
If someone could put all of this into a 1970 Aston Martin DBS V8 body:
With a Jaguar Supercharged V8 attached to the 8 speed quickshift ZF automatic from the F-Type R I may just have my perfect car.
Krikkit said:
I think the dash in my old S2 106 Rallye was just about perfect for a driver's car without fripperies.
In key position 2 with the engine off, the oil temp gauge would act as an oil level check (so you could check it on every start).
With unlimited budget I'd have the coolant gauge do the same, and swap the speedo and rev counter sides so that the redline is in the centre of the cluster.
The oil gauge on my 106 GTi was never accurate, I gave up looking at it in the end. Same in my 306 Cab. In key position 2 with the engine off, the oil temp gauge would act as an oil level check (so you could check it on every start).
With unlimited budget I'd have the coolant gauge do the same, and swap the speedo and rev counter sides so that the redline is in the centre of the cluster.
A slightly more modern version of this would be pretty ideal. It's clean and concise but still has physical switches for important bits like the heater and aircon. The command control is a tactile knob that clicks as you go through menus and stops you at the end of menus etc. Once you've learned to use it, you don't need to look but the display is good and just enough. You also have a largely conventional set of dials but I'd swap the digital speedo for a normal one.
I think it's a great set up for a big comfy cruiser, not dissimilar to the OPs choice.
I think it's a great set up for a big comfy cruiser, not dissimilar to the OPs choice.
This might be an eccentric suggestion, but I feel this thread is about to be inundated with eccentric suggestions. However:
I much prefer if the main instrument binnacle of a car is lit by reflected light- cowled lights between driver and instrument, as if in a theatre. For whatever reason, I find it much easier to balance at night with the view out the windscreen, especially when that view is illuminated by elderly lights. Glowing instruments- whether old-fashioned backlit or modern screens- always feel glaring. An example from an old Merc:
Compared to this gracefulness, my newish Merc's binnacle is a shouty mess, with a tiny white needle on a glowing white background. It is old enough to have a button to turn the screen off at night though.
Of course the end-game of all this was already reached by Citroen 50 years ago:
Backlit schmacklit. We're just giving you incomprehensible mayhem in a vase. Have at it
I much prefer if the main instrument binnacle of a car is lit by reflected light- cowled lights between driver and instrument, as if in a theatre. For whatever reason, I find it much easier to balance at night with the view out the windscreen, especially when that view is illuminated by elderly lights. Glowing instruments- whether old-fashioned backlit or modern screens- always feel glaring. An example from an old Merc:
Compared to this gracefulness, my newish Merc's binnacle is a shouty mess, with a tiny white needle on a glowing white background. It is old enough to have a button to turn the screen off at night though.
Of course the end-game of all this was already reached by Citroen 50 years ago:
Backlit schmacklit. We're just giving you incomprehensible mayhem in a vase. Have at it
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