WhiteStar dashboard?

[doug]

oobject classic car user interfaces

 

[malcolm]

Great retro link doug! Thanks.

LOVE the 1906 Stanley Steamer.

"Honey!? Where are my driving goggles and galoshes?"

 

[doug]

 

[Joseph]

I hope Whitestar ('Model S' just isn't natural for me) doesn't have such an ipod-esque dashboard. I prefer the classic and/or simple designs from Audi or Volvo.

 

[Takumi]

U.G.L.Y.

I don't like the Volt's interior. It is already dated. Should go for something that is either timeless or avant garde. If they are trying to catch the iPod craze then they already missed it. It's nowhere near the iPod Touch's look.

 

[TEG]

 

[TEG]

Pagani Zonda-R

Tach in the steering wheel!

 

[vfx]

Jag XF

Knob shift, push button start

 

[NEWDL]

The jag shift selector also lowers and is flush with that center console when the car is off....it is quite futuristic to see it raise and lower as stupid as that sounds....also the air vents all open and close when the car turns on/turns off

I like the XF design quite a bit....I just can help but love an Ian Callum design...

 

[roblab]

I rather like Mercedes' simplicity and easy-to-read layout. I'm guessing, however, the electric car will get enable a panel simpler still.

I see only three really critical bits of info: speed, RPM, and battery charge. Speed and RPM might have their own gauges, while an LCD display could have a permanent space given to the battery charge. Everything else would be on different pages of the LCD.

The NAV system probably should have its own LCD.

Brent,
Why do you need an RPM gauge for a car with a single speed transmission? You're not going to shift. You don't care how fast the electric motor is going. When it reaches redline, it doesn't blow up. The computer limits your speed.

 

[roblab]

This car would have a 200 mile range, leave with a 80% battery for a 160 mile range, and primarily be used as a commuter vehicle. It would be replicating the same trip and distances most of the time.

The correct charging systems for these cars run on 220V, by the time you get to your destination with an almost dead battery at 10% how do you charge quickly, or use the slow charger and leave the car there, or get flatbeaded while sitting on the car.

Running out of batteries is less fun than running out of gas. Especially that batteries don't like to be fully charged of fully drained.

I would prefer to pay for a "better battery" than some navigation / distance / how much juice is left in the battery / how far can I go before I'm SOL system.

I understand the EV1 had such a nav/distance/remaining charge system. It couldn't tell, though that if you were just showing off, using lots of kWh, that you might be going the rest of the way at 60 mph on the freeway getting good mileage. It didn't work.
And having driven EVs for 6 years, I can tell you, you don't "run out". Any EV driver knows how much charge he has left, how far it is to home, how fast he can go to get there, and about how much he can expect to have when done. They also know that if you don't have a lot of charge, all you have to do is *slow down* (novel concept) and you can go LOTS farther.
And when you "run out", it does NOT just STOP like and ICE, but slows down, goes for miles, and if you push it far enough, it stops. Then let the batteries rest a bit, and you can go another couple miles.
As far as 220 goes, it is everywhere. Almost every residential garage, place of business, RV parks, etc, have 220 volts. As an EV driver, you would also KNOW where any charge point might be on your trip, and you still probably would never use it, because using 200 miles ain't easy for one day. I know, there are some that do, but the average driving range for the average Merican is only (12000 miles/365 days) 33 miles.
When you go on a trip, it is an easy thing to find the KOA RV park and pay a few dollars (some don't even charge you for daytime use) and plug in and recharge. If you're visiting relatives, plug into the dryer outlet or have your brother put in a 220 v. 50 amp circuit for when you come to visit.
Don't keep worrying about "running out" in downtown Detroit. You won't be driving your Model S, unless it stands for Sherman Tank.

 

[TEG]

Well, now we have real pictures of where they are going:

I think that giant center LCD has lots of potential, but some people will miss having real knobs, buttons and levers for some things.

 

[Cobos]

While we are considering the interior, I've heard people say that any premium cars with just 1 cupholder up front is an instant fail. Is there any truth to this? Any other feature people used to more modern cars it seems the Model S is missing ?

Cobos

 

[TEG]

There could be hidden, pop-out cup-holders elsewhere, like they do on the Roadster.

 

[EVnut]

In looking at the touchscreen, I'm not quite convinced that it'll be better than traditional buttons. I kind of like the click feedback I get when adjusting, say, the temperature.

I agree. this is one of the common complaints with the Prius controls on the MFD as well. There are some things that simply work better with buttons and/or knobs. And controlling HVAC is one of them. I can reach over without ever looking and find exactly what I need when there are knobs/sliders/buttons. The huge touchscreen has huge "gee-wiz, high-tech appeal. And the possibilities with it are of course unlimited. But call me old-fashioned or traditional - there is a place for mechanical controls, and until I can just think things to get them done, I'd like my knobs please!

it is nice not having to look away from the road to find a knob to twist or slide. I usually just feel for the knobs.

Exaclty.

I'm sure tactile response can be supplemented with sound and clever touch algorithms.
Like if you are on the border of the knob or between the two of them, the sound effect is quiet or in different tune.

It is different but surely doable.

If you do sound, it'll be a bugger while the stereo is playing. Maybe a mild shock when you're about to do something wrong?

 

[vfx]

What about having little (clear) bumps on the glass. Sort of a "driver's braille'.

 

[jtibble]

Well if you re-skin the interface and change the layout, bumps wouldn't do much good if the underlying graphics have moved. If you could have the bumps move though...

 

[EVnut]

Ah yes. jtibble beat me to it. Yeah, the glory of an interface like this is the ability to re-map it for different uses/upgrades/whatever. If the position of various features are made permanent with molded bumps, they might as well just be buttons and knobs. I think there is ceratinly a place for touch-screen controls. I think it needs to augment the traditional buttons and knobs. It is quit telling to see the 2010 Prius has gone *back* to adding far more buttons than the current unit has. Good to see them listening to the customers and realizing their mistake.

All that aside, I have an issue with that much lighted area as well. Yes, I know it can be dimmed - it is still a HUGE lighted surface and without light, you don't know where anything is... again.

 

[vfx]

How much can you change the placement of everything without making normal owners crazy/confused?

Even so, not too much science in making a clear overlay sheet with bumps. Even swapping out the "glass" might be a good reason to charge for the upgrade.

Of course serious customizers will always push those limits but you can't make car for them.

My in car NAV is now 4 years old. it's $90 for the updated DVD. The other night I found that the street that Space X was not in the system Maybe it's time.

 

[SByer]

There are some things that simply work better with buttons and/or knobs. And controlling HVAC is one of them.

You haven't seen the HVAC and radio controls in my 911. :wink:

But hey, at least it's not the iDrive.