Atom 4 AIM dash reconfiguration (Survey on page 4)

[Anon]

For me its just such a BAD use of the available space, and looks bland.

The rev counter is just 2 small digits with a useless circle around them that occupies a small part of the centre of the dash. The same goes for the speed, far too small with the circle again. Just getting rid of the 2 circles and having the 2 much larger digital readouts would be a start!
...

Peter, I noticed you don't have a gear selector indicator - assuming that is a picture of your dash? Or could of been a stock picture of a prototype, but they were branded with AIM if memory serves correct.

[Anon]

Right, nerd alert...

The thing about rotary dials is that in general the 0 and max are usually directly opposed. So they either start and finish at 8 o'clock and 4 o'clock, or 7 and 5.

The point being is that it is easier for the brain to interpret a dial position when the start and finish are in line.

With the start being 6 o'clock and finish at 3 o'clock, it takes 'training' for the brain to quickly work out what a rev counter at 12 o'clock actually means. Spoiler: you'd assume 12 meant half way...

And to think I get paid for this kind of nonsense...

I love nerd discussions, but I think you are bang on here. It is hard to interpret the donuts and what they mean for reasons you just explained, they are not inline, also the numbers. They may sound weird or strange but numbers also require you to think. If I had a linear rev counter with a red marker - I don't need to think I just look at it.

[Peter255]

Peter, I noticed you don't have a gear selector indicator - assuming that is a picture of your dash? Or could of been a stock picture of a prototype, but they were branded with AIM if memory serves correct.

Simon,

Interesting...

Thats my dash. The car looks to have been ignition on but engine off, if that makes a difference. Can you share a pic of yours to compare?

Cheers
Peter

[Anon]

I just checked Peter, it seems if the engine if off it does not show the gear selector, only with the engine on. I had never noticed this before.

Here is a picture of mine with only the ignition on, so same as yours.

dash.png (943.47 KiB) Viewed 388 times

[Peter255]

[mention]simonrhart[/mention]

Thanks

[Karl V]

What does the 2nd dash layout look like? I've only ever seen pictures of the 'standard' dash layout.

[SteveC]

What's the general consensus with regards to moving this forwards?

I think we will need far more representation if Ariel are going to take our suggestions with any credibility and ultimately make any changes...

I am a new customer so any changes would impact my build and seeing the better configuration/layout options that everyone has suggested it would certainly benefit me...

[Anon]

What does the 2nd dash layout look like? I've only ever seen pictures of the 'standard' dash layout.

[mention]Karl V[/mention], the picture I just posted is of the second dash - it looks almost identical to the road dash but with a couple of differences. Notice (if you look carefully) there are 3 additional parameters - best lap, last lap and the delta for the last lap). This is huge though when on track. The gear selector becomes much bigger in the centre of the dash and the donuts become a little smaller if I recall correctly.

I am starting to feel like I have an unhealthy level of knowledge of these cars... </need-to-get-out-more>

[Peter255]

We need some more owners in here to get some weight behind the idea, and then discuss with Ariel, or just ask them outright why its locked (and if we can unlock it). In the end its our cars and we can do what we want to them, it just impacts how Ariel will support them afterwards. I would like to think that Ariel would still support the rest of the car as normal irrespective of what i had done to my dash. It would be patently unfair to not help with other issues un-related to the dash. Although obviously i wouldn't expect them to support a different dash config, beyond maybe at my cost re-flashing it back to stock as a last resort if i bricked it!

I don't understand the risk to Ariel of all of this. I guess they are just trying to protect their IP.

I think the ideal would be another mode selectable on the dash. We already have normal and track as shown, can we have another to play with unlocked or opened up? Then the stock stuff is un-affected and those users who want can add what they want how they want to the other bespoke view.

[mention]simonrhart[/mention]
Looks like you have more info on this. Do you know if we can have more layouts saved without impacting the stock dash setups? And is this only if its all unlocked? Hence the reliance on Ariel..

[Anon]

We need some more owners in here to get some weight behind the idea, and then discuss with Ariel, or just ask them outright why its locked (and if we can unlock it). In the end its our cars and we can do what we want to them, it just impacts how Ariel will support them afterwards. I would like to think that Ariel would still support the rest of the car as normal irrespective of what i had done to my dash. It would be patently unfair to not help with other issues un-related to the dash. Although obviously i wouldn't expect them to support a different dash config, beyond maybe at my cost re-flashing it back to stock as a last resort if i bricked it!

I don't understand the risk to Ariel of all of this. I guess they are just trying to protect their IP.

I think the ideal would be another mode selectable on the dash. We already have normal and track as shown, can we have another to play with unlocked or opened up? Then the stock stuff is un-affected and those users who want can add what they want how they want to the other bespoke view.

@simonrhart
Looks like you have more info on this. Do you know if we can have more layouts saved without impacting the stock dash setups? And is this only if its all unlocked? Hence the reliance on Ariel..

Agreed, the more people step forward the better for Ariel and owners.

I don't know if Ariel built their own firmware, this needs to be confirmed. I would be highly surprised if they did this.

AIM dashes all work based on a simple .zconfig file. This file has all the configuration in it i.e. CAN, ECU and even math calculation channels i.e. you could add the oil temp to the water temp and display that - stupid example but this feature is quite powerful. If Ariel supplied us with the zconfig file or more importantly, if the dash was unlocked we could download this config ourselves, back it up then normally what you do is you add another dash to the existing config without changing any of the channels and just make simple display changes i.e. bigger and different looking rev counter, add the oil temp etc. If you are feeling adventurous you could create new parameters based on additional sensors as well as calculations, perhaps sensors you add to the car - it is relatively easy. Ariel do it with the brake overlay smarty CAM actually. But, if you screwed it up, no big deal you just push or restore the backed up zconfig back to your dash and away you go.

Ariel will have the unlock key - I suspect it's the same key for all units. I would have a go at trying to understand how it's been locked and reverse engineer it but there is no guarantee I will be able to get this to work, and this makes no sense either. I would need to dissemble the dash from my car, which means disconnecting all the wiring looms etc something I would rather avoid. An alternative is to just buy a new mxsl unit non-oem which seems a bit silly because we have paid for these dashes in our cars.

[speedmachine]

And your mileage would be altered when buying an alternative dash, so with resell this is/seems shady.

[Anon]

To move this forward I am happy to contact Ariel and see what can be done but with as many owners as possible on CC. Then we can see what is possible. If there is a cost to do it then we can discuss between all of us. If interested, please PM me your email address and I can add you to it. The more the better and this will make the car better for everyone.

[Peter255]

[mention]phil4[/mention]

Can we get a list of club members with 4's to drop them all an email?

[phil4]

@phil4

Can we get a list of club members with 4's to drop them all an email?

Hi Pete, while have a list of club members, I don't believe we have a list of which vehicles they have. I think it'd be a case of trawling threads... here's my quick attempt:

[mention]wasp[/mention]
[mention]SvenTheHammer[/mention]
[mention]Tompy[/mention]
[mention]44 TOY[/mention]
[mention]markwetherall[/mention]
[mention]kelvin12382003[/mention]

There's a lot more ordered, but without seeing "I collected my car" type posts, and with the shutdown during Covid, the above is all I really know for certain.

[Peter255]

Thanks Phil