Crown

Audi just revealed the new TT and it only has a digital dash. Huracan is the same. This makes me think VW might go down the same path

I'm digging digital dashes, but I think it's a big mistake to remove the center console screen. I think it's important that the passenger has control and access to nav and entertainment, especially if cars are gaining even more functionality.

What do you guys think about the exclusion of the center screen at Audi/Lamborghini?

I had the chance to sit in the new TT cockpit some days ago. I loved the new cockpit, everything is where Im as a driver will need it. Also they made an excellent job how they executed this.

so - as a driver I prefer less destruction, I kind of  like the way back to the roots. Less destructions, conectration on driving, etc.  As passanger I hardly touch the center screen, only when Im bored I touch and play around,

I actually think the passenger shouldn't have access to the touchscreen. I always carry a taser, for when someone next to me tries to touch the buttons of my MMI system!  (Just kidding of course... Not a taser.... It's a baseball bat)

All joking aside, I really think that the design of that TT cockpit looks awesome and i don't see why someone else in my car should have the possibillity to operate the navi or entertainment. Most of the time I'm alone in the car anyway, just like the majority of people i see on the road every day.

Suzy

2013 Porsche Boxster S (MT) | Basalt black metallic
2014 Audi A6 Avant 3.0 BiTDI Quattro | Moonshine blue metallic
 

Eh, guess it's just me. I'm usually traveling with someone when using navigation and it helps that they can operate it while I'm driving. I'll reserve judgement until I try it, but I'm almost positive that even if it was just me in the car, I could operate a touch screen in the center from more efficiently than using an MMI knob and looking at the dash.

I think it also depends very much on what you're used to. It's my 4th Audi, so that MMI works almost like a second nature. I still have some trouble to get used to the PCM. Not a fan of that system (probably because I don't use it often), but other people love it.

Suzy

2013 Porsche Boxster S (MT) | Basalt black metallic
2014 Audi A6 Avant 3.0 BiTDI Quattro | Moonshine blue metallic
 

I would NEVER buy a car wihout a display in the middle console. My wife and my kids always look up information or operate the entertaining system.

I think VW Group makes a HUGE mistake here.

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014), BMW X3 35d (2013)

Ha ha, I've never bought a car with a centre console display

Gen II Cayman S

There's a reason why these cars include a WiFi hot spot and this is it.  Every passenger will soon be able to access services within the car without the need to resort to a central display.  The driver is left alone and,the passenger from a tablet or smartphone will soon be able to update information for navigation, for example.  

Apple has officially stated at Genf that CarPlay can operate on top of Blackberry's QNX system, the native application of the MMI...

CGX car nut:

There's a reason why these cars include a WiFi hot spot and this is it.  Every passenger will soon be able to access services within the car without the need to resort to a central display.  The driver is left alone and,the passenger from a tablet or smartphone will soon be able to update information for navigation, for example.

Until the WiFi needs to be reset and you have to stop and reboot the car to do it. Cars still need a center console, even if they have these features. Removing them is not for driver/passenger convenience, it's just an attempt to reduce costs, even if it's not a good idea to do it.

Of course, this does open up a number of interesting possibilities for the driver in the car behind you, in front of you, in the next lane...

apias:

CGX car nut:

There's a reason why these cars include a WiFi hot spot and this is it.  Every passenger will soon be able to access services within the car without the need to resort to a central display.  The driver is left alone and,the passenger from a tablet or smartphone will soon be able to update information for navigation, for example.

Until the WiFi needs to be reset and you have to stop and reboot the car to do it. Cars still need a center console, even if they have these features. Removing them is not for driver/passenger convenience, it's just an attempt to reduce costs, even if it's not a good idea to do it.

Of course, this does open up a number of interesting possibilities for the driver in the car behind you, in front of you, in the next lane...

Cars in the United States for many decades did not have a center console.  With the rapid adoption of voice controls and other multifunction control panels, less space will be dedicated for these functions.  This lowers weight and complexity of assembly.  

I do not recall ever as having to reboot my WiFi hotspot.  

458 doesn't have a centre screen, nor does the F12. Actually the new TT-interior reminds me a lot of that of the F12 with its three round vents in the middle. And the screen behind the steering wheel which serves for both, the dials and the navigation screen, seems to better executed than that of the Ferrari.

I rather like Audi's new interior design, I actually prefer a clean centre console with only a few necessary buttons like those for heating and ventilation to the one of a Panamera and the like.

The secret of life is to admire without desiring.

CGX car nut:

Cars in the United States for many decades did not have a center console.  

You have to go back pretty far to find cars in the US without radios, from which the center console evolved; radios which were located where the center consoles now are.

Showed my wife the new TT interior and like I suspected, she asked where the "navigation system" is (this is how she calls the entertainment/nav/etc. system in the middle console). When I told her, first thing she said was: "If you ever get such a car, you drive alone in it." I know my wife pretty well. 

What VW is doing is dumb in my opinion but maybe the center console display will be optional...at least.

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014), BMW X3 35d (2013)

If someone said that to me, it would be the main reason to buy the car   (Just kidding)

i personally wouldn't miss the pop-up screen in my Audi if they would make the screen between the dials even larger than it is right now. I hardly ever look at the screen on the dash.... I prefer a clean minimalistic dashbiard more than a screen to play with.

Suzy

2013 Porsche Boxster S (MT) | Basalt black metallic
2014 Audi A6 Avant 3.0 BiTDI Quattro | Moonshine blue metallic
 

apias:

CGX car nut:

Cars in the United States for many decades did not have a center console.  

You have to go back pretty far to find cars in the US without radios, from which the center console evolved; radios which were located where the center consoles now are.

The center of the dashboard is not the same as the center console, the area occupied between the driver's and passenger's seats.  Pedantic but necessary.   

Rossi:

458 doesn't have a centre screen, nor does the F12. Actually the new TT-interior reminds me a lot of that of the F12 with its three round vents in the middle. And the screen behind the steering wheel which serves for both, the dials and the navigation screen, seems to better executed than that of the Ferrari.

I rather like Audi's new interior design, I actually prefer a clean centre console with only a few necessary buttons like those for heating and ventilation to the one of a Panamera and the like.

The TT display is shared with the new Lamborghini Huracan and will be found on other products, probably including the next generation of Audi A5.  Volkswagen is showing production innovation with a common electrical architecture between the MQB and MSB platforms.  This will allow for significant economies of scale and higher quality functionality in the Lamborghini product.

Without a centre screen there will be less real estate for information :(

I prefer to have the maps on the centre display on all time, secondary information like radio or trip displays can go on the smaller speedo dash. 

It's also convenient to have the passenger input navi information while I am driving, no need to stop on the side to enter those. Without the centre screen the passenger's job is gone. 

Integrating the map display into the speedo dash is a couple steps backward to be honest. Now map display competes with secondary info and now the driver is the only one who can enter navi instructions. That's dangerous if the car is moving.

CGX car nut:

The center of the dashboard is not the same as the center console, the area occupied between the driver's and passenger's seats.  Pedantic but necessary.   

Aren't we talking about the center console screen, which is, as pointed out, the evolution of the radio, despite the fact that parts of it have flowed downhill. Removing it is just a bad idea and economies of anything don't make it good for occupants. As pointed out, the loss of real estate for information is substantial. There's no upside I can see to this for anyone thinking about buying the car.

I think the best solution is two screens.

I really like the digital dash and being able to switch between a bunch of info on the screen. The CES maps stuff I saw looked pretty sweet. Lots of rich content possibilities.

That said, the digital dash is for looking at, not interacting with. It's for toggling information, not entering information. The center screen is ideal for interaction because it can actually be touched. Touchscreen >> knobs and buttons when it comes to car infotainment.

A big part of quality systems is efficiency. When you're driving, you want interaction that's easy and quick. Quick being very important because you don't want to take your eyes of the road for long periods of time. Modern touch implementations allow for very quick data entry and selection and are ideal for this kind of thing. I don't want to have to think about what I'm doing. I want to touch letters really quickly, click an auto complete, and go. Or select half way down the list instantly.

As an added bonus the passenger can do a lot of stuff as well, which is usually when I need nav and info most -- road trips. It's also important they can control media, and potentially have access to other functions.

shouldn't head-up displays replace all this ?  I like them a lot !

My Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT has two digital displays, one 7'' in the dash called EVIC and one 8.4'' in the middle console called Uconnect. I think this is the best solution. A single display in the dashboard only is idiotic in my opinion but I guess customers will have to decide that. As a passenger, I would surely hate it not to be able to see what music plays or to switch music or to look up navigation information.

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014), BMW X3 35d (2013)

BjoernB:

shouldn't head-up displays replace all this ?  I like them a lot !

I hate head-up displays. They distract terribly in my opinion, especially in darker environments.

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014), BMW X3 35d (2013)

RC:

My Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT has two digital displays, one 7'' in the dash called EVIC and one 8.4'' in the middle console called Uconnect. I think this is the best solution. A single display in the dashboard only is idiotic in my opinion but I guess customers will have to decide that. As a passenger, I would surely hate it not to be able to see what music plays or to switch music or to look up navigation information.

A single display is a terrible solution. First of all, information displayed on the dashboard should only be essential information for the driver that can be quickly glanced at for reference. Peering through the steering wheel is good for things like speed, RPMs, warning lights, temperatures, etc., and those things need to always be visible. It's not good for navigation, radio, etc. and it's particularly bad if these functions end up displacing traditional dash functions, which are required in large part for the safe operation of the vehicle. It also makes it impossible for a passenger to assist in managing the functions traditional to the "center console screen". There's an obvious reason why one set of information has been assigned to the dash and another set to the "center console screen". This is the result of years of evolution of this separation and distinction of functions that shouldn't be ignored for some unrelated reason.

This is an example of where the economies of scale, while many times a good thing, can turn out to have "evil" effect. The savings per car to drop this is minuscule in comparison to total vehicle cost, but when the accountants get involved to point out the total savings to the company by dropping something like this for all cars built, it suddenly seems like a good idea. This kind of thinking from automakers is exactly why the government so often has to get involved in mandating safety and other requirements for vehicles. Something auto manufacturers should consider the next time they want to complain about the same.

Its interesting how Mercedes and (for example) VW have different approach. On one side we have TT with single display, and on other S class with two giant displays.

My new blog with automotive & motorcycle renders: tessoart.blogspot.com

I think it's fine with sport car like TT to have this kind of screen to make design simpler since it's a driver car not a family car. 

996AD:

I think it's fine with sport car like TT to have this kind of screen to make design simpler since it's a driver car not a family car. 

The definition of a "driver's" car seems to be getting weirder and weirder. Many get a 911 because they can move their family in it too from time and even if it is only the spouse/partner, why would they not want to enjoy the ride? 

Little hint: That seat on the right would be useless too on a driver's car. 

RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Porsche Boxster S (981), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014), BMW X3 35d (2013)

RC:

Little hint: That seat on the right would be useless too on a driver's car. 

+1

My new blog with automotive & motorcycle renders: tessoart.blogspot.com

Tried the navigation in the new TT and loved it. Cars shouldn't look like the bridge of the Enterprise and as voice recognition gets better they won't have to. 

Milanno:

Its interesting how Mercedes and (for example) VW have different approach. On one side we have TT with single display, and on other S class with two giant displays.

First thought, why on Earth did Audi needs 5 giant air vents to ventilate a TINY cabin? Is it because Piech caught a cold again testing the prototype so they had to do a high volume low velocity system? With those giant air vents taking up all the real estate, no wonder they had to take out the centre console screen and confiscate the speedo screen.

Whoopsy:

Milanno:

Its interesting how Mercedes and (for example) VW have different approach. On one side we have TT with single display, and on other S class with two giant displays.

First thought, why on Earth did Audi needs 5 giant air vents to ventilate a TINY cabin? Is it because Piech caught a cold again testing the prototype so they had to do a high volume low velocity system? With those giant air vents taking up all the real estate, no wonder they had to take out the centre console screen and confiscate the speedo screen.

 

Well, count the number of air outlets in the Mercedes, front and back, and you will note that the the five in the TT is not excessive, especially, when one considers that the controls are in the center of each outlet.  Hence, the volume of each outlet is less than what it appears.  

The original TT had four outlets, which were part of its signature design; however, the second generation, according to the Audi designers, gained three in the center because it was based, what for it, the power Antonov An-225.  This is something I could never understand.