i've seen a couple of these threads spattered here and there and I wonder, what did you do before we had screens? the numbers on the gauges aren't adjustable and can be argued they're difficult, at best, to read. additional numbers, settings and warnings have traditionally been at a non-intrusive "size" in most vehicles. did they just not bother you before, or you just didn't pay attention.
OP, not bashing your thread, but there is a limit to what a UI can do and still be "safe" across all markets. while i agree the "cell phone" status bar at the top is a bit small (for a vehicle), i'm not sure adding a "high visibility" interface would improve the UI much.
i suppose given the real estate on the screen, it should be possible, but you run the risk of branched development and one UI might be missing features the other UI isn't (translation: it can get really expensive).
personally, the most important visualizations are already the most visible IMO. the rest is just distractions.