Mil-Spec inspired car dashboards then and now...

[Manedwolf]

Then: 1989 Vector W-2



Now: 2008 Lamborghini Reventon. Glass cockpit?

[The Annoyed Man]

Wow. Only like 1 million ¬...

[taurusowner]

That bottom pic looks like the targeting computer on an X-Wing.

[Bigjake]

or the HUD from that movie Firefox, minus the cryllics

[HankB]

Automobile controls ought to be simple and intuitive, not ergonomic nightmares . . . these look worse than the original BMW iDrive system. (Unless they include controls to fire rockets, lay down an oil slick, and dump some caltrops.)

[mfree]

Hankb,

The nice thing about a glass cockpit is that all that needs doing to change things is a reprogram.

I've always thought carmakers would have been smart to make a standard sized LCD panel for their vehicles, and if they want stylistic differences just write a difference driver program. It's still have gauges, they'd just be images instead of the real thing.

[Manedwolf]

Hankb,

The nice thing about a glass cockpit is that all that needs doing to change things is a reprogram.

I've always thought carmakers would have been smart to make a standard sized LCD panel for their vehicles, and if they want stylistic differences just write a difference driver program. It's still have gauges, they'd just be images instead of the real thing.

Unless it ran on Microsoft software. Crashes could be more literal.

[MillCreek]

Man, all that thing needs is a toggle switch: air to air vs. air to ground.

[seeker_two]

Automobile controls ought to be simple and intuitive, not ergonomic nightmares . . . these look worse than the original BMW iDrive system. (Unless they include controls to fire rockets, lay down an oil slick, and dump some caltrops.)

For nearly $2 million, it might.... 

[The Annoyed Man]

Automobile controls ought to be simple and intuitive, not ergonomic nightmares . . . these look worse than the original BMW iDrive system. (Unless they include controls to fire rockets, lay down an oil slick, and dump some caltrops.)

For nearly $2 million, it might.... 

For that much, it should fly as well. And run underwater.

[yesitsloaded]

Am I supposed to be impressed or something? My 86 Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R actually talks to me and has a complete digital dash. Touchscreen HVAC on a car in 86!!

[Stickjockey]

HankB say:

Automobile controls ought to be simple and intuitive, not ergonomic nightmares . . .

Like this!

Willys Overland, circa 1943

[BlueStarLizzard]

seriously, i thought those were planes at first.

i would like to point out that i can check my oil (but not change it), change my tire and drive resonably (not one speeding ticket, thank you very much) but beyond that i know nothing about cars. and i admit it so there.

i will point out that the lamborgina does not translate. i think that the little letters in circles are the gear its in (so its in neutral?) and the other side seems to have fuel gauge and such (but where's the speed?) and the top has a picture of a steering wheel (is that supposed to mean something?) 

[Harold Tuttle]

the car is in neutral, so no speed registers in the green circle
we seem to be idling at 2500, 40 percent fuel capacity,
coolant is at 80 degrees C, oil temp & pressure are in range

fire the flux capacitor at 80

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2008-lamborghini-reventon/391143/

[BlueStarLizzard]

but whats the top thingy?

and if you tell me its for aiming rockets i am so buying one!

[Harold Tuttle]

its for aiming rockets

[BlueStarLizzard]

its for aiming rockets

"Hey DAD!!!! i need money for a lambergine and extra rockets!!!!"

man, are we gonna have fun at the range!!!!

 

[Manedwolf]

but whats the top thingy?

and if you tell me its for aiming rockets i am so buying one!

G-meter. But yeah, it does look like a targeting system.

[mfree]

This is what I was talking about. (And, there's nothing new under the sun).

Site's in French, but here's the page with the result pics.

http://zcarcockpit.free.fr/FR_Description_LeResultat.html

[Tallpine]

Willys Overland, circa 1943

My 1950 Case has an oil gauge, amp gauge, and heat gauge.

The heat gauge doesn't work.  But if steam is coming out of the radiator cap, then it's getting too hot.

Don't need a speedometer.  If your butt is bouncing off the metal seat, then you're going too fast 

[Boomhauer]

seriously, i thought those were planes at first.

Eh, the Lamborghini's dash is nothing compared to what is going on in general aviation these days. The lowly Cessna 172 comes with a pretty advanced glass cockpit. The Lamborghini's dash looks like a cheap cockpit mockup from a crappy 1980's movie. Many aircraft (particularly Cessna's single engine piston line) are only available with a glass cockpit. This is relatively new in aviation, a product of the late '90s and particularly the 2000s.

G1000 in a Cessna single engine


Avidyne Entegra suite in a Cirrus SR-2x series


Even experimental aircraft are getting into the game. We have all kinds of stuff nowadays, and it has all happened in just a few years...I mean, even in the '90s we were just going through the GPS revolution. If the carmakers want to look at some futuristic stuff, they need to pay some attention to general aviation. Cars just started getting widespread panel mount GPS in the past few years.

[Myself]

True mil spec's cockpit displays are light years ahead of the Lamborghini's display.  Having worked on everything from B-52's and A-6's up to the F-22 I can tell you the real ones are incredible.  A modern fighter cockpit display system costs more than the car.

[Gewehr98]

Having flown a B-52 or three, I can tell you that eyeballing 8 of each gauge and throttle (glass cockpit - what's that?) makes the Lamborghini's dashboard look like a lazy Sunday afternoon.

[French G.]

All the military aviation news mags make much gesticulation and masturbation about "all glass cockpit" upgrades in existing fleets or new aircraft rollouts. Pilots I had gave a disdainful sniff at our aircraft and it's "steam gauges." (Pitot static, direct read, and other such barbaric stuff) I dunno, that all glass stuff is pretty cool until the power goes out... A car needs water temp, oil pressure, and RPM. Nothing more.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

but whats the top thingy?

and if you tell me its for aiming rockets i am so buying one!

G-meter. But yeah, it does look like a targeting system.

G-meter?! Bah!

My Ranger has a G-meter, and I didn't have to pay $1.5mil to get it.  Of course, my G-meter is a weight dangling from the review mirror.  But still.  G-meter.  I had the idea before Lamborghini did.  Friggin' copycats...