Potential ME Control Layout

[John]

First, a thank you to JBsC6 who yesterday alterted us to this potential information.

I want to share what has been posted on Corvetteforum by someone named “Zerv02.” Thank you Zerv02, who says he has seen the interior and it looks like this, with first his explanation:

The controls used for multimedia, seat controls, AC/HEAT ext, they all run in a vertical line on the right side only of the center console. It looks kinda odd, a bit similar to the 918 spyder.

First the picture of the 918 Spyder’s control layout thanks to AutoCar.



And here thanks to JasperMachines/ThrottleBlips is a picture of the Huracan’s star/stop switch that ZervO2 says is on the ME’s center console as shown below.



And here is Zervo2’s drawing. He apologizes for his lack of art skills, but he has shown us a lot of detail supporting his quoted comments above. Thank you Zerv02!

[Frenzy36]

Very interesting, wonder what the wrap around screen is all about?

[John]

Time to surface some dash/control panel information that was shared with me “off the record” earlier, not to be shared publicly until and if it was later was separately provided by another source, That info was just corroborated by Zerv02, that the instrument panel is driver-centric, That is what is mean by a “wrap around screen.”

[Racer86]

I would love to see a “ glass cockpit “ dash, like on the new airplanes. I know that many people would resist this, and I did also until I got into a current sports racer with a high tech readout dash display, and after 2 laps, I was sold in it. Much easier to read at a glance, more info to view in one spot

[OnPoint]

Sounds like GM with the ME is going to make a significant change/departure from the C7 on the interior. Which IMO is smart. The car is a revolutionary addition to the Corvette line-up, and as such it should have it's own soul - and be a style leader for other Corvette variants.

[John]

GM has had extensive warranty costs with the C7 instrument panel — much of it for the labor involved to take out and replace it (repair if they could) its center stack IP system. I wonder if some part of having most of those controls on the front-to-back console stack being separate from the dash (at least way more easily to take out and replace than the built in system of the C7), is part of the ME’s “floating console?” Certainly some parts will involve part of the dashboard’s removal, but again guessing that on the ME, the dash comes apart quicker, easier and cheaper, than the C7’s for just keeping down warranty/repair costs.

[Manta Ray]

Hey all! 1st post here. Over on the other forum, regarding the "wrap around screen", Zerv02, later posted the following for clarification ...

... it wraps around the driver side.
I'm not surprised, however, American car companies are always ahead when it comes to tech.

Use cadilac escala screens for refrence

[John]

Welcome Manta Ray to our forum! Great forum name you chose. I was just discussing earlier today with a couple of individuals the question, “will GM refer to the 2020 ME Corvette, as the Manta Ray?”

Inquiring minds want to know... Do you have inside information?

[Manta Ray]

Thanks for the welcome. Unfortunately, no inside info, just public info and an educated guess. I remember GM filed a trademark application for MANTA RAY and CORVETTE MANTA RAY back in 2015. The Mako Shark II/Manta Ray has always been one of my favorite Corvette concepts. It may be against the grain, but I'm thinking ZORA or ZERV might just be an internal designation (if at all). While the original was not mid-engined, it would definitely be a cool name for the upcoming car, bringing some more Corvette history along for the ride as well as a connection to the Stingray (both past and present).

http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2015/...tte-manta-ray/

I also seem to recall GM filed a trademark for E-Ray (or some derivation of that) in the recent past. Just a guess, but if they name the base/entry ME "Manta Ray", maybe the rumored hybrid (or maybe even a future undisclosed all-electric version) will be called E-Ray.

Furthermore, (now I'm just thinking out loud) ... if there is a future C8 FE car, perhaps GM will trademark and use "Sting Ray" for the base/entry version (as opposed to the current single word "Stingray" name Chevrolet uses in official marketing), the opposite of how it went from Sting Ray (two words) to Stingray (one word) between the C2 - C3 generations. That subtle name change in the FE's base model name could be used to reflect the "C8" shared (?) platform/technology together between the C8 ME and the C8 FE (assuming all of this is correct): Manta Ray (ME) and Sting Ray (FE) both of the same generation. This is all just speculation, of course.

[meyerweb]

While that row of vertical switch gear on the console may be good for repair costs, having a bunch of similar looking and feeling button in a long row is not good for ease-of use. Makes finding and using the controls by touch nearly impossible, requiring the driver to take his or her eyes off the road for an extended period of time.

Not as bad as Tesla's stupid touch screen, but worse than the current Corvette.

[John]

Great/accurate analysis meyerweb! Guessing that “those buttons” will be texture-wise or otherwise coded differently, that there so no need to take off your eyes from the road or your HUD. They are already having their test track drivers running the IVERS at at least 9/10’s (speeds at which 95% of uswould want out of the car due to our fears), and those drivers would have months ago said, “not good enough” — or if Jim Mero were that driving, his using much saltier language than that, letting them know that that endless row of buttons is just not working.

You have raised an excellent issue Bob. I have confidence that when we customers get to drive the car, it would have been by then solved.

[Fasttoys]

I drove the Mecan Porsche and the center council is crazy. Your eyes leave the road just to know what button to push.

[John]

I got dizzy just looking at that stalk, and I was not even driving. That would be dangerous to drive. Talking about distracted driving. As meyerweb similarly posted above, that would not work in that configuration. Maybe four or six buttons, each with a massively different texture or feel would be fine, but that Mecan center pod is scary to just look at.

Thanks Fasttoys!

[meyerweb]

The fact that a design like that made it out of Porsche tells me that manufacturers don't always make logical decisions. Interior design is about a whole bunch of factors, not just ergonomics and usability. (Just look at the Tesla 3's nearly "all-screen" user interface to see one extreme.) Styling, cost, ease of manufacture, ease of repair all get factored in, and in some cases all of those could be more important to the manufacturer than usability. Even if test drivers are saying the ME's controls are terrible, it doesn't mean GM is going to change it. Especially this late in the process.

[Fasttoys]

The fact that a design like that made it out of Porsche tells me that manufacturers don't always make logical decisions. Interior design is about a whole bunch of factors, not just ergonomics and usability. (Just look at the Tesla 3's nearly "all-screen" user interface to see one extreme.) Styling, cost, ease of manufacture, ease of repair all get factored in, and in some cases all of those could be more important to the manufacturer than usability. Even if test drivers are saying the ME's controls are terrible, it doesn't mean GM is going to change it. Especially this late in the process.

It’s always a battle between design and engineering. I agree as I like having knobs instead of a touch screen. My new Volvo S90 touch screen is ridiculous your eyes have to leave the road just to turn on the A/C. The screen takes to long to turn on and it freezes up if I start it and back up quickly. It’s a work car so it is what it is, I just wonder if they test this before they go to market.