As a pilot and an engineer that works on designing new systems for commercial aircraft flight decks, I have been working with what we call "glass" displays versus "Steamgauges". The latter are the old fashioned analog dials whereas the glass are the new CRTs or flat panels.

Now on a modern commercial aircraft, the new CRTs make good sense. You can bring up all sorts of info on them. Plus, I can fit a whole bunch more info on say, the PFD, than with the analogs.

[side note: I had the opportunity to fly the Concorde simulator for 2 weeks back in 1999 while we were conducting an experiment and while the plane is considered one of the most exclusive, virtually all the displays are the older "steamgauge". Some mods have been made, but not alot. The flight engineer's station is huge and has three large panels he or she has to constantly monitor....putting glass displays in would help where possible, but the price would be outrageous!]

When it comes to cars, I have a personal preference for the analog displays. I am wondering why MBenz eliminated the Oil and Economy gauges starting with the 96 E series.

I took a look a while back at the instrument panel on the new '03 E model and was sad to see that more and more of the instrument panel is becoming electronic. I fully understand that the same factors that play into placing CRTs on aircraft apply to cars. However, I don't like "semi-idiot" lights for critical systems. I know that the oil display is not an idiot light, per se. It will work on two levels--I believe it comes on in the first mode when the oil reaches the "low end" of the dipstick. If the oil goes below that, then you get another indication.

Did these gauges have alot of problems (I was thinking primarily of the economy gauge)? I miss those gauges and it is too bad they took them off.

Oh well....six to one, half dozen to another.

__________________
- Jon E320 210.055

90 Wrangler
77 Mustang 307,000 mi
63 T-Bird [fully restored]