Instrument Clusters Are Now Paid Extras In Two Hyundai Models (caranddriver.com) 134
"Enshittification of car controls [is] rapidly accelerating," writes longtime Slashdot reader sinij, pointing to a new report from Car and Driver. From the report: Remember when iPhones used to come with free headphones and a phone charger (including the wall plug)? It didn't feel so much like Apple giving you free goodies as it did that the company was providing you with the relevant hardware to use the device. Apple stopped including headphones and charging blocks in 2020. Now, Hyundai is pulling some of its standard hardware from the box, at least for two models.
Hyundai is charging customers extra for a driver's display in the new Elantra generation (more specifically, the Korea-market Avante), as well as the Ioniq 3, Motor1 reported. Both models feature Pleos Connect, Hyundai's new infotainment setup that pairs a center touchscreen with a slim 9.9-inch instrument cluster mounted above the dashboard -- except where it doesn't.
In its domestic market, the instrument cluster screen is offered as a 350,000 won ($255) option for the base trim. Not the most expensive optional extra in the world, but still kind of a slap in the face for a feature traditionally viewed as standard fare. Things are more expensive for the electric Ioniq 3. In the EV's case, the base trim gives customers the full Tesla-screen experience, meaning if customers want the driver's display, they'll need to fork over the additional $5000 necessary to move up to the next-level trim. [...] Hyundai plans to have the setup equipped in 20 million cars globally by the end of the decade.
Hyundai is charging customers extra for a driver's display in the new Elantra generation (more specifically, the Korea-market Avante), as well as the Ioniq 3, Motor1 reported. Both models feature Pleos Connect, Hyundai's new infotainment setup that pairs a center touchscreen with a slim 9.9-inch instrument cluster mounted above the dashboard -- except where it doesn't.
In its domestic market, the instrument cluster screen is offered as a 350,000 won ($255) option for the base trim. Not the most expensive optional extra in the world, but still kind of a slap in the face for a feature traditionally viewed as standard fare. Things are more expensive for the electric Ioniq 3. In the EV's case, the base trim gives customers the full Tesla-screen experience, meaning if customers want the driver's display, they'll need to fork over the additional $5000 necessary to move up to the next-level trim. [...] Hyundai plans to have the setup equipped in 20 million cars globally by the end of the decade.
Illegitimate offspring for $10k (Score:5, Funny)
For an extra $10,000 they'll make it look less like the illegitimate offspring of Doctor Disrespect and a Squirtel.
Why include a wall wart and headphones? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: Why include a wall wart and headphones? (Score:2)
My OnePlus 13R and 15 came with wallwart fast chargers and Bluetooth earbuds.
Re: Why include a wall wart and headphones? (Score:3, Interesting)
Pretty sure the EU got manufacturers to stop including wall warts with phones, instead insisting that every manufacturer standardize their power connectors.
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Sure, some manufacturers could throw in decent chargers and such, but honestly most of them are pretty lame.
Apple used to give you a 5W adapter. It would charge your iPhone, but slowly. It hung around (along with the green dot going back to the first generation iPhone because of a recall where the prongs might stay plugged in) until 2025 or so when Apple finally discontinued them. Likely the only reason being to those countries that insist on a charger being sold with every phone.
Even though you and I know
If anyone wants to know why people buy vinyl (Score:4, Insightful)
This is why. It has nothing to do with sound quality. Digital makes these shenanigans possible. Digital data is handled by programmable devices. Programmable devices can be turned against you at the press of a button not if but when the manufacturer wants to. You can't look at something to see if it will do what you want it to do. Software-defined functionality means it can do anything and nothing and you will never know before or even after your money has been spent.
That's the difference between tech enthusiasts and technicians. The tech enthusiast says "Everything in my house is wired to the Internet of Things! I control it all from my smartphone! My smart-house is bluetooth enabled and I can give it voice commands via Alexa! I love the future!" but the technician says "The most recent piece of technology I own is a printer from 2004 and I keep a loaded gun ready to shoot it if it ever makes an unexpected noise."
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The vinyl may not be subject to reprogramming after the fact, but the turntable is . . . an electronic device.
Audiophiles are gullible cult members, even more so than wine snobs.
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But you still can't tell the difference between thousand dollar audio cables and a wire coat hanger. Or a banana. [futurism.com]
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The vinyl may not be subject to reprogramming after the fact, but the turntable is . . . an electronic device.
Mine isn't. It has an electric motor, belt, and platter. The arm is fully mechanical. The cartridge has magnets and coils of wire. There's nothing electronic until the preamp, which is not in any way programmable. In fact, there's nothing programmable or Internet-connectable in the whole audio chain. Also, every item is more than 20 years old.
Re: If anyone wants to know why people buy vinyl (Score:2)
So it isn't except that it is? Cool story bro.
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Why not audioCD then? Short of breaking the format there cannot be DRM included.
For me the vinyl resurgence just makes no sense with Audio CDs still being available.
*I understand for some people it's the ritual of putting the platter on, and the "fun" of discovering scratches. That's not for me though...
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And many publishers did break the format.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
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There's two types of people buying vinyl records these days:
1. People buying modern production vinyl records for the collectability aspect. A lot of those folks don't actually even own a record player.
2. People buying vintage vinyl records because they actually were mastered differently than the current digital releases (pre "loudness war").
Neither of these reasons is necessarily about avoiding the ephemeral nature of "owning" music that's stored in the cloud. You can still buy CDs to accomplish that, wit
Not free (Score:4, Insightful)
>"Remember when iPhones used to come with free headphones and a phone charger (including the wall plug)? It didn't feel so much like Apple giving you free goodies"
And the misuse of the word "free" continues. Those weren't "free", they were included at no extra/additional cost/price. I mean, you pay me $350,000, and I will sell you my house and give you the kitchen "for free"!! Free kitchens!!!! To be free, there would be no requirement to buy anything (free of cost and of obligation).
>"Hyundai is charging customers extra for a driver's display"
End of the world! They are making a feature an extra cost which the consumer has the freedom to buy or not. OMG! At least THEY CONTINUE TO OFFER THE OPTION....
>"still kind of a slap in the face for a feature traditionally viewed as standard fare."
Tell that to Tesla and certain other vehicles that don't even offer it at all.
I do agree it sucks when you have to play the "trim" game- where there is a feature you want and you have to drag in thousands of dollars of other features you don't need/want to get what you do want. But that has been the vehicles norm for my whole life. They aren't going to offer every customer a completely custom vehicle. It would be a logistics and sales nightmare.
>"in the EV's case, the base trim gives customers the full Tesla-screen experience"
Yeah, the crappy no dashboard experience. The "hey, why not try to unsafely look at the center of the car while driving" experience. The "we don't like physical controls" experience. So don't buy that experience, regardless of the brand or model. I didn't. When I went EV shopping last year, I immediately threw out ANY vehicle that had no front display/dashboard, that had no way to display analog indicators, or had no physical controls for anything important. (Ended up with an Ariya- great controls/displays/layout).
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End of the world! They are making a feature an extra cost which the consumer has the freedom to buy or not.
There was a time, in the US, when seat belts were an extra-cost option. Eventually, some Important People decided this was unsafe; now seat belts are required. Then a requirement for shoulder straps was added, then air bags. This reduced the freedom of drivers to customize their cars but presumably improved safety.
Safety for the driver and passengers. Making critical displays like the speedometer harder to see not only decreases safety for the driver and passengers but also for everyone else on the road.
Can I install 3rd party replacements ? (Score:2)
If it is optional then I hope that I can chose who I buy it from. However I doubt that this is the case.
Re: Can I install 3rd party replacements ? (Score:2)
I'd be all in favor of interchangeable car parts with a healthy market for third-party options, but like you I doubt that's actually what's going on here.
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Given how small and useless it looks... (Score:3)
... I can see not many people bothering to pay for it.
Can someone explain why EVs only seem to need tiny instrument clusters without any kind of sun shield? Are EV drivers eyes much better than ICE drivers and does the sun see its an EV so doesn't shine on the screen?
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At least itâ(TM)s an option unlike Tesla (Score:3)
They may be responding to consumer preference in that market. Plenty of people buy Teslas without instrument clusters. Adding the cluster does cost money. This isnâ(TM)t like putting in seat heaters and then charging to have them functional. This is an additional component.
Should we complain that there is an up charge for fog lamps? There is the space for them on some cars, but theyâ(TM)re not always installed.
And think of how many car models are out there where one trim level has a tachometer and another doesnâ(TM)t. They are giving the consumer choice. Get extra displays or not.
Re:At least itâ(TM)s an option unlike Tesla (Score:4, Insightful)
Plenty of people buy Teslas without instrument clusters.
Voluntarily or not? I didn't know Telsa offered it as an optional extra? I thought they just made one shitty design choice and forced it on whomever wanted the entire model.
This is an additional component.
This is putting important information in clear sight vs making the drive divert their attention from the road. Comparing it to heated seats is asinine.
And think of how many car models are out there where one trim level has a tachometer and another doesnâ(TM)t.
A tacho is not remotely important to the operation of a motor vehicle unless you're racing or off roading. How many cars do you know who don't have a spedometer on the instrument cluster?
They are giving the consumer choice.
Some choices shouldn't be available. Ever. Kind of like how we don't give people the choice of not having ABS or airbags.
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Some cars like the Mini Cooper put the speedometer in the middle of the dashboard instead of on the instrument cluster directly in front of the driver. This makes it easier to produce left- and right-hand cars more cheaply.
Re: At least itâ(TM)s an option unlike Tesla (Score:2)
They're the same people who walk into traffic without looking because "pedestrians have the right of way".
Well tell that to the tire while it's running over your face.
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They're the same people who walk into traffic without looking ....
To be fair, many of them are looking -- at their phones, not at the traffic. Seen it far too many times, including adults walking with children.
So, Hyundai are doing the Slate thing... (Score:2)
Article is misleading (Score:2)
In ioniq 3 this is extra 9.9" display present in all but base model.
And I do not think it is new to have base model and more expensive versions with more features.
heck, even optional features are somethin quite old... I had a car from 2001 that had tempomat that was present but disabled in lower model.
It was $500 or more option but buying $40 lever and installing yourself made it enabled.
Re: Article is misleading (Score:5, Insightful)
This is a poorly titled article but is not intentionally misleading. The speedometer has moved to the center screen with the base model of this car and you will NOT know how fast you are going without taking your gaze off that road. That is dangerous to the vehicle occupant AND other road users
See the second picture in this article: https://www.motor1.com/news/80... [motor1.com]
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I'll talk to my friends in Korea to see if it is overall accurate, but if it is accurate most of them will buy a different brand. Well, if they own a car anyway.
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.... I had a car from 2001 that had tempomat that was present but disabled in lower model.
"Tempomat is the German term for cruise control"
Of course they will do it ... (Score:3)
when people are stupid enough to accept it.
And apparently, a large (big enough) part of people are stupid enough.
Why (Score:4, Interesting)
Get a Slate truck (Score:2)
It is intentionally simple, no useless or stupid giant infotainment screens. And itâ(TM)s actually affordable: https://www.slate.auto/en [slate.auto]
E-Waste (Score:2, Insightful)
Apple et all stopped including charger, cable, headphones etc because it's tremendous amount of ewaste. I already have cables, charges, headphones. I don't need crappy earbuds, if i need them i will buy them. I think the EU explicitly banned pack in power adapter and cables like ~10 years ago? There's already probably 25 USB adapters on the planet for every man woman and child
Re:E-Waste (Score:4, Informative)
...because it's tremendous amount of ewaste.
No, they stopped because it increased their profits. Apple justified it by claiming a reduction in e-waste, and knew that their fan-base would unquestioningly accept it. Note that they didn't reduce the retail price of their products. Also, not everyone has a drawer-full of the right chargers and cables for their new phone.
I think the EU explicitly banned pack in power adapter and cables like ~10 years ago?
You think incorrectly. The EU mandated commonality in phone charging ports, so that switching brands didn't require consumers to have to replace proprietary cabling and chargers with all-new proprietary cabling and chargers, thereby reducing e-waste.
FWIW, my last three phones have all included USB power bricks & cables, but sadly no earphones in the last two.
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Just from today, and for a change the abomination is not that a 16GB Surface Laptop with freakin' Windows ARM (most niche OS the last 10 years or so) is 1530 Euro (down from 1799) but the charger is extra, 77777 Euros. VAT included, thankfully. ttps://www.reddit.com/r/Surface/comments/1w6401r/slightly_overpriced_power_brick/
That's directly from Microsoft, not some Amazon 3rd party seller/scammers.
Software Defined Vehicle (Score:2)
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So (Score:3)
I can add Hyundai in with Chevrolet on the list of vehicles I will never consider. Chevy got on the list by getting rid of CarPlay.
Is $255 really worth all the ill will this is going o cause?
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Sounds like my current 2013 Hyundai will be my LAST Hyundai.. In the past 20+ years, my wife and I have owned a 2001 and a 2004 Santa Fe, then later we had a his/hers pair of 2008 Accents, then in 2017, we bought a used 2013 Elantra, which got totalled in 2019, and we bought another 2013 Elantra, which we still have, which will be our last, based on this info.... Yeah I know, Hyundai don't care..
Unexpected location, too. (Score:2)
They should've made it a proper HUD.
Instrument Clusters are disappointed (Score:2)
Bullshit is what it is (Score:3)
That's a "get up and leave the dealership" moment.
When pulled over for speeding.... (Score:5, Funny)
Me: I have no idea, my car didn't come with the speedometer upgrade.
WTF is the world coming to....
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The large screen in the center is *not* optional, this is where the "main" speedometer is displayed. So even with no upgrades, you can still tell how fast you are going.
The optional part is the small display behind the steering wheel. Stupid, yes, but it doesn't mean you won't know your speed if you don't upgrade. https://www.cartoq.com/car-new... [cartoq.com]
the button you have pressed brakes is not paid for (Score:3)
the button you have pressed brakes is not paid for and will not work till you buy the stopping DLC
great (Score:2)
Good luck (Score:2)
Passing an MOT without that "optional extra"
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as long as it isn't a subscription (Score:2)
I'm cool with carmakers charging piecemeal for whatever they want. If they want to charge extra for headlights they can knock themselves out. But, if/when they start charging subscription fees for hardware that I own, that will be a brand I will purposely avoid for life.
* I admit I may cave if/when basically EVERY manufacturer has some sort of subscription option. Even then, I'll likely consider just buying nice older cars. For the price of a new Camry (~$30k), you can get a pretty sweet looking classic car
Gas tank: $500 (Score:2)
What a shitty company (Score:2)
Hope they fuck right off and go bankrupt.
Gamify it! (Score:2)
I am excited for side quests to earn skins.
Re:Or they are giving a discount... (Score:5, Informative)
At least its number 5.
https://www.wealthydriver.com/cars/the-20-most-popular-cars-around-the-world/3 [wealthydriver.com]
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Number 7 according to Car & Driver, which I think is much more trustworthy than whatever "Wealthy Driver" is. The Car & Driver list is also applies to 2025 rather than 2023.
https://www.caranddriver.com/n... [caranddriver.com]
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The Car and Driver numbers are for he US only. The GP's list is based global sales. Still, the Model Y is only the best-selling EV in the US, and not the best-selling car in the world by any measure.
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Well all know the most popular car in the world is the Morris Marina.
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We are not the same.
Re:Or they are giving a discount... (Score:5, Insightful)
What do they mean by "instrument cluster"? I'd consider the instrument cluster the thing with the speedometer, odometer, warning lights etc on it - and most of those are mandatory in most countries, so leaving it out would mean the car isn't road legal.
Re:Or they are giving a discount... (Score:5, Informative)
At least based on the photo in TFA [hearstapps.com], it appears Hyundai is doing an incredibly stupid thing and rolling all that info into the large central "infotainment" screen. If you're the driver, by default there's absolutely nothing straight in front of you except for bare dashboard.
Now, if you want a little pop-up display screen showing important info right in front of you, at the very top of that bare dashboard - think of it as a glorified spiritual successor to the reviled Apple Touchbar (or perhaps consider it a faux heads-up display) - they're charging you extra.
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I've no idea what the regulations are in Korea, but I'd be very doubtful that would be legal in the UK. The instruments need to be in clear view of the driver without them turning away from the road. Usually cheap cars get rid of the centre screen not the driver's one.
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Personally I like it and find a lot of the "more physical controls!" crowd to be vastly overstating things. Tesla are always held up as the example, but they have physical controls on the steering wheel for most things you actua
Re:Or they are giving a discount... (Score:5, Funny)
People complain a lot about the indicator stalks, but as someone who drives a BMW I can't say I've ever used mine. So what is the big deal?
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People complain a lot about the indicator stalks, but as someone who drives a BMW I can't say I've ever used mine. So what is the big deal?
I thought it was the other way around and guys drove BMWs *because* their "indicator stalk" didn't work. :-)
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It's how all Teslas work, and honestly it's no hassle at all.
It is a huge hassle for me and the key reason I am not a Tesla owner. So there is at least -1 sale as a consequence of that design choice.
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For me, that was just one of many odd design choices that all added up to a car that would've been a pain in the ass to deal with. It used to be you'd just have to bargain with yourself over it (which you'll see a lot of Tesla owners doing online), but now that there's quite a few other companies selling decent EVs, so Tesla can just take the L as far as I'm concerned.
Re: Or they are giving a discount... (Score:3)
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It's how all Teslas work, and honestly it's no hassle at all.
Anecdotally, 9 times out of 10 when I encounter a car that's driving like an absolute bat out of hell, or well below the speed limit - it's a Tesla. Without a speedometer display in the usual place, it's clear that some people no longer bother to check how fast they're actually going.
Re: Or they are giving a discount... (Score:2)
For me they are usually going a very normal speed. Maybe around here they figured out how to activate cruise control. (The number of drivers who truly need to learn that is very sad.)
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I mostly drive a C3 Picasso and the speedometer at least is easily visible, however I find myself having to take my eyes off the road longer than I would like if a warning light comes on (and wouldn't notice it unless accompanied by an audible signal). The C4 has a narrower central console, I think.
My main complaint, though, is about the extent to which the additional "safety" features (lane warnings, speed limit warnings) are becoming a distraction hazard. A particular bugbear on a recent hire was the repo
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I've no idea what the regulations are in Korea, but I'd be very doubtful that would be legal in the UK. The instruments need to be in clear view of the driver without them turning away from the road. Usually cheap cars get rid of the centre screen not the driver's one.
Teslas exist in the UK. It's legal. Fucking stupid, but so far legal.
Re: Or they are giving a discount... (Score:2)
I'm surprised it's even legal not to have that critical information in drivers view. It's crazy to think that something like the speedometer is only being shown on the lower screen where a driver must look away to see their speed. I guess when I'm driving I don't necessarily need to see odometer or tachometer, but the speedometer is a safety device.
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They mean it's like a shitty Tesla with only one central screen that has the IC on it. If you want one in front of the driver where you don't have to glance to the side to see basic information like your speed, you have to pay extra.
Not that I was planning to, but that's Hyundai off my list of potential vehicles.
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What do they mean by "instrument cluster"? I'd consider the instrument cluster the thing with the speedometer, odometer, warning lights etc on it - and most of those are mandatory in most countries, so leaving it out would mean the car isn't road legal.
They are actually not mandatory in most countries to exist above the steering wheel, for one many Teslas don't have them. The information just needs to exist some where. You are spot on with what they mean though. Yes they are removing the thing that's easy to glance at and are pulling a Tesla forcing the driver to look over at the massive infotainment system
Fucking stupid.
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... if you'd rather not pay for the extra screen. Not everyone wants an instrument cluster. The most popular car in the world doesn't have one (Model Y).
Fuck off, Elon.
Re: Or they are giving a discount... (Score:2)
Show me data that this new model is lower price to the consumer.
Re: Or they are giving a discount... (Score:2)
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Is it just me, or do model Ys look like humping dogs?
Re: Or they are giving a discount... (Score:2)
It's just you, but thank you for sharing your Automotive Rorschach test answers with us... your permanent record has been updated.
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Just you. To me, they just look like a Model 3 with a bigger ass.
Re: Or they are giving a discount... (Score:2)
That's nothing, the i8 looks like it's shitting a Porsche
Re: Or they are giving a discount... (Score:2)
This is nothing like HUD, which has always been an addon.
On the other hand this is very far from the first car with a central dash.
However, it's also a shit idea. It's safest for the information to be directly in front of the driver. The car has to be usable by the worst drivers, not only the best.
Re: Why do I care about instruments? (Score:2)
This is a poorly titled article. The Speedo has moved to the center screen with the base model of this car and you will NOT know how fast you are going without taking your gaze off that road.
See the second picture here: https://www.motor1.com/news/80... [motor1.com]
This configuration should be banned - it's dangerous both to the vehicle occupants and other vehicles and pedestrians
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The Speedo has moved to the center screen with the base model of this car .... See the second picture here [motor1.com] .... This configuration should be banned - it's dangerous both to the vehicle occupants and other vehicles and pedestrians
I looked at the picture, enlarged it to the limit of its resolution, and I couldn't find speed anywhere. I see a picture of a car on the left (for drivers who don't know where they are) and what looks like a map taking up most of the screen (for drivers who don't know where they're going), and a bunch of icons at the bottom. It seems to me if this screen is meant to replace the speedometer, speed should be about the only thing on it.
This configuration should be banned
Seems reasonable to me.
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As long as I know how fast I'm going
That sounds like great information that every car makes available to the driver on the ... wait for it ... instrument cluster.
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As long as I know how fast I'm going and how much fuel I have left, what do I care about engine speed and oil pressure and coolant temperature, and so on? I don't need to monitor all of the minutiae of my engine's operating point while I am driving. That is handled by the FADEC. The FADEC will tell me when and if there is a problem.
"FADEC stands for Full Authority Digital Engine Control, an advanced computer system that manages all aspects of an aircraft's engine performance."
Are you driving an airliner? I drive a car, and I definitely want to know if the oil pressure is dropping, even slowly, and I want to know how the engine temperature is behaving, and whether the ammeter is negative or positive. But that's me, and I have a high-performance car. I imagine most people don't know what to do with that information and don't need it.
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Since Hyundai no longer makes cars with a stick shift
Every Hyundai with an ICE has a stick shift option. If you're lamenting not having a stick shift on an EV or a hybrid then I am also sympathetic to your view, the same way someone is sympathetic in general to people with mental handicaps.
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Hyundai has even said they will no longer make a manual transmission vehicle, but will instead use a digital version [enginepatrol.com].
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As I understand it, the base model displays speed and other information in the center display (turn your head to look at it). The paid option puts it on the dash screen in front of the driver. If that's true, that's worth the outrage. I could see them wanting to charge a subscription for this "service" which would be even more outrageous.