Jinx

"There are things that we are doing on CUE that are only going to be available in a Cadillac-priced vehicle."

Stuart Norris
Lead Designer, Cadillac CUE
on Autoline After Hours #125 11/4/2011

He didn't say Cadillac, he said Cadillac-priced vehicle. This was in response to a question about CUE technology trickling down to non-luxury cars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kBI8...ilpage#t=2506s

It was a very interesting choice of words.

.Jinx

Process Black

There's some rumor here about a CUE-like dash in the corvette.

Motor Authority, Corvette High-Tech Gauge Cluster

I would predict that it would be a compromise between the all digital dash in the Cadillac and a physical gauge cluster, much like what was shown in the Stingray concept.

Jinx

I hope not. Aren't the gauges in C5 and C6 driven by computer already? Go all the way and put them on a screen.

Process Black

I would think it would be more cost effective to do a full screen but design wise, an analog/digital gauge cluster appeals to more people. Watch faces for example are much more attractive when they have physical components to the face rather than a complete LCD face.

IMO, design should be tactile, something with physical attributes/texture that would react to light.

I would like to see all LCD gauges but with physical bezels similar to the Stingray concept and the Caddy Ciel. Only change I would make to the Stingray dash is to make the entire face digital. Like you said, might as well go all the way with the computer driven gauges and put them on screen.

Eventually, I'll mock up an image of what I would like to see.

SCM_Crash

Not sure if that's true. Fans raved over the all-LCD gauges in the Lamborghini Reventon.

Having a all-LCD gauge cluster opens up a WORLD of information center options. Everything from GPS related info (keeping the center information stack open to entertainment type screens) as well as a better choice of driving information layouts like specific gauges for specific driving types. If they're smart, they'll open source a tool to let you design your own cluster layout so you can put gauges where you want.

Jinx

If they're smart, they'll keep the system closed and sell optional gauge packages. Want your C6 to have gauges just like your 68? No problem! $249 please. Or worse, they'd come up with a newer cooler layout and prevent it from being backward compatible.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a community-extensible vehicle interface, but the legal department's fear of product liability lawsuits will probably keep it from happening.

Coming soon: jailbreak your Corvette!

.Jinx

BuckyThreadkiller

I think with Chevy's focus on the younger demographic who have never owned a watch because they tell time on their cellphone, analog gauges will be a dying breed. Maybe not on the C7 but by the C8 for sure.

I think they should rethink gauges completely and use the panel and center stack as a means to display information in its most meaningful way. On the C6 - between the HUD, the DIC, the Nav and the gauges - its fairly communicative, but its most definitely not an elegant, coordinated feeling solution.

Speed is a specific measurement - if the speed limit is 65 and I see a cop, I want to look and make sure I'm going 65, not where the needle is relative to the hashmark somewhere between 60 and 70 on the gauge. Show me the speed in clear large numerals as the HUD currently does.

However, engine RPM is a relative measure and I DO want to know where in the total spectrum of the power band the revs are, and how fast are they getting there. I don't know that a hockey stick gauge or a growing bar chart are the best ways, but I do know that it needs to be an evenly spread graduation so the information remains consistent through the power band. The current HUD in track mode does an adequate job, but it could be MUCH better and more informative.

Idiot lights that can simply tell you oil pressure, temperature and the like should be smart enough to show you the information when it becomes important - operating temp getting high? Have that gauge present itself prominently in the display face and call attention to the fact. I'll know if we're stuck in traffic on a hot day and going to get some cooler air in a minute or two, or if there's something blocking the radiator that needs to be addressed.

A multi-function display for HVAC, Entertainment and NAV needs to be clear, easy to use and have multiple, redundant controls. A touch screen with some type of tactile feedback, voice activation, steering wheel controls are all cool - but it's hard to beat good old ***** and switches for some interfaces.

There has never been a more opportune time to explore the human/machine interface and use the best technologies where they make the most sense. No one idea works best for each type of information or command. Using a touch screen just because you can makes no more sense than using analog gauges just because you always have.

tuxnharley

My understanding - from a source in the GM Tech center - is that the
C7 will not have the CUE system. Apparently the problem is that the Corvette models come out off cycle from the rest of GM products - like the Cadillac varients with CUE. That's what I was lead to believe by an informed source. We shall see......

Jinx

Bucky: great post.

tuxnharley: that's a shame, and exactly why Corvette is in the hole that it's in now. I guess GM hasn't learned. Corvette's product cycle is long, so pushing the leading edge at introduction is even more important... if C7 debuts, a year later mind you, with technology that's behind CUE, it will only reinforce Corvette's reputation for a cheap interior, and another half-dozen years will be lost.

GM: it's very simple. Either C7's dash and center stack, feature-for-feature, meets/exceeds what Cadillac debuts a year earlier, or C7 fails and your development process is still broken and people need to be fired.

.Jinx

dboz

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/09/h...-cadillac-cue/



Hands on with Cadillac CUE

By Damon Lavrinc RSS feed

Posted Nov 9th 2011 2:57PM


We just wrapped up our first hands-on with Cadillac CUE, the luxury automaker's attempt at a modern, fully-integrated infotainment system for the upcoming XTS, ATS and refreshed SRX.

First impressions are favorable, although in its current form the system is still very beta in both execution and response. However, the core tenants of the system – a capacitive screen with multitouch control and proximity sensors, capacitive center stack buttons and a configurable instrument panel – are all functional and incredibly slick, despite some slow responses and awkward transitions.

Cadillac's electronics and HMI team have been working on CUE for the better part of four years and their efforts show. And with daily builds of the system being developed and deployed, they're well on their way to having the system ready for prime time when the XTS arrives early next year. Get a taste of CUE in action in the video after the jump and look for an animated cameo of the XTS towards the end.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=TDgrr4aQg8M

SCM_Crash

That'd be cool too, but not exactly what I meant.

Having a tool outside the car would be nice for customizing stuff, but what I meant was that there'd be an in-dash display designer. You'd use the menu to select the gauge, style and size you want and then use a d-pad of some sort to move it into position. Rinse and repeat until you have the gauge layout you'd like. (Less legal crap to worry about and getting the information you want would be simple.

A lot of guys just don't get it when I tell them I have my oil temp gauge up on the DIC at all times. I never go over 3kRPM until after my oil temp is above 150*F. And I like to see if it's getting hot. Seems all the gauges I would need are on the cluster except for that. (But some people don't care what their oil temp is and rev it while the motor and oil are cold! )

If I had a cluster I could customize, there would be a few gauges I'd want to be small digital read-outs, and few I'd want to be analog. Battery voltage doesn't need to be a big analog gauge taking up so much space. Just a simple digital read-out at the bottom or top corner of the cluster. The tach would large and dead center with a digital speedo read-out inside the tach. We've already got a HUD to show the speed in our peripheral. Oil temp and oil pressure should be on the left side of the tach as analog gauges and the coolant temp and gas level should be on the right as analog.

Of course this is just my preference. But it would be nice to be able to build a layout like this. We all have our cup of tea. (I don't like tea so I have my cup of java! )