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TheOne

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Ford Did Something Very Good With The 2021 F-150's Instrument Panel

https://jalopnik.com/ford-did-something-very-good-with-the-2021-f-150s-instr-1844253702

Ford F-150 Ford Did Something Very Good With The 2021 F-150's Instrument Panel [Analysis by Jalopnik] 1593985440381


I fully realize that what’s likely an embarrassingly-sized portion of what I do here is to complain about things in the auto industry, like some cranky old bastard with hemorrhoids and a lifetime of regret. But I’m pretty sure my hemorrhoids have cleared up, and I also give credit where it’s due, which is what I intend to do right now. Specifically, I want to give Ford credit for its instrument cluster design for the new F-150, which is boldly non-skeuomorphic.

On the off-chance you’re not a pedantic little numbnuts like myself, you may want a quick definition of skeuomorphic. Usually, this word just refers to digital interfaces that look like real-world things, often needlessly.

Now, some skeuomorphism really isn’t bad, as it helps us understand how to use things via analogies we understand in the real world, but it can also become a crutch that actually restricts the potential of what new technologies can offer.

Some car instrument panels are excellent examples of this. Screen-based displays instead of conventional mechanical instruments could have meant that entirely new and better methods for displaying information could have been developed, yet nearly every carmaker has so far insisted on just re-creating the look and behavior of physical gauges:



Ford F-150 Ford Did Something Very Good With The 2021 F-150's Instrument Panel [Analysis by Jalopnik] yttmhpd5ed44ajiv35ii


There was a lot of wasted potential there, and while there have been some examples of carmakers experimenting with designs that didn’t seek to just ape analog gauges, they were pretty few and far between.

Interestingly, a lot of the examples that sought to really re-think instrument clusters came from the 1980s, when the digital display tech was simply unable to re-create realistic-looking physical gauges, so carmakers were forced to try new things


Ford F-150 Ford Did Something Very Good With The 2021 F-150's Instrument Panel [Analysis by Jalopnik] mcpfhooi5gsyivvmvqih


It was a dramatic improvement in display technology with color LCDs that made the retrograde step of mimicking analog gauges even possible at all, oddly.

Anyway, Ford has finally decided to abandon the round-gauge mimicry instrument panel (IP) design concept and has jumped quite fully into really re-thinking what a dash can be like.

Here, check it out:




There’s still a hint to the old style of physical gauges with the round shapes, but, really, that’s about it. There’s no fake needles or simulated chrome trim or any bullshit like that. Just some good, clean information design.


Ford F-150 Ford Did Something Very Good With The 2021 F-150's Instrument Panel [Analysis by Jalopnik] hzaasoypjxs5uodcqzx3



The typography is stylish but clean and highly legible; essential information is clear and readily apparent, and while that CG F-150 isn’t really necessary, Ford’s gonna Ford so why the hell not.


Ford F-150 Ford Did Something Very Good With The 2021 F-150's Instrument Panel [Analysis by Jalopnik] gkbokkr1wfegeehab613



There’s a consistent design vocabulary happening here, and when the interface changes, as you can see above when it’s in “slippery” mode, the amount of information is greatly reduced, but the key elements that are retained crucially stay in the same place, so your eye doesn’t have to re-learn where to go with every variation. That’s good thinking.


Ford F-150 Ford Did Something Very Good With The 2021 F-150's Instrument Panel [Analysis by Jalopnik] sseljjobzkkoii5rtx9m


Ford F-150 Ford Did Something Very Good With The 2021 F-150's Instrument Panel [Analysis by Jalopnik] cmyuwdyghfd9dhngk5lf



All of the special condition driving modes appear to waste a lot of real estate with the big CG truck animations, but, if the goal is to reduce the amount of information clutter when driving in more demanding circumstances, then this makes sense.

Ford F-150 Ford Did Something Very Good With The 2021 F-150's Instrument Panel [Analysis by Jalopnik] dcmhhkamv9gevkfybw1q



Situations that demand more information for the driver—like the towing configuration shown here—do resize key elements of the display, but, again, keep their positions consistent.

I think Ford’s designers did an excellent job with the IP design. I don’t think they’re the first to completely reject skeuomorphic gauge cluster design (the Tesla Model 3, for example, takes a clean-sheet approach as well), but I believe they’ll be the biggest manufacturer to do so, and the F-150 will likely be the largest-selling platform to feature such a design, and will likely give more people a taste of this new way of thinking about dashboards than any has before.

So, good job, Ford. Now make a nice, small reborn Ford Courier with this kind of dash and I’ll really be excited.
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maduck

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Agree with the article. Didn't expect the instrument panel and gauges to be one of my favorite things about the new truck but it is. The design language is consistent, the modes transition seamlessly and just the right info is displayed prominently.
 

nwbytom

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Ford styling just gets me so I agree with the synopsis. It is a nice upgrade and glad to see Ford leading trucks in this area.

On the current gen there are prompts when the navigation is on so it'll be interesting to see if that is incorporated also. I do see they have a footer with some audio and compass information so I wonder if any of that with get a bigger chunk of the screen in any layout.
 

Sojourner

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There’s still a hint to the old style of physical gauges with the round shapes, but, really, that’s about it. There’s no fake needles or simulated chrome trim or any bullshit like that. Just some good, clean information design.
Bumping an old thread.

But what if you want the fake needles?

The ONLY thing that bugs me on my 23 Tremor is the numbers-only speed and tach display. Yes, I can live with it as it's a very small annoyance minnow in the sea of a very nice truck (and I admit it does come in handy from time to time). But unlike the OP, I don't think it is appealing at all from a UI perspective.

Ford should have given us a "both/and" option rather than a single option.

Anyway, does anyone know if there's a FORSCAN fix? Or is this numbers-only display the only "it"?

TIA
 

Snakebitten

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But there are fake needles. Or you could say fake representation of value on the gauges.

Oil pressure gauge is literally a graphic image with no ties to a measured value of any kind.
And both the engine coolant temp and transmission fluid temp are graphical fakes.

Fortunately you can use Forscan to get numerical (digital) values for both fluids, and they are both accurately measured, as well as tattle on the needle as not being so.

But I do enjoy the instrument cluster overall. I prefer how it scales when navigation is enabled. The tach and speedo shrink to a better size, in my opinion.
 

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travisN000

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tach and speedo also have moving graphical representation of RPM / Speed similar to an analog guage:

 

Kanuck

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But there are fake needles. Or you could say fake representation of value on the gauges.

Oil pressure gauge is literally a graphic image with no ties to a measured value of any kind.
And both the engine coolant temp and transmission fluid temp are graphical fakes.

Fortunately you can use Forscan to get numerical (digital) values for both fluids, and they are both accurately measured, as well as tattle on the needle as not being so.

But I do enjoy the instrument cluster overall. I prefer how it scales when navigation is enabled. The tach and speedo shrink to a better size, in my opinion.
Can this be done on the XLT's ? Or the full digital screens only?
 

Snakebitten

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Can this be done on the XLT's ? Or the full digital screens only?
Much to my dismay, those Forscan gurus have never cracked the XLT instrument panel digital temps code.

What's so strange about that is the Gen14 XLT instrument cluster is very similar to the Gen13 premium instrument cluster, which does support the digital temps feature.

Ford really did something strange to make that feature go away. Similar to the Transmission Temp that previous XLT's had built in natively to menu.

There's some kind of disconnect between the design/engineer group when they are developing from one generation to the next. It's crazy.
 

discothan

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Knock on wood....but my custom left/right gauges haven't reset themselves through a handful of OTA upgrades. My boost gauge continues to give me satisfaction on my daily drive.
 

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amschind

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Completely agree with OP. I would argue that the skeuomorphic user interface failure in the F150 is the gear selector: there is no reason for it not to be buttons just like the transfer case selector. Paddles+buttons give all of the functionality and allow a far better center console.
 

Bryan Simon

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I’ve rented pickups with those silly buttons and dials.
Hated everything about them.
I can think of more than a few reasons they should stay out of trucks.
But, this is my first pickup with an automatic since 1976.
I still maintain if a some sort of stick is protruding from the console or floor, the vehicle needs a clutch pedal.
Less crap on the console mean more room for the coffee mugs and storage for other useless crap that builds in pretty much any car except those so anal they are sweeping grass blades off the floor at every exit..
I have no desire to haVe a mug or a cup leak or spill on a button effectively keeping me from shifting gears
These things are not Continentals, BMWs, or Teslas.
I prefer some sort of gauge over a digital display.
The number one purpose of these vehicles is utility, and when a bunch of crap is added much of that is troublesome to get resolved.
It is apparent to me that most of the issues with these trucks is not going be mechanical but electrical or electronic related.
Still have no idea why windows have to get permission from the tailgate to function.
Convenience is pricey in more ways than one.
I just need the truck to start and get me to my destination.
That being said, I do like the fact music from my phone automatically starts playing all by itself thru the car radio and volume control is on the steering wheel.
Might need to add that feature to the Ranchero and ElCamino.
 

Snakebitten

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Down where I habitat most of the time, these things ARE folks Continentals, Teslas, and BMWs.
Heck, there's one in EVERY driveway. So I'd argue they are even folk's Camry? 😁

But I get your point.
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