Modern Vehicle Dashboard

[TimeFlies]

Summer of 2022 I went shopping with my girlfriend who was buying a new vehicle. I hadn't been car shopping in many years, as I had no need to.
We both found it odd how many vehicles have a cheap looking tablet like device, apparently glued to the dash.
These tablet like things look to be worth about $12 or less, and zero incentive to build them in as part of the vehicle.

Anyone else find this trend tacky, and a turn off?

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Summer of 2022 I went shopping with my girlfriend who was buying a new vehicle. I hadn't been car shopping in many years, as I had no need to.
We both found it odd how many vehicles have a cheap looking tablet like device, apparently glued to the dash.
These tablet like things look to be worth about $12 or less, and zero incentive to build them in as part of the vehicle.

Anyone else find this trend tacky, and a turn off?

Don't get me started.

 

[Passport1]

They are odd and look like an afterthought. Agree they are cheap but not to replace one.

 

[bdcardinal]

Not a fan at all. I prefer screens that are incorporated into the dash. That being said, we have some 2024 Mustangs, including a Dark Horse, and I do like those.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Summer of 2022 I went shopping with my girlfriend who was buying a new vehicle. I hadn't been car shopping in many years, as I had no need to.
We both found it odd how many vehicles have a cheap looking tablet like device, apparently glued to the dash.
These tablet like things look to be worth about $12 or less, and zero incentive to build them in as part of the vehicle.

Anyone else find this trend tacky, and a turn off?

Yes and wait for 10 years from now when it breaks and the Stealership tells you they can't get that part any longer!

 

[benjy]

everything runs thru the info screens + as noted are $$$ if they fail!! i have older vehicles a 2001 car + 2011 pickup + have NO interest in newer more complicated vehicles with a lot of unnecessary JUNK!!! thats very costly to fix!! you gotta love those new screens instead of typical gauges, a cost saving that is NOT passed on as vehicle prices rise + reliability goes DOWN!!

 

[CKN]

Been on this subject before. We have already come to the conclusion forum members here are TECH PHOIBIC-for reasons both real and imagined. Longevity may be real or may be imagined. Far too early to tell....

 

[emmett442]

I'm not sure this topic is about anti-tech. It's more about poor aesthetic design. And on that note, I agree. There have recently been some pretty ugly dashboards, mostly due to the screen looking like an afterthought/addon rather than being well integrated.

 

[hrv]

I loved the dash of my 1968 Dodge Charger and my 1973 Plymouth Road Runner...all guages and they looked so cool....

 

[nate379]

My newest truck still has crank windows and manual locks

 

[PF52]

Anyone else find this trend tacky, and a turn off?

Apparently our opinions on vehicle aesthetics declares us to be technophobes, or not. Who knew? I mean besides CKN.

 

[TimeFlies]

Been on this subject before. We have already come to the conclusion forum members here are TECH PHOIBIC-for reasons both real and imagined. Longevity may be real or may be imagined. Far too early to tell....

Tech?
If they used some modern technology, then it should be built in, and look like a functional part of the vehicle.
I'm not discussing technology, but aesthetics.
It screams a lot like 'we have no idea how to build cars/pickups/suvs'.
What it does represent is how a 3 year old might design a vehicle. Put them in a car, to entertain themselves along the way you hand them a cheap tablet. When done playing with it, this 3 year old thinks, why not just stick here, its out of the way, but not far away.
Lack of tech yes.

 

[PF52]

I'm not discussing technology, but aesthetics.

Exactly. Like the Mercedes example posted above.... That thing looks like a 90s-era XM receiver on steroids. I have to wonder if it uses one of those little clip things to mount it in an HVAC vent. Cheap, cheap, cheap. I'm surprised something like that is allowable in this era of vehicles that are supposed to have crashworthy interiors which don't impale the occupants in collisions.

 

[Shel_B]

Summer of 2022 I went shopping with my girlfriend who was buying a new vehicle. I hadn't been car shopping in many years, as I had no need to.
We both found it odd how many vehicles have a cheap looking tablet like device, apparently glued to the dash.
These tablet like things look to be worth about $12 or less, and zero incentive to build them in as part of the vehicle.

Anyone else find this trend tacky, and a turn off?

Indeed. I don't mind a screen that's built into the dash, though, and that may take any one of several designs.

 

[b_b]

I think they just want to make them appealing to a large audience. My wife's car has large screen and you never use it with the exception of the backup camera. I have the 8" screen in my truck which is just large enough to run maps and such. beyond that its just marketing.

 

[TimeFlies]

For an extra dollar they could build it in.
Then it wouldn't look so awful.
In the end, my girlfriend bought a Ram 1500, for many reasons. But while still ugly, and not completely integrated into the dash, Ram at least contoured the edges somewhat, and made it sort of look like it belongs there.

 

[Rand]

+1 I've mentioned they look hideous.
the screen on the top trim trax comes to mind.
bunch of touch controls too.. ewww.

Edit: fix autocorrected words.

 

[Leo99]

The screen is built into the dash on my 2015 Camry. It might have something to do with heat buildup on the screens why they don't all build them in today. It reminds when the center high brake lights first came out and the manufacturers just bolted them to the back of the car instead of integrating them.

 

[Allaneddie]

VW was able to integrate the screen into the dashboard in the 2017 but by 2023 it looks like it was glued on as an afterthought. What is the reason?

 

[Hall]

My wife's new car has a 12" screen and looking at a picture from Toyota's website, it looks more "tacked on" than it looks in reality. I have seen a few, like the Mercedes shown above, where it literally looks like they took a tablet and tried to build it in without tearing into the dash too much.