Introduction To Automotive Dashboard Electronics

[Bikebrains]

I chose the above title for this thread because I need an introductory course in "what is out there and how much does it cost". Specifically, I do not understand why there isn't a basic, totally digital dashboard in the Elio price range. I have witnessed the rapid decline in the price of PCs and smart phones so I am going to assume that there is a carryover into automotive sensors and computers. I had expected Elio to be totally digital because such devices are so common that large scale production would make the devices cheaper than analog. Thus the question: Why am I so wrong?
Therefore, is there anyone who can provide this targeted course?

Update 11/29/2016
To determine which type of dashboard, digital or analog, is more popular, I did research into dashboards used in vehicles comparable to the Elio E1C.
1. Rolls-Royce Phantom
https://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/en-GB/phantom.html
2. Rolls-Royce Gost
https://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/en-GB/ghost.html
3. Mercedes-Maybach S600
https://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/vehi...t=gallery-stack&gallery=UNIQUE-GALLERY-ID|1|0


Conclusion: Analog is more popular than digital.

 

[Coss]

#1 the area you're working with is 4" x 9" not a very big area to put anything in that is easy to see at a glance.
The digital dashes are also built and designed for each vehicle it's going into; cost becomes the biggest factor there.
The ECU in the Elio is pretty basic, it doesn't contain a lot of the sensors that modern vehicles have recently.
That's the TPMS is an option, rather than part of the basic build; this is another piece that is included in the basic build of modern cars, but not bikes.
I could go on for a while; but it all revolves around cost.
That is the #1 reasons for a lot of things in the Elio; how do you keep cost down.
I'm sure they could include a lot of items that aren't part of it now, but they could go over the $12K to $18K price range if they did.

 

[Bikebrains]

#1 the area you're working with is 4" x 9" not a very big area to put anything in that is easy to see at a glance.
The digital dashes are also built and designed for each vehicle it's going into; cost becomes the biggest factor there.
The ECU in the Elio is pretty basic, it doesn't contain a lot of the sensors that modern vehicles have recently.
That's the TPMS is an option, rather than part of the basic build; this is another piece that is included in the basic build of modern cars, but not bikes.
I could go on for a while; but it all revolves around cost.
That is the #1 reasons for a lot of things in the Elio; how do you keep cost down.
I'm sure they could include a lot of items that aren't part of it now, but they could go over the $12K to $18K price range if they did.

Space constraints are at the top of the list of constraints. Analog dials waste space because of the sweep of the rotating indicator arm. Digital reproductions of an analog dial face continues the waste of space, very limited dashboard real estate. Thus the best solution is digital only. I have found the best available example of the idea:
JPEG image only: http://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/img/group/main/51/5150_1_lg.jpg
Vendor specs: http://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Gauges/Intellitronix-LED-Digital-Gauge-Panel
Jack Webb portraying Sargent Joe Friday of Dragnet fame said it best: "Just the facts ma'am." That is most desirable, just the facts because there isn't space for anything else.

 

[Jambe]

I LIKE those, Bikebrains. Bookmarked.

 

[booboo]

Did a real quick digital dashboard search. Found the cheap ones, $800. Looks to me like cost could be the main issue for ELIO.
https://www.summitracing.com/search...hboard Displays&kr=Digital Dashboard Displays

 

[Coss]

Space constraints are at the top of the list of constraints. Analog dials waste space because of the sweep of the rotating indicator arm. Digital reproductions of an analog dial face continues the waste of space, very limited dashboard real estate. Thus the best solution is digital only. I have found the best available example of the idea:
JPEG image only: http://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/img/group/main/51/5150_1_lg.jpg
Vendor specs: http://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Gauges/Intellitronix-LED-Digital-Gauge-Panel
Jack Webb portraying Sargent Joe Friday of Dragnet fame said it best: "Just the facts ma'am." That is most desirable, just the facts because there isn't space for anything else.

Have you ever looked up the size of that panel? And the price?
When I was doing my research on replacement gauges I ran across that panel early on. It won't fit.
Also during research on talking to drivers most people hate digital because they find it easier to look at a pointer then numbers.
Some of my early designs were digital; when shown to the people that would be driving with it, there was a very low acceptance rate.
Going to an analog was the complete opposite. So it became: do you want what you think is cool, that no one else (aka the people that would be buying it) wanted, or something the people like that you find acceptable and be able to sell a lot more of.
The answer is simple; if you like digital, do it in your vehicle; if you want a cool dash other people will like and want the same, you go analog.

This is one of the 6 designs I came up with

The gauges are 3 3/8" and directly replace the Elgin's.
If you didn't want black, you could have a white face, or grey, or a custom color to match whatever you want.

Here's the sample of the white face:

There is also a choice of 8 different style pointers, and a number of LED lighting options.
Remember, you still have to fit in turn signal flashers, high beam, warning lights, and E-brake.

 

[Coss]

Did a real quick digital dashboard search. Found the cheap ones, $800. Looks to me like cost could be the main issue for ELIO.
https://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/digital-dashboard-displays?sortby=Default&sortorder=Ascending&keyword=Digital Dashboard Displays&kr=Digital Dashboard Displays

Those won't fit.
You have 4" x 9" of space to work with.

To get a feel for what size that is, draw it out on a piece of cardboard, and hold it up to the dash in whatever you happen to be driving.
The sides are curved (1/2 circle) and 9" is to the outside edges of the curve.

 

[Bikebrains]

Did a real quick digital dashboard search. Found the cheap ones, $800. Looks to me like cost could be the main issue for ELIO.
https://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/digital-dashboard-displays?sortby=Default&sortorder=Ascending&keyword=Digital Dashboard Displays&kr=Digital Dashboard Displays

The $800 is retail. Elio would be buying in large quantities and thus be able to negotiate a much lower price per unit, a part of the purchase contract.
Now think of production. All of the dials installed in a single installation of the dial strip, one electrical unit running the strip, only one power source for all of the "dials". The single installation could speed production.
Any opinions?

 

[Coss]

But most of all; according to Jermaine the Elgin is gone.
If you're going to replace them, be ready to spend 1/7 the total cost of the vehicle.

 

[Coss]

The $800 is retail. Elio would be buying in large quantities and thus be able to negotiate a much lower price per unit, a part of the purchase contract.
Now think of production. All of the dials installed in a single installation of the dial strip, one electrical unit running the strip, only one power source for all of the "dials". The single installation could speed production.
Any opinions?

Don't forget the sending units to match those gauges; they will be different than analog.