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alberth

Years ago I had a Saab.

Everything was a button/knob.

Probably the best car instrument panel I've ever used/seen.

https://i0.wp.com/saabblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Sa...

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And night mode! A killer feature I’ve missed on any car I’ve driven since.

(Quite simple - kills all instrument lights except speedo. If something happens which requires your attention, the relevant instrument comes back to life. Makes driving in the dark much less exhausting)

I totally forgot about that, yes - was amazing!

IIRC, the instrument panel was design by Saab aerospace division.

My recollection is it also dimmed the areas of the Speedo that were far from the current speed

Yes! Night mode was great on long road trips. I've honestly thought of buying a gently used late-00s Saab instead of anything new.

That is exactly what I did last year. Bought a low mileage 2003 9-5. Treated the whole process like owning a commercial aircraft where replaced as part as possible to start fresh. Easier in this day and age, with internet helping on guidance and parts. I am not a car guy overall, though average auto design, external and internal, low-priced or expensive, is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Saab was about only thing that was calming for me.

Saabs had amazing design, especially the interior "cockpit". Miss them.

SAAB (Svenska Aeroplan AB) started out making airplanes.

I'm aware. And they still make planes.

I don't know if they still do it, but I loved my old Saab 99 with the ignition switch in the console between the front seats. Intead of locking the steering, it locked the gearshift in reverse. It didn't make anything work better, but it made the end user experience feel different/special.

They kept it for a long time, I had an '87 900 and a '04 9-3 which had a fob but still plugged in and turned in the center like the old ones. I liked the position; I heard it used to foil car thiefs who couldn't figure out where the ignition was

Same, and they all had great sightlines. When I bought my 9-3 as the dealer was going out of business, he told me what a huge deal it was internally that they didn't offer cupholders in the US, the idea being that you should be focused on driving not drinking. US dealers pressured them into finally adding that ninja popup before they went out of business

It was sometimes mocked but I actually really like the 1st gen Porsche Panamera center console full of buttons as well

https://cdn.elferspot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/16/ABE8...

Amen. And if anybody mocks my Gen2 Macan with 100+ physical buttons and controls within reach of the driver, they will get mocked right the fuck back.

Early '00s was the peak of car dashboard UX. After that it has been mostly regressions, sold as "innovation".

Early '00s was the peak of computer UX, too.

I see where you're coming from with that, but for me, it's either a shell or omnisearch boxes like in Windows 7 and VS code (or emacs)

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