DB22

The dash is a waste of space and I want to see more. I am always changing the DIS menus and always switching between menus on the screen. I want to see the artist on XM but I can only see it if I switch to "radio", the DIS only shows the channel. The speedometer and Tach is a waste of space, there is far more information to be had on the DIS and it has 25% of the real estate of the gauges. I can have a speed indication on the DIS under digital speedometer and in the lap time plus a monster gauge, it's unnecessary.

I think I read somewhere that Audi are producing a software configurable dash that you can save as your user as in a GUI? A great idea that I'm surprised has taken so long.

vizwiz

I love the speedo and tach on my A6. In fact, I love the whole layout and functionality with the screen in between. I do wish the DIS radio menu would default to Presets, and the DIS phone menu would default to recent calls.

DSL_PWR

Have you tried looking at that big screen sticking up to your right while driving?

Has lots of info on it. The speedo/tach area is for pertinent driving details.

DB22

Don't get me wrong, I think the dash is great looking too but it needs to be customizable. Your preferences are different to mine, E.G. phones are an annoyance of modern society and I rarely use it in the car so its menu is low priority to me. The speedometer is great looking , as you say, but when I'm in cruise control for 40 miles, I don't need that amount of real estate telling me that , yes, I'm still doing 70.
With a screen built the same size as our present screen then we could modify what, how big, what shape etc. we want to look at. It would still have the same classy surround and look but would require way less button pushing to see what ever anybody wants to view. It would not be necessary to not see your Lap timer in the display just because you want to monitor Lane Assist.

irenesbob

Are you talking the entire dash layout (door to door) design (use of wood, etc.) or just the utilization of the instrument cluster/DIS and MMI screen areas? I like the dash itself and am not so concerned about the issues you raise; I just want to clarify. Thanks.

DB22

Yes, I tried looking at that big screen. I want to see the radio and the maps not radio OR the maps. (Same reason I have two monitors on my computer).

My original post I was thinking more along the lines of the DIS but, now that you mention it, some of my proposal applies to that "big screen sticking up to your right" too.

The speedo and tach could be simple bar displays around something else instead of a needle around a big black hole.

DB22

Sorry if I wasn't clear: just the ability to see the information that is presently available without having to press so many buttons. The speedo/tach/DIS pod and the pop up display would keep the same physical look but the information displayed would be user customizable.

RTG

In sales you learn that no product is right for everybody. Two people can have completely different reactions to the same item. I love the dash and layout myself. I find it very natural and intuitive.

DB22

I agree, that is why every GUI on every computer has user definable sizes and positions for desktop widgets. If all operating systems do it then it only seems logical to do it for a dashboard, if they did then your observation regarding sales would be a mute point as everybody could configure to their own priorities.

If it was done using the present look for hardware, fit, finish etc. what is there not to like?

Cyncris

I agree, I wish that while I had maps open that there would be a "ticker" at the top of the MMI screen that would tell me the artist and the name of the song that I was listening to.