PEPM

APD2505

Instrument Panel, Door Panel Design

Lecture delivered by:

Kiran V. R.
Asst. Prof.
Dept. of AAE
MSRSAS-Bangalore
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore 1

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Session Objectives
At the end of the module, the delegate would have understood
Dashboard items
Steering wheel
Tilt Wheel
Speedometer
Tachometer
Odometer
Fuel gauge
Center console
Door panel
Interior trim
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Introduction
Originally, a dashboard was the upturned screen of wood or leather
placed on the front of a horse-drawn carriage, sleigh or other vehicle
that protected the driver from mud, debris, water and snow thrown up
by the horse's hooves.
A dashboard is a control panel located under the windshield of an
automobile. It contains instrumentation and controls pertaining to
operation of the vehicle.
Earlier dashboard used to have one steering wheel and ignition switch.
Slowly as the demand grew for new need, a new gauge was added to
the panel.
Cars have enough room for items such as entertainment equipment and
GPS system
Now-a-days, manufacturers are experimenting with moving all display
portions to the center console. Various arguments are put forward for
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this, including cost savings when constructing both left- and right-
hand-drive versions.
M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore 3
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The comfort controls are positioned on the central panel, above which is a screen
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showing the clock, together with information on the car radio. The top part of the
dashboard is coloured to match the colour scheme used elsewhere in the passenger
compartment .
The instrument cluster helps to customise the dashboard since the background colour
of the four dials match the rest of the vehicle. The digital screen, which features an
odometer, shows the maintenance indicators and, for diesel engines, the level of engine
oil.
Padded "safety" dashboards were introduced in 1956 by Ford, but it was widely
adopted in 1970s.
The padding is commonly polyurethane
foam, while the surface is commonly
either polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or leather
in the case of luxury models.

In the 1990s, airbags became a common

fitment on dashboards, and are mandatory Typical dashboard position in
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in some countries the front of the passenger

compartment
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Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Dashboard items APD2505

Dashboard displays various conditions of car and engine conditions.

Items located on the dashboard first included the steering wheel and the instrument
cluster. The instrument cluster pictured to the right contains gauges such as a
speedometer, tachometer, odometer, fuel gauge, and indicators such as a gear shift
position, seat belt warning light, and engine malfunction light. Later came heating and
ventilation controls and vents, lighting controls, and audio equipment. In more modern
cars, automotive navigation systems are mounted in the dashboard.

The audio system controls (such as radio, cassette & CD player) may also be on the
dashboard, although volume and tuning, for example, may be controlled from a stalk
beside the steering wheel.
Graphic equalizers and controls for increased bass are also displayed on the
dashboard.
The top and both sides of the dashboard may contain speakers for an audio system,
and vents for the heating and air conditioning system. A glovebox is often found on the
passenger side, and sometimes on both sides.
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M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Steering wheel APD2505

A steering wheel (also called a driving wheel) is a type of steering control in

vehicles.
The steering wheel is the part of the steering system that is manipulated by the driver;
the rest of the steering system responds to such driver inputs. This can be through direct
mechanical contact as in recirculating ball or rack and pinion steering gears, without or
with the assistance of hydraulic power steering, or as in some modern production cars
with the assistance of computer controlled motors
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Steering wheels from different period

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Steering wheels for passenger automobiles are generally circular, and are mounted to
the steering column by a hub connected to the outer ring of the steering wheel by one or
more spokes (single spoke wheels being a rather rare exception). Other types of
vehicles may use the circular design, a butterfly shape, or some other shape. In
countries where cars must drive on the left side of the road, the steering wheel is
typically on the right side of the car (right-hand drive or RHD); the converse applies in
countries where cars drive on the right side of the road (left-hand drive or LHD).

Besides its use in steering, the steering wheel is the usual location for a button to
activate the car's horn. Additionally, many modern automobiles may have other
controls, such as cruise control and audio system controls built into the steering wheel
to minimize the extent to which the driver must take his hands off the wheel

An airbag, used to protect the driver in event of a frontal collision, is mounted inside a
cover in the center of the steering wheel
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M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Tilt Wheel APD2505

Developed by General Motors in 1963. Originally a

luxury option on cars, the tilt function helps to adjust
the steering wheel by moving the wheel through an
arc in an up and down motion. Tilt Steering Wheels
rely upon a ratchet joint located in the steering
column just below the steering wheel. By disengaging
the ratchet lock, the wheel can be adjusted upward or
downward while the steering column remains
stationary below the joint. Some designs place the
pivot slightly forward along the column, allowing for
a fair amount of vertical movement of the steering
wheel with little actual tilt, while other designs place
the pivot almost inside the steering wheel, allowing
adjustment of the angle of the steering wheel with
almost no change it its height .
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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The first button added to the steering wheel was a switch to activate the car's electric
horn. Traditionally located on the steering wheel hub or center pad, the horn switch was
sometimes placed on the spokes also.

When speed control systems were introduced in the 1960s, some automakers located
the operating switches for this feature on the steering wheel. In the 1990s, a
proliferation of new buttons began to appear on automobile steering wheels. Remote or
alternate adjustments for the audio system, the telephone and voice control, acoustic
repetition of the last navigation instruction, infotainment system, and on board
computer functions can be operated comfortably and safely using buttons on the
steering wheel. This ensures a high standard of additional safety since the driver is able
in this way to control and operate many systems without even taking hands off the
wheel or eyes off the road
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M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Speedometer
Speedometer is located at the back of the driving wheel.
It measures the instantaneous speed of the land vehicle.
The cable is connected on one side to the speedometer, and on the other side to the
speedometer gear inside the transmission.

Now-a-days, almost all vehicles have speedomete

eliminated the cable and use an
electronic sensor to measure wheel
r
speed and send the signal to an
electronically driven speedometer.

Vehicles with electronic

speedometers, the computer has settings
to for speedometer calibration when
necessary, to allow a technician to
adjust for different sized tires.
Speedometer gauge on a car, showing the
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speed of the vehicle in kilometers per hour

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Tachometer
Tachometer is an instrument that measures the rotation speed of a shaft or wheel in a
vehicle.
The device usually displays the revolutions per minute (RPM) on a calibrated analog
dial.
Usually, the tachometer shows
single digit markings like 1, 2,
3etc. Somewhere, one will also tachometer
see an indicator that says RPM
x 1000. This means that one
multiply the reading by 1000 to
get the actual RPM, so if the
needle is pointing to 2, the
engine is running at 2000 RPM.

Tachometer showing engine RPM (revolutions per

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minute), and a redline from 6000 and 7000 RPM

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Odometer
An odometer (often known as a mileometer or milometer) is a device used for
indicating distance traveled by an vehicle. It may be electronic or mechanical

An electronic odometer with digital

display
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A mechanical odometer with trip meter below

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Fuel gauge
A fuel gauge (or gas gauge) is used to indicate the
level of fuel contained in a tank.
The gauge consists of two parts in any car:
- The sender unit
- The indicator

The sending unit usually uses a float connected to a variable resistor. When the tank is
full, the resistor is set to its low resistance value. As the tank empties, the float drops
and the slides a moving contact along the resistor, increases its resistance, finally
reaches its highest value when the tank is empty. In addition, when the resistance is at a
certain point, it will also turn on a "low fuel" light on some vehicles.

The indicator unit (usually mounted on the instrument panel) is measuring and
displaying the amount of electrical current flowing through the sending unit. When the
tank level is high and maximum current is flowing, the needle points to "F" indicating a
full tank. When the tank is empty and the least current is flowing, the needle points to
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"E" indicating an empty tank.

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The system is fail safe; a fault that opens the

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electrical circuit causes the indicator to show the tank

as being empty (which will provoke the driver to refill
the tank) rather than full (which would allow the driver
to run out of fuel with no prior notification).

Systems that measure large fuel tanks (including

underground storage tanks) may use the same electro-
mechanical principle or may make use of a pressure
sensor, sometimes connected to a mercury manometer The empty fuel indicator
displaying on the fuel gauge
After one fills up the tank, the gauge will stay on full for a long
time, then slowly drop until it reads 3/4 full. After that, it moves
progressively faster until the last quarter of a tank seems to go very
quickly.

Notice the difference between 3/4 to full and empty to 1/4.When

the needle drops below E, there is usually 1 or 2 gallons left in
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reserve Fuel Gauge

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Oil Pressure Gauge
Oil pressure is just as important to an engine as blood pressure is to a person. Measures
engine oil pressure in pounds per square inch.
Most cars have an oil lamp that lights when oil pressure is dangerously low.

Temperature Gauge
This gauge measures the temperature of the engine coolant
in degrees. When one first starts the car, the gauge will
read cold. Then turns the heater on when the engine is
cold, it will blow cold air. When the gauge starts moving
away from cold, one can then turn the heater on and get
warm air.

Most temperature gauges do not show degrees like the one

pictured here. Instead they will read cold, hot, and have a Temperature Gauge
normal range as pictured in the dash panel.
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Charging system gauge
Charging system provides the electrical current for the
vehicle.
The charging system gauge or warning lamp monitors the
health of the system so that one can have a warning of a
problem.
If the warning lamp does light while one is driving, it usually
means the charging system is not working at all. Voltmeter

There are two types of gauges used to monitor charging systems: a voltmeter which
measures system voltage and an ammeter which measures amperage going out of, or
coming into the battery.

When the engine is running, the charging system takes over so that the voltmeter will
read 14 to 14.5 volts and should stay there unless there is a heavy load on the electrical
system such as wipers, lights, heater and rear defogger all operating together .

If the voltage is constantly below 14 volts, one will have to check the system. If the
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voltage ever goes above 15 volts, there is a problem with the voltage regulator.
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An ammeter will read from a negative amperage when the battery

is providing most of the current thereby depleting itself, to a
positive amperage if most of the current is coming from the
charging system.
If the battery is fully charged and there is minimal electrical
demand, then the ammeter should read close to zero, but should
always be on the positive side of zero.
It is normal for the ammeter to read a high positive amperage in Ammeter
order to recharge the battery after starting, but it should taper off
in a few minutes. If it continues to read more than 10 or 20 amps
even though the lights, wipers and other electrical devices are
turned off, one may have a weak battery and should have it
checked.
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Expert studies have shown black figures on a white dial preferable to the reverse
because dark backgrounds tend to impair vision.
Otherwise very bold markings are needed and where colours are used, strong contrast
is necessary.
Experts advise of the safety aspects of providing too much information on the main
displays. As the single-channel mechanism of the brain has a strictly limited capacity
for data transmission.
It takes about 1.25 sec to read a value and 0.75 to make a check depending on the
number of excursions the eyes must take.
The location of instruments which have to be read, must be in the centre of vision and
limited peripheral vision of warning signals to within 60 degrees on each side of the
visual centre line.

The arrangement of the instruments should be in a logical order of sequence and if all
are of the analogue, pointer, type having their pointers parallel and upright for the
most usual operating condition.
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Design rationale for dashboard instruments

Instruments
Display
Quantitative Check type Warning
(giving numerical value) (giving awareness of change)
(qualitative, for ensuring
Digital Pointer scale maintenance of required Advantage of no interpretive effort since constant
Less accurate but conditions)
Very accurate but more monitoring is not required; both others entail
quicker to read
demanding: make distraction of the visual channel, already overloaded
reading, compare with assessing road information
memorized value, decide
if all well
Most preferred form

Information

Whereas existing instrument Essential Useful Sophisticated

layouts appear to be based solely Speed Exceeding limits (W) Range of speed (G) -
on convention, a more logical Direction Indicator operating correctly (W) Indicator cancellation (W) -
classification of functions would Distance - Odometer (D) -
be Engine Oil level (W) Oil pump functioning (W) Tachometer (G)
Fuel tank state (C) Fuel tank content (G) Oil pressure (G)
A. Compliance with the law and Excess coolant tempt (W) Correct coolant tempt (C) Oil tempt (G)
avoidance of damage to - - Coolant tempt (G)
machinery Electrics Dynamo charging (W) Battery state (C) Ammeter (G)
- Headlamp beam (W) -
B. Useful but not essential
Miscellaneous - Clock (G) -
information.
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C. Information appreciated only (W) warning, (G) gauge (quantitative), (D) digital, (C) check instrument
by the sophisticated driver
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Center console
The center console in a car refers to the control-bearing surfaces in the center of the
front of the vehicle interior.
This is the area beginning in the dashboard and continuing beneath it, and often
merging with the transmission tunnel which runs between the front driver's and
passenger's seats of many vehicles

Traditionally vehicles with a gear stick have placed

this control where the two areas of console and tunnel
merge, or at the rear-most end of the console in front-
wheel drive vehicles without transmission tunnels. In
some vehicles, the gear stick is mounted in the front

Increasingly, center consoles include a wide variety of

storage compartments and cup holders, some of them
with refrigerator, in addition to the more traditional use
as purely a surface for instruments (i.e. outside
temperature display) and controls (car audio)
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Rear center console
Some cars includes additional rear center
console, which commonly includes
entertainment and climate-system controls
(and possibly display screens and air vents),
auxiliary power outlets, an ash tray, cup
holder and sometimes window controls when
these are not in the doors.
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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These views are from Mercedez-Benz,

Mayback in 2000
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M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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ConsoleVault
Made of rigid 12 gauge cold-rolled plate steel,
the ConsoleVault features rear locking pins
similar to those found in bank vaults and an
exclusive three-point locking system that cannot
be defeated, even if the lock is drilled.
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M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Other storage system

Dashboard storage area Cargo Nets

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Door panel
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Carpet
Automotive carpets are generally made of synthetic
materials, for reasons of practicality and durability.
Polypropylene fibre, the most commonly used will not
absorb water and is therefore highly stain and odor
resistant. For general automotive use it is unsurpassed
in wear and performance.

Trunk interiors do not suffer the same degree of wear, and lighter weight carpets are
generally used, sometimes bonded to a sound-deadening material. Dash mats can be
exposed to a high degree of sunlight and heat and a UV stabilized marine carpet is more
suited for this purpose.

Carpets for luxury cars tend to have some natural fiber to add bulk. The English
"Wilton," for example, manufactured for Jaguar, Rolls Royce and Range Rover, is a
blend of cotton and wool and acrylic fibers. The Mercedes, Porsche and BMW carpets
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have a similar composition.

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Headliner
The headliner finishes off your car's interior by
providing a finished look to your car's ceiling.
Whether vinyl or fabric, the headliner can also help
soften the acoustics inside the vehicle, reducing
noise from the outside and improving the sound of
the entertainment systems inside.

Sun Visors
Sun visors play a critical safety role and also
complement the rest of the interior. With many
interiors becoming increasingly upscale, its
common for sun visors to incorporate illuminated
make-up mirrors, slide-out extensions and separate
right-angle visors.
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Interior trim
Polymer-based products (e.g. polypropylene) is an emerging material against pressed
woodfibre board as a trim base.
Polymer-based products are comparatively cheaper because of manufacturing process
It is good for the moulding on of fabrics and trim cloth to produce integrated trim
panel. Foam can be used as interlayers beneath the trim cloth.

Alternatively wood-flour (sawdust) is used as trim base. It is blended with

polypropylene and moulded in a press

Trim cloth is covered in a single closing of the mould, with vinyl, textile fabric or
carpet etc.
Surfaces can be embossed to create leather or other grain effect
Thermoforming plastics (ABS) are another alternative to cloth covered boards
Polyurethanes in various forms are also used as trim-base materials with their ability
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of rigid, semi-rigid and flexible states

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Pads may be produced with a variety of cover materials, such as vacuum-formed ABS
or PVC; blow-moulded, blow-formed PVC
Flooring systems can also be produced in PUR by spray-forming a PVC skin into an
electroform. The skin after curing, being filled with semi-rigid foam backed in the
foaming operation by an 0.08 mm thick sheet of PVC
Door inner panels by contrast are usually made in the material either by vacuum or
blow forming the covers in ABS

Self-skinning foams is applied in steering wheel trim and both acrylic and PUR
coating can be applied

In door panels, there is a trend away from ABS towards polypropylene due to lower
cost and better acoustic performance

Polyurethane headliners have been developed, which can be in one piece for a car roof

PUR core is based on an open-celled BASF polyester foam which is thermoformable

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and has unusually low density and good sound-absorbent characteristics

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Glass-reinforced felt has also been developed for headliners, and has strength
characteristics which suit applications involving the suspending of sunroof frames, light
fittings or speaker grilles

Fixing clips and brackets can be integrally moulded

Heavy covering layers of carpeting and similar materials are mounted on flexible
foams of known stiffness so that the spring/mass can be exploited in noise isolation

Flexible foam backed acoustic mats for car are use for this purposes
Polypropylene is used to manufacture instrument panel and door
Despite warnings of problems with fogging and halogen emission in manufacture,
PVC coverings have been developed which are now more environmentally acceptable

PP fabrics are now a days used for upholstering of seats. It is said to be strong,
durable, light and good heat tolerance
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore

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Summary APD2505

In this session following aspects of dashboard & door panel design were explained
Dashboard items
Steering wheel
Tilt Wheel
Speedometer
Tachometer
Odometer
Fuel gauge
Center console
Door panel
Interior trim materials
Kiran V .R. MSRSAS

M.S Ramaiah School of Advanced Studies - Bangalore