Vestigial Tachometer

[Doug_G]

Hopefully in the Model S the displays will be far more customizable. I like seeing numbers for things. You can have all the graphical doodads you want, but a number means a lot more to me.

 

[vfx]

Would it be possible to read MPH data and put a digital readout in front to the useless tach?

For me the analog MPH is blocked by the steering wheel and ironically so is the new MPH readout on the VDS (though they could swap it wit the range readout to fix that)

 

[dsm363]

They should be able to put the MPH in that small gray LCD screen where the amps and estimated range are located. I've put this in as a firmware upgrade request but we'll see if that ever happens.

 

[vfx]

They should be able to put the MPH in that small gray LCD screen where the amps and estimated range are located. I've put this in as a firmware upgrade request but we'll see if that ever happens.

Great idea! Just make sure they are BIG NUMBERS. I want to see them at a glance.

Of course this would just be another screen that cycles through when the column button is pushed.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

I'd love to have a digital display that let me have custom gauges that I can swap in when I want.
The only gauge the Roadster really needs when being driven hard around a track is the motor temperature gauge - it would be nice to have a great big one in the middle of the display.
I'd probably put a battery gauge next to it.

I hate to diverge the topic, but I wonder if a device like the Tesla Tattler could listen in on various CAN messages as they flow around the car, and then convert the numbers to a voltage for a vintage analog gauge. If that's possible, then both digital readouts and analog would be possible. I guess it depends upon exactly what sorts of information flow on the CAN bus.

By the way, there are times when numerical readouts are more effective, and times when analog works better. That's why Fluke has a simulated analog gauge below the digital readout on their meters. It can be much faster to comprehend a moving needle than rapidly varying numbers. On the other hand, I swear it takes me several seconds to estimate my speed based on the sparse numbers shown on the speedo. If it weren't for the slow-as-molasses update rate of the typical digital speedo, I'd prefer digital. Until they get the latency below one second, though, I like the smooth flow of an analog gauge even if it is driven by a digital-to-analog converter.

 

[mnx]

If it weren't for the slow-as-molasses update rate of the typical digital speedo, I'd prefer digital. Until they get the latency below one second, though, I like the smooth flow of an analog gauge even if it is driven by a digital-to-analog converter.

Funnily enough in the Lexus LF-A they use a digital tach (LCD display showing a needle) as an analog tach couldn't keep up with how fast the engine could rev.

 

[Doug_G]

They should be able to put the MPH in that small gray LCD screen where the amps and estimated range are located. I've put this in as a firmware upgrade request but we'll see if that ever happens.

Yeah, I've also requested that one.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

Funnily enough in the Lexus LF-A they use a digital tach (LCD display showing a needle) as an analog tach couldn't keep up with how fast the engine could rev.

Good point.

The Honda S2000 has numeric speed and graphical tach, both digital. The speedo is LCD, but I can't tell whether the tach is LCD or LED. Seems like LCD, too. What's strange is that the lag in the speedo is very perceptible, but the tach appears instantaneous. There's a bit of a ghost on the tach, but it's clear that the readout changes instantly.

I almost wonder whether there is some standard digital speedo that everyone uses because it has been approved. The crappy cruise control in all cars certainly seems like that.

 

[Doug_G]

I almost wonder whether there is some standard digital speedo that everyone uses because it has been approved. The crappy cruise control in all cars certainly seems like that.

I don't think so. My G37 has adaptive cruise control, which shows the target speed digitally. I like that. But if it is raining I have to fall back to "regular" cruise control, which behaves as if it were a completely different implementation (dynamic response isn't as good). It doesn't show the setpoint either. My interpretation is that the regular cruise control is an old-fashioned analog system of some kind.