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XTS Drivers Decide How Gauge Cluster Appears

5K views 28 replies 19 participants last post by  ral1960 
#1 ·
XTS Drivers Decide How Gauge Cluster Appears
GM
November 30, 2012


Cadillac’s new XTS lets drivers decide the design and theme for the luxury sedan’s gauge cluster, an industry-exclusive feature that allows the choice of four layouts from simplistic and minimal to ultra-informative.

The experience is powered by CUE, Cadillac’s in-vehicle experience for connectivity and control and is available on XTS models with the Premium or Platinum trim level.

Controlled by an intuitive multi-directional switch on the steering wheel, the 12.3-inch LCD screen replaces traditional analog dials. Each of the four cluster layouts continually displays vehicle speed and fuel information, just like the dials of old. What’s new is the reconfigurable display technology that enabled Cadillac designers to formulate options for both the design and type of information displayed. The result is four distinct clusters that skew to particular styles of luxury sedan drivers.

“We spent time with owners of all kinds of vehicles to learn how they used the radio, navigation, phone settings, and other user connectivity features,” said Scott Martin, senior creative designer in charge of building the digital cluster layouts. “Most drivers fall into one of four different categories in terms of the amount of information they want to see at any given time, so we built the XTS gauge cluster layouts to appeal to any one of those drivers.”

The “Balanced” display is the default cluster design for XTS, designed for drivers who prefer a traditional layout while determining the size and graphic quality of the display. The layout features three “zones” across the screen, displaying a speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, radio station information, and outside temperature.

The “Performance” layout is intended for enthusiast drivers who want information on the car itself. The clean look features a large speedometer on the right and tachometer on the left. The driver can also modify the display with other performance-driven information such as fuel consumption and tire pressure.

The “Enhanced” cluster display option is for the uber-connected driver. The web-inspired design features a navigation map on the left and digital speed and fuel readings on the right. The layout is simple and clean, allowing the driver to pull up and scroll through all the information pages with the touch of a button.

The “Simple” cluster layout is designed for the minimalist who desires a more sparing approach to graphics. The cluster focuses on speed, fuel and audio, with additional information available at the driver’s request.

Each cluster layout allows users to view more information through a “screen-within-a-screen” feature. This smaller display in the center of the speedometer and tachometer images lets users view navigation routes and control the radio, among other features.

“Drivers can also further customize each layout to their own personal liking,” Martin said. “They can flip through all the information pages to permanently display their favorite preset radio stations, check tire pressure, navigation, fuel range, and temperature among other features.”
 
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#2 ·
"Simple" would be more like a '90s Deville
 
#3 ·
With the technology today for smartphones, tablets, etc it should be carried over into every new vehicle. Ivesaid for years that eventually cars will allow individual drivers to customize the look of cluster adn center stack. This is a step in that direction.
 
#4 ·
Got to play with the XTS IP at the LAIAS on Saturday. Very cool feature, though, the snob in me would like to see smoother graphic animations.

All in all, the XTS interior has to be the nicest I've ever seen in any car. There's an ambiance in it that I've only felt in high-end Mercedes and such, and even then, the XTS better.

All the car needs is a better motor to rate a "10" in my book.
 
#7 ·
Got to play with the XTS IP at the LAIAS on Saturday. Very cool feature, though, the snob in me would like to see smoother graphic animations.
I agree. I find the gauge cluster actually looks quite sharp but the animations are both choppy and unnecessary. However, even more so, I find the renderings in the main CUE panel to be surprisingly unrefined compared to MyLink.

All in all, the XTS interior has to be the nicest I've ever seen in any car. There's an ambiance in it that I've only felt in high-end Mercedes and such, and even then, the XTS better.
The minimalist approach appeals to me as well. Material quality is excellent and nothing screams cheap gimmick.

All the car needs is a better motor to rate a "10" in my book.
Twin turbo anyone? It definitely does fall into the land barge category at the moment.
 
#5 ·
I was having a discussion with a few buddies who are in the "Cloud" business.

The discussion turned to cars. And perhaps I had too much wine. But we all sort of knew the market was trending in this direction, but no one (in my circle anyways) actually put it into words. But I came out with....

"In 2-3 years, we will be judging cars, not by HP or torque or driving characteristics, but by the quality of the car's API's.

:eek: :faint:

I couldn't believe that came out of me. And the thing is, it's probably more true than not!! I'm probably not the first person out there who has come up with that statement either. But it makes a whole lot of sense.


Technology today has been driving towards a more connected society, whether it's mobile or social or iDevices or Cloud or whatever. One of the last areas that have yet to be truly connected is the automobile.

Yes, there are cars that offer mobile hotspots. There are cars that offer streaming services. Some cars can read back Tweets or FB status updates. Other cars have an iPad headrest option. But there isn't a car company out there that has properly executed a truly connected solution for the automobile.

This is probably an area where the world does truly mourn the loss of Steve Jobs. He's probably the only one out there to find a way to simplify the solution to the point where anyone in the world could work it.
Personally, the solution for automobile connectivity IS NOT going to come from Detroit or Japan or Munich or Korea. The solution is going to come from Silicon Valley -- somewhere.
 
#6 ·
I for one am all for cool things like this in cars, but I don't want the Windows/OSX argument to come to cars. It will be the day when were all sitting around talking about how my cars API's are better than yours instead of horsepower and torque numbers...

I think OBD-II and the digital dash in my 89 S10 Blazer is about as far as I would go to be honest haha.
 
#8 ·
I can't wait for the release of this technology in the c7 corvette next month.

It's quite minor in comparison yet this reminds me of the attractiveness in being able to alter the HUD screen in my vette with different displays..

Of course this new technology is a lot more impressive

Can't wait to hear the media go nuts on the corvettes interior with tech like this
 
#22 ·
It's scary. Those "generic gauges" are now Cadillac's standard gauges. :( They are in the standard XTS and the new updated SRX too. I hope (but I know I will) I don't see them on the CTS. I saw the CTS testing in germany with these reconfigurable ones though. Perhaps they were an option. Lets hope the new Escalade doesn't see the "generic" ones either. IDK what it is. It's not the blue hue either. They need to be redesigned ASAP though IMO.
 
#17 ·
I see where Impala got it's new dash ideas from.

As for this car not feeling premium? It drives great, it's not a high power car but it's not really supposed to be. I think we will get than when Omega get's here. GM did a great job with this car for the platform it's on.
 
#19 ·
I'm waiting for a car that offers a configurable screen for the IP in which the driver can pick colors, layout, size, analog or digital, font, etc. There would be apps to download through the driver's Bluetooth-connected phone. I realize that there is some info that must be displayed by regulation but how that appears should be up to the driver. I'm waiting for someone to make Star Trek's LCARS display for the MyFord Touch system in my Explorer.
 
#20 ·
This trend is fantastic. We can finally get rid of the anachronistic analog speedometer which the enthusiast magazines stuck us with for 25 extra years because they're a bunch of luddites who demanded analog gauges. I remember all of the digital dashboards of the 80’s which were so easy to read, then we went back to far less legible analog speedometers just because auto journalists couldn’t adapt. Now the luddites can have their slow reading analog displays and we modernists can move into the future!

It’s 25 years late, but good riddance to the analog speedometer and dashboard!
 
#26 · (Edited)
Do you really find 7-segment displays easier to read than a needle gauge for speedometer for example? I had a Honda Civic rental the other day and found it difficult to know how fast I was going without "reading" the numbers ("oh, speed is one hundred fifty one kilometres per hour") With needle you just see it in the corner of your eye pointing straight up or at 3 o'clock and you know right away if it is something you need to pay attention to or not.

Anyway, 1980's electronic displays so easy to read? I remember the 1980's!
Achtung! Achtung!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1nm4Oh18o8



Now it seems we have LCD displays with fake needle gauges :lmao:
 
#21 ·
So far here in Tampa I've gotten just one quick glimpse of an XTS I passed as we went in opposite directions on MacDill Avenue.....I look forward to my first walk-around of a parked one. I'd have thought I'd have seen more of them by now. Haven't seen an ATS yet.
 
#25 ·
I haven't experienced the XTS in person yet (have only seen the exterior in person at the auto show) but based on the images and videos that I have seen of the configurable gauge cluster I'm not very impressed. It just does not look very appealing to me. It doesn't seem to provide any depth. Maybe it is better in person and I'll like it when I see it.
 
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