12" LCD Digital Instrument Cluster Standard?

[Rapid Red]

Food for thought for all the people who don’t like the digital gauges...

Both the digital and “analog” gauges are electronic gauges. However, on the “analog” gauges, there’s more pieces to fail, whereas the digital cluster just has 1 screen, not multiple pieces. So really, the digital cluster just means LESS electronic parts that can fail

The argument is not mechanical/digital. It is totally visual, analog/digital.

Electronic gauges are more prone to failure, analog & digital ...

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[Strokerswild]

I would always pick an analog gauge over digital, given the choice. You don't have to "learn" the instruments, if you get my drift.

 

[jake_zx2]

But the standard face of the digital gauges looks EXTREMELY similar to the “analog” gauges, and is actually easier to read...

 

[Michael_vroomvroom]

The analog gauges aren't mechanical gauges like you'd put into an older car, they are just a stepper motor controlling a dial indicator that is all driven by a processor receiving commands over the CAN bus. Basically, behind the face the digital cluster and the analog cluster work the same way so there isn't actually more stuff to go wrong.

But do you have to replace the whole dashboard if the one of the analog gauges fail?

 

[jake_zx2]

But do you have to replace the whole dashboard if the one of the analog gauges fail?

With cost of labor to disassemble and resolder anything that broke, you probably would just end up replacing the whole cluster. I don’t even know if the analog gauges are serviceable, but I’d bet that they aren’t and would need replaced as a whole regardless

 

[Strokerswild]

But the standard face of the digital gauges looks EXTREMELY similar to the “analog” gauges, and is actually easier to read...

Similar, i.e. not the same. I've seen the digital unit (meh) and prefer analog, my preference. Red needles on black dials with simple white markings is timeless.

 

[Charlemagne]

Isn't it easier to just read the exact and precise big number under MPH than gauging if the needle is below or under law limit?

 

[Michael_vroomvroom]

I adore the "track mode" display. It makes viewing roughly where you're in the RPM range, and seeing in the peripheral vision when you're approaching redline, a lot easier than any other display I've seen. I've experimented with having a "beep" come on when I'm nearing the point I should shift (configurable via sync3*, perhaps also for non-digital displays), but the beep gets annoying quickly. Not so the track mode. After one year it's stil beautiful and is all I use.

I think Ford did a really good job on the digital display, and while I would love some more configuration options, mainly to remove some of the things from the display and make it cleaner, I think it's really good, and I'm somebody who normally prefers analog displays.

*Edit: remembered wrong I think. Beep configurable via the digital display menu keys on the steering wheel, so would not be configurable for the analog display I'm sure.

 

[Strokerswild]

That it's configurable is fantastic....

 

[Rapid Red]

Isn't it easier to just read the exact and precise big number under MPH than gauging if the needle is below or under law limit?

Needle position is a quick reference, for temp hight & low limits seen quickly, no thinking.

As to MPH and speeding, ............. Last time I got a speeding ticket.

The guessing stops signing the ticket. The exact number means absolutely nothing, road side or in front of the judge.


@Michael same boat the tack stands out & easier read.

 

[Strokerswild]

Needle position is a quick reference, for temp hight & low limits seen quickly, no thinking.

This.

Verification at a glance versus actually reading and processing what you read. I seem to recall reading about studies on the topic eons ago.

 

[jake_zx2]

You guys do know that the digital cluster isn’t JUST numbers, right? You get both numbers AND a sweeping gauge

 

[Strokerswild]

Again, I have seen the digital cluster, and prefer analog.

 

[jgilkey]

This.

Verification at a glance versus actually reading and processing what you read. I seem to recall reading about studies on the topic eons ago.

There’s been many studies. Gauges always win in a vehicle scenario. Add to it the ability to change colors to highlight warnings, and that is the best. Also, physical controls are a lot better than touch screens and lead to less distracted drivers.

 

[Jaymar]

But do you have to replace the whole dashboard if the one of the analog gauges fail?

Yes, actually you do. But that's nothing new, they've been like that mostly since the '80s. That was the death of a beautiful little '85 325es that was a blast to drive.

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