Features on cars that never took hold….

Scania

Scania

Scania

Caporegime
Joined
25 Nov 2004
Posts
26,033
Location
On the road....
Driving my Scania recently, it occurred to me that it has a feature from its SAAB DNA that you don’t see on other cars (or trucks for that matter) namely the ability to disable all the dashboard lights other than the speedometer (and, in the trucks case, the outside temperature) at night, I find this feature very helpful as it removes so many other unnecessary distractions from the dashboard and leaves you far more focused on the road ahead…

I just wonder why this feature isn’t more common on other platforms?

I use it all the time and like it….

Thoughts?

Dashboard on.

IDY7fKN.jpg


Dashboard off.

Apologies for the iPotato picture quality!
qY7Sikq.jpg
 
Last edited:
I remember the "digital" dashboard on Citroens BX and similar models including the earlier takes with the scrolling wheel thingy for speedometer (Citroen BX phase 1 dashboard). Most of that stuff never caught on.

Earlier version


Later one was like something out of Star Trek.
 
Last edited:
A lot of cars do something similar with a dimmer switch. This usually dims all of the lit up controls including the clock area as you say, but often leaves the speedo fully lit.
 
That’s a fancy dashboard.

Haven’t seen many ‘city’ driving buttons that featured on the Fiat Punto in the early 2000s.
 
jaybee said:
A lot of cars do something similar with a dimmer switch. This usually dims all of the lit up controls including the clock area as you say, but often leaves the speedo fully lit.
Click to expand...

The Saab 'black panel' did it with a single button press so no messing with dimmers and then resetting things afterwards. On the 9-5 it only illuminated the first 1/3 of the speedometer, and would also illuminate the other gauges if they went out of tolerance, ie fuel was below 1/4 or the water temperature started to go above normal running temp.
 
I remember a work college had a Saab 9-3 Viggen in 2001 and that had a ‘night mode‘ button, which killed all dash lights except the speed dial.
 
@Scania
why would you want to kill all those lights driving in day or night in a truck ?
for long hauls to make it easy on your eyes ?

but surely you want the rad temp and petrol gauges on at least too ?
 
jaybee said:
All 3 of my cars currently do the above dimming feature I swear. :) My cars are all old as well.
Click to expand...
Most cars dim, the SAAB had an actual button to activate/deactivate as well as a dimmer.

SDK^ said:
I remember a work college had a Saab 9-3 Viggen in 2001 and that had a ‘night mode‘ button, which killed all dash lights except the speed dial.
Click to expand...
Did you even rtft?
 
Do fog lights/DRLs still turn off when cars indicate? We had a period of a few years where cars looked like they were having a stroke when going around corners, either I don't notice it any more or it's disappeared, will hafta pay attention.
 
Diddums said:
Do fog lights/DRLs still turn off when cars indicate? We had a period of a few years where cars looked like they were having a stroke when going around corners, either I don't notice it any more or it's disappeared, will hafta pay attention.
Click to expand...

Our cars do, although it's a weird combination of drl turning off plus fog light (cornering light as per marketing) coming on at low speeds,
 
Last edited:
My mum purchased a Mercedes and we drove two hours to get a specific one as it had the self park. She has never used it as shes scared of doing it wrong and it crashing. I imagine a lot of people will feel uneasy about self driving modes.
 
Last edited:
ShiWarrior said:
@Scania
why would you want to kill all those lights driving in day or night in a truck ?
for long hauls to make it easy on your eyes ?

but surely you want the rad temp and petrol gauges on at least too ?
Click to expand...
Diesel not petrol gauges:D

Basically, the truck has a 550 litre tank and so long as I know it was full at the start of my shift (which is company policy) then you don’t need to worry as its range is comfortably over 1100 miles.

As for anything else, warning wise, if an issue arises the dashboard will illuminate and display the problem.

It is far better on the eyes at night, you can also dim it yourself to make it barely visible if you wish.
 
SDK^ said:
I remember a work college had a Saab 9-3 Viggen in 2001 and that had a ‘night mode‘ button, which killed all dash lights except the speed dial.
Click to expand...
That’s exactly what the Scania’s system is, back in the day Scania was part of the SAAB group and they still have a lot of SAAB era quirks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom