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Inside (r)evolution – enhancing the driver experience

20 July 2010

Take a peek inside the cab of a Scania truck from the 1950s and you realise how much the driver experience has developed. Over the following pages Hanna Johansson, Scania’s head of vehicle ergonomics, takes us through the dashboard revolution, decade by decade.

Text: Rob Hincks Photo: Dan Boman, Stefan Almers, Sören Flodqvist, Scania archive

1950s
“Beautiful but not very practical. The dash is mainly of a bright metal, which looks nice, but would have created quite a glare in sunny conditions. The dials are ringed with chrome; that’s a classic touch, and something we use for inspiration today. And the steering wheel, although not comfortable for long journeys, is beautiful. The instrument panel is vertical, like today’s trucks.”

1960s
“A major change here is the flat wheel and instrument panel. But like in the 1950s, the buttons are small and unmarked, so you had to learn what they did, not rely on the symbols we use today. The seat has no suspension, and the steering column is non-adjustable, so long journeys would have been uncomfortable.”

1970s
“longer and longer journeys meant that you can see the beginning of the driver comforts that we see today. The dash makes use of soft, black plastics for more of a luxury feel and some impact protection. The buttons are larger and use symbols to indicate their function. Centre consoles start making an appearance. These are great for storage for the driver, but not so good for allowing movement around the cab.”

1980s
“We are really seeing big changes here, especially with the introduction of the 3-series; that was when we first introduced the Scania sweep, the curved dashboard that we are famous for. There is a lot more luxury, too, with more supportive seats, adjustable steering column and lots more soft plastics.”

1990s
“Like the ’80s, the sweeping, more vertical dash remains, making it easier and more comfortable to access the ever-growing range of function buttons. The dash and instruments are very clearly laid out and easily navigable. The centre console is still there, though, making backward and sideward movement difficult.”

Today
“This is the ultimate in luxury and comfort. There’s lots of textile and soft-touch plastic which makes for a pleasant driving environment. The sweeping dashboard keeps everything in range, and there are even two small horizontal ledges to guide and steady your hand when you reach around the dash. Everything is clearly marked and many important functions are actually built into the steering wheel. The seats are like armchairs, with optimal adjustment, air suspension and integrated seatbelts for added comfort.”

The Future
Looking into the future is always difficult, but when Hanna Johansson thinks of tomorrow’s truck dashboards, one word comes to mind: infotainment.

“We will be seeing more and more functions in the truck cab and obviously rapidly increasing technology,” she says. “I think this will be the central focus for the driver environment in the future. We can’t keep adding buttons, so more functions will be focused in a screen-based format.

“There will always be the need for the main functions to be permanently accessible. Some functions you need so often, you will always need buttons for them. But for secondary functions I think we will see systems that give the driver the right info at the right time, then store it away again.”

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