Add A Dash Of Personality
The Age
Thursday September 25, 2003
The latest dashboard technology could allow car owners to customiseeverything from the speedo to the clock. Toby Hagon reports.
THE traditional speedometer and tachometer could be a thing of the past as car makers embrace the latest wave of multifunction digital displays and computer technology.
Emerging as a theme from this month's Frankfurt motor show, manufacturers are looking to adopt full-colour screens that can display everything from a speedo to a trip computer or satellite navigation display, all to the owner's liking.
Ford's Visos concept car demonstrated the application most dramatically with an interior that could be programmed for Sport or Comfort, changing everything from the graphics display to the height of the gearstick and the seating position.
A colour screen developed by electronics giant Sony allows different settings depending on the driver's preference. For example, in Sport mode the tacho and other such displays would be prominent, and the font and background colour made to befit a sports car.
Flick a switch to Comfort mode and the speedo could be the most prominent readout, with the colours made more relaxing - blue, as opposed to red, for example.
According to Visos designer Chris Bird, advanced technology such as this is not as expensive as some may think, ensuring it could be available sooner rather than later.
``We are now looking at this very seriously," says Bird.
``I would say technology such as this is about two years off (for a production car)."
The benefits of such choice are obvious, allowing owners to tailor cars to their liking and driving requirements. They could also be changed for different drivers, who would be recognisable by the key they use in much the same way seat and radio settings are recorded on some luxury cars today.
At the least, they could solve the long-running argument between analog and digital displays: the owner could set the gauges as he/she likes.
``You could tailor the car to the mood you're in and the way you want to drive," says Bird. ``You could even (set it to) adjust engine tuning and the (aggressiveness of the) spoilers."
Mazda design boss Moray Callum - brother of former HSV design boss Ian - agrees that selectable instrument clusters are on the way. However, he predicts they may take longer to arrive, at least in the sort of vehicles most people can afford.
``We'd like to be able to give customers the choice," says Callum. ``You could set the car to your own identity. It won't be unique to Mazda, it will be an industry trend."
Already formula one cars and world rally cars - among other race cars - use digital screens that can vary the information they provide depending on what the driver wants and how the car is being used at the time.
For instance, when a driver has more time, he or she could check the condition of the car's mechanicals. During hard racing, the tachometer would be more prominent.
MAKERS SEE THE LIGHT
Cars of tomorrow could have mood lighting that changes colour and intensity to meet the desire of owners. Once the domain of stretch limousines and fantasy cars, funky lights incorporated in door panels or hidden in crevices throughout the car could be the next big thing in automotive design.
Citroen's C-Airlounge was one such concept from this month's Frankfurt motor show that showcased the potential of more advanced lighting in vehicles.
The Airlounge uses fibre optics and video projectors to provide a range of lighting colours, from ``Intense Red" to ``Convivial Candlelight". Citroen claims the mood lighting can be tweaked to suit the situation.
Another car at Frankfurt using interesting lighting was Mazda's Kusabi, which incorporated colourful neon lights in the door panels, providing softer lighting that can change colour easily.
Car makers are keen to explore modern lighting options in their vehicles, making for more appealing cabins and more efficient lights.
Exterior lights have already become more effective. Xenon headlights provide a super-white light while Another trend is the shift to LED tail-lights, which light up faster and brighter, giving drivers behind an extra fraction of a second to react.
Audi is also working on adaptive tail-light technology, which varies the brightness depending on whether there's ice or snow, fog or clear conditions.
© 2003 The Age