How Virtual Cockpit Made Me Ignore The Speedometer

[beantownrich]

Brought my S3 in for service today and wound up in a '17 A3 with Audi's "Virtual Cockpit" which is replaces in the instrument cluster with a virtual set.

"Cool!" I said as I sat behind the wheel. Within 5 minutes I thought the whole concept was lunacy. There was information overload in front of me, maps, speed, songs, and without a place to concentrate I just determined it was easier to ignore, rather than hunt through the information across the screen.



Often when driving I'll look down at the gauge, just because, but the reality (after many years driving stick and having a sense for engine load) is that I usually know how fast I'm going and if I really need to check (cop around?) I look.

So today, I realized when it's not just in front of me out of convenience, I don't really look for it that often. And in those cases, a quick glance over to my right won't be that bad. It actually might make driving more enjoyable by not having to be distracted by it.

Just my thoughts, I'm sure there are many who disagree.
Brought my S3 in for service today and wound up in a '17 A3 with Audi's "Virtual Cockpit" which is replaces in the instrument cluster with a virtual set.

"Cool!" I said as I sat behind the wheel. Within 5 minutes I thought the whole concept was lunacy. There was information overload in front of me, maps, speed, songs, and without a place to concentrate I just determined it was easier to ignore, rather than hunt through the information across the screen.

Often when driving I'll look down at the gauge, just because, but the reality (after many years driving stick and having a sense for engine load) is that I usually know how fast I'm going and if I really need to check (cop around?) I look.

So today, I realized when it's not just in front of me out of convenience, I don't really look for it that often. And in those cases, a quick glance over to my right won't be that bad. It actually might make driving more enjoyable by not having to be distracted by it.

Just my thoughts, I'm sure there are many who disagree.

 

[gowthamn]

I disagree though. Neither a display nor a HUD will probably be a deal breaker for me.

 

[Sonny Daze]

"Cool!" I said as I sat behind the wheel. Within 5 minutes I thought the whole concept was lunacy. There was information overload in front of me, maps, speed, songs, and without a place to concentrate I just determined it was easier to ignore, rather than hunt through the information across the screen.

I get your point, but just to be fair to Audi there are many configurations to choose from. For example:

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Yes. Audi A3.

One class and size below Model 3.

Has an instrument cluster screen like Model S.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

I get your point, but just to be fair to Audi there are many configurations to choose from. For example:

View attachment 222536

How can anyone possibly cope with that!

Craziness!

Here is another crazy unintelligble screen from the Audi system:

 

[Sonny Daze]

How can anyone possibly cope with that!

Craziness!

Here is another crazy unintelligble screen from the Audi system:

Now that would be crazy on a (current) Audi.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Now that would be crazy on a (current) Audi.

Indeed.

I guess the irony I was going for is that, well, jumping to hasty conclusions from a single test-drive is not really the way to measure changes. Somehow, a lot of Model S owners have managed...

Model S, at 6.2 level, was displaying perhaps even more information on its instrument cluster than Audi is. A lot of us got used to that and are missing the information "overload", just as some users found it much coming from traditional instument clusters.

 

[beantownrich]

I get your point, but just to be fair to Audi there are many configurations to choose from. For example:

View attachment 222536

That one's cool. I wasn't able to get it despite playing with all the settings. I would have been more okay with it.

 

[beantownrich]

Indeed.

I guess the irony I was going for is that, well, jumping to hasty conclusions from a single test-drive is not really the way to measure changes. Somehow, a lot of Model S owners have managed...

Model S, at 6.2 level, was displaying perhaps even more information on its instrument cluster than Audi is. A lot of us got used to that and are missing the information "overload", just as some users found it much coming from traditional instument clusters.

Yeah, I get it the Model S is similar approach to the Audi Virtual Cockpit, but overtime Tesla has adjusted their approach too. All I was saying was that it didn't bother me not looking there. I'm oh so sorry for having a different opinion than you.

 

[chillaban]

I actually am a big fan of virtual cockpit from Audi. It's one of the most versatile LCD instrument clusters out there. There's many configurable modes (big dials vs small dials, maps vs infotainment, etc etc etc), and usually you end up finding a favorite screen. I have a '17 A4 with VC, and my favorite dial mode is totally different from my significant others', and we can spend all day arguing about why our mode is better.


The only critique I have of VC is that I wish there's a way to move the speedometer to the top center of the display like Tesla's.

But at any rate, I would take VC over a HUD *any* day. I had 2 cars with HUDs, and they stop being amusing after your second $2000 windshield replacement due to a rock chip, and hearing from your insurance that polarized HUD glass isn't covered under the windshield policy, etc etc etc…. Not to mention they interfere a lot with polarized sunglasses.

 

[beantownrich]

But at any rate, I would take VC over a HUD *any* day. I had 2 cars with HUDs, and they stop being amusing after your second $2000 windshield replacement due to a rock chip, and hearing from your insurance that polarized HUD glass isn't covered under the windshield policy, etc etc etc…. Not to mention they interfere a lot with polarized sunglasses.

Total agree, had the HUD in my 328 and it disappeared the second the sunglasses went on. I don't really miss it. More something to brag about than enjoy.

 

[R.S]

I am still astonished, that Audi can afford to build in that a technology in such a cheap car. I mean, it's a second screen! That must cost, like, $15k to build into a car, if not more. Why haven't they gone for the much cheaper option of one gigantic screen in the middle?

 

[chillaban]

I am still astonished, that Audi can afford to build in that a technology in such a cheap car. I mean, it's a second screen! That must cost, like, $15k to build into a car, if not more. Why haven't they gone for the much cheaper option of one gigantic screen in the middle?

It's not at all standard on any Audi, including the S models. It is part of a $3000 ish package and also, it's Audi, they are a veteran car manufacturer with literally hundreds of permutations of features per car. In fact, premium vs Premium Plus even changes all the cabin lighting LEDs and cable harnesses to add support for color LEDs for ambient lighting. And of the 4 or so Audis that we've taken delivery of in the last 3 years, zero had any sort of fitment/quality issue at delivery.

Bottom line: They know how to make one sausage 5000 toppings without screwing any of them up. When Tesla figures out how to make 1 sedan and have the door panels fit consistently, steering wheel screwed on straight, folding mirrors not squeal/jam, etc etc etc, they could start figuring out multiple build configs. Until then, I really think Tesla is making the right choice with the Model 3 by keeping to one config that keeps $35,000 viable and profitable, even if it means not including a driver instrument cluster.


Sorry for being harsh -- I love Tesla and have two of them (both with various minor build quality issues I've never experienced with Audi or BMW or Mercedes before)... but they haven't mastered building any of their cars yet. They can't afford to complicate their very first car for the masses.

 

[Sonny Daze]

I am still astonished, that Audi can afford to build in that a technology in such a cheap car. I mean, it's a second screen! That must cost, like, $15k to build into a car, if not more. Why haven't they gone for the much cheaper option of one gigantic screen in the middle?

It's the only screen on the TT.

 

[Discoducky]

4 years of driving the S has had a huge impact on my driving, but I think that the biggest one, outside of the instant crazy smooth torque, is that the IR is not needed. I don't look at it as I can hear the wind noise for speed. I can feel torque or regen or just the air friction. I doubt I'm in the majority, but we should recognize the shift from what the IR was for (critical analog driving information) to what is necessary now (critical digital driving information) which is displayed in a better form in a single display. Why? A single place for information is inherently better, especially when there is less information that is critical. This is the future of the 3 IMHO.

 

[zenmaster]

Cue "looks like Boba Fett could get sucked into those air vents", not a fan, too complicated, etc...