Vellum Venom Vignette: Center Gauge Cluster-****?

Seth writes:

Hey Sajeev,

I’ve always had an aversion to dashboards where the main gauges are in the center of the car (Mini, Yaris, etc.). I can see why an automaker would do it if they sell internationally. Once, back when I used to listen to the Autoblog podcast, one of the hosts said that having the gauges in the center made them faster and easier to read. No way! That just can’t be so. I think I stopped listening to the podcast right then and there.

Would you care to comment?

Sajeev answers:

Would I care to comment? Asking an auto journo for an opinion about car design is akin to feeding a bear honey via pouring some on your hand.

Luckily TTAC readers care about my CCS design school experience, so let’s do it…to it.

No.

I do not like center mounted gauges for the vast majority of interiors, even the smaller confines of niche/boutique products like the Panoz Esperante. Ergonomics and human factors demand gauges that share the steering wheel’s center line, at least for the primary gauges such as the speedometer and tachometer. For most cars and most eyeballs, you can quickly dip your eyes lower to catch the gauge readouts with several layers of your peripheral vision.

For you armchair analytic gurus, please consult your eye care professional and this Wikipedia page about peripheral vision applications, but the graphic above laid over the central/paracentral at the horizon line (hat tip – psarhjinian) should show what’s the best place for both primary and secondary gauges.

Secondary gauges like oil pressure, volt meter, fuel level and maybe even engine temperature can go in the center, or preferably to one side (or both) of primary gauges.

So classy! Which begs the question, does this matter in today’s high-tech environment?

Yes and no. Definitely yes regarding the MINI Paceman’s idiotic center speedometer around the circumference of the multi-function screen. (EDIT: there’s a speedo in a screen within the tach) Mercifully, the “normal” MINI has a big ass speedo adjacent to a smaller tach.

We are bombarded by information thanks to in-car connectivity. The dash’s center is a fantastic place for non-essential information: smartphone interface, HVAC, audio, navigation, and even the aforementioned secondary gauges.

In a perfect world where design constraints (cost, durability, etc.) are non-existent, a dashboard with smartphone-type crap in the center, a basic set of gauges and a multi-functional screen (for navigation, audio, etc.) inside the circumference of the steering wheel, and a heads-up display shooting your speed — and little else — onto the dashboard shall be perfect.

Put that in your often rambling and sometimes pointless auto journo podcast and smoke it. And I know these things are dumb, as I even tried it once. We all have regrets in our lives!

Off to you, Best and Brightest.

[Image: Shutterstock user Kurt Achatz]

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.