What's the news?
Skoda has announced that it is introducing Virtual Cockpit, a programmable digital instrument panel, across several models in its range. The system does away with traditional dials and gauges in favour of a sharp TFT screen (an advanced variant of LCD). The main advantage of all of this is that the driver can choose which information they want to see depending on their particular driving requirements. The system's operation is made possible by a massively powerful processor, which takes real-time information like speed and location and translates them into clear, vibrant display graphics.
There are five basic layouts available and all can be fine-tuned further to get everything just-so for the driver:
Classic: this layout sees a speedometer and a rev counter to the left and right of the screen. What's in between can be customised to feature information on, say, the current radio programme or a zoom-able navigation map.
Extended: here we have the main display (radio information or navigation map) covering the entire width of the panel. There is still space, however, above and below the main display for things like speed, gear recommendation, traffic sign recognition and myriad other snippets.
Modern: there's a large display in the centre of the screen with space for other information to the left and right.
Basic: the screen is divided into two displays, for example current speed and distance remaining. There is still space at the top and bottom for other pieces of basic information.
Sports: we've got a single large dial in the centre of the screen incorporating the speedometer and rev counter. Additional information can be placed on either side of the dial.
Anything else?
Virtual Cockpit isn't coming to the Citigo, Fabia, Rapid, Skoda Superb, or Octavia for now, but can be ordered for the Kodiaq and Karoq.