[insightfully]

Yes, and why would you not provide MPH in the United States and only KPH?

I think it's the way Honda intended to address "cross border" mileage conversion reading for those of us that drive to Canada, rather than including KPH on the speedometer. They probably didn't take into consideration that the digital indicator would be helpful for more than just short term conversion.

 

[PacketPaul]

The world in integrated now, and virtual every country you want to buy or sell in uses metric.
The longer you hold onto the old system, the less advantage you have in world markets.

What you are failing to realize the US IS the world market. And the US is one of the least integrated exporting countries in the world with about 8% of our GDP being exports. And most of those exports are to NAFTA countries. The bottom line is if every other country in the world stopped receiving imports, the US would barely notice. Compare that to Germany with 50% of their economy depending on exports . A reduction in exports would cause the country to fall into a deep depression. And guess what country guarantees the open and free shipment of trade across the world … the US. The idea not using the metric system is somehow hurting us in the world market is laughable. I highly recommend you read the book "The Accidental Superpower" and the "Absent Superpower". Or find a YouTube lecture by the author Peter Zeihan. It is absolutely fascinating.

I still remember doing my degree in the US, and in things like physics exams I would just walk up to the instructor and say I need to know how many feet are in a mile, which he would provide. Metric just makes sense, especially for technology/science.

There are two types of countries in this world. Those that use the Metric system and those that landed a man on the moon.
\

 

[Wasabi]

Hello,

New member here looking to pickup a 2019 Insight Touring soon. Has this issue been resolved?

Thanks.

 

[insightfully]

New member here looking to pickup a 2019 Insight Touring soon. Has this issue been resolved?

No changes to digital speedometer availability as of yet. US still reads KPH and Canada reads in MPH.

Personally, I don't think Honda will change this. I think this is the tool Honda offers for translating speed when traveling across US/CN border, since dual speed markers aren't on the circular speedometer default (as on older cars).

 

[Mobilcams]

We can only hope that they will update this and other little things.. I wouldn't hold my breath though - Honda is not a computer or cell phone manufacturer and will not invest a lot of money unless it has something to do with safety and compliance.

 

[gremal]

I was at my dealer and asked about the digital speed only showing in kph. He attempted to set it to mph with no success. When I got home I researched it on an Accord owner forum. I thought they might have the same issue and sure enough it’s been discussed plenty over there. The conclusion there is that it’s the way it’s designed to work. If you’re in Canada it’s the exact opposite issue. Only shows in mpg! I sent an email off to Honda to ask if they ever plan to ‘fix’ it for us.

That is just wrong. My only complaint about the dash display is the lack of visibility for the Insight's speed. It seems Honda became so enamored with the tech, e.g., scanning speed limit signs on the side of the road, that they forgot the most fundamental purpose of the dashboard: to show the driver his/her speed. The fact that mph can be displayed only in Canada and kph only in US is like a bad joke. If Honda fixes this in a software update, I'll be a happy camper.

 

[insightfully]

That is just wrong. My only complaint about the dash display is the lack of visibility for the Insight's speed. It seems Honda became so enamored with the tech, e.g., scanning speed limit signs on the side of the road, that they forgot the most fundamental purpose of the dashboard: to show the driver his/her speed. The fact that mph can be displayed only in Canada and kph only in US is like a bad joke. If Honda fixes this in a software update, I'll be a happy camper.

I guess my expectations were MUCH lower, coming from an older Honda that ONLY provided the round speedometer indicator (no digital numbers). The Insight's round speedometer has been an easy transition for me because it looks/feels very similar to my older Hondas. But OTOH, this also explains why the speedometer feels like an antiquated throwback for everyone else used to using more modern/digital features.

 

[gremal]

I guess my expectations were MUCH lower, coming from an older Honda that ONLY provided the round speedometer indicator (no digital numbers). The Insight's round speedometer has been an easy transition for me because it looks/feels very similar to my older Hondas. But OTOH, this also explains why the speedometer feels like an antiquated throwback for everyone else used to using more modern/digital features.

I am coming from an '06 Civic, which displayed the speed in a manner such that the average glaucoma patient with macular degeneration could easily see it.

 

[andrew28]

I am coming from an '06 Civic, which displayed the speed in a manner such that the average glaucoma patient with macular degeneration could easily see it.

I loved my 8th gen civic with that digital speedometer. It was the main reason I chose the car at the time when I bought it. Driving my Insight, most of the time I don't really know how fast I'm going, and only glance at the speedometer sometimes if I'm not following another car.

 

[gremal]

I loved my 8th gen civic with that digital speedometer. It was the main reason I chose the car at the time when I bought it. Driving my Insight, most of the time I don't really know how fast I'm going, and only glance at the speedometer sometimes if I'm not following another car.

Agreed, the digital speedometer was very useful in the previous Civic, and you effortlessly knew how fast you were going. The car also had a very tall, sloped windshield and extended dash (more like a table) that made it feel so roomy. The negatives were a very wide A-beam and odd-looking shape, but I liked it.

I struggle to know how fast I'm going in the Insight. The most visible numbers are the setting of the cruise control and the speed limit, but those don't tell you the car's actual speed. For that you need to guesstimate it by looking at the speedometer needle, and my eye rarely goes there.

I wonder if Honda could display a digital speedometer instead of the speed limit indicator. I think it's great that the car can use computer vision to understand the posted speed limit, but it's not particularly useful or informative to constantly display it IMO. Honda kind of put the cart before the horse on the dashboard.

 

[insightfully]

I wonder if Honda could display a digital speedometer instead of the speed limit indicator. I think it's great that the car can use computer vision to understand the posted speed limit, but it's not particularly useful or informative to constantly display it IMO. Honda kind of put the cart before the horse on the dashboard.

A head-up digital display on the windshield would be nice to have. Between the 18/19 Civic and Accord, only the Accord Touring had the head-up display, and I didn't think it was worth upgrading that far on the Honda tiers for the feature.

While better visual indicators should be provided for current drivers, my (out-there) guess is that Honda will integrate the speed limit sign reader with autonomous driving in the near-future, to the extent that drivers won't control or have to know/see the speed at every moment.

BTW - view from a 90s Civic is attached. (Not my car, but very similar.) I still have/drive it, and perhaps you can see why the speedometer was an 'easy' user transition to the Insight's. I do still miss the tachometer though...

 

[gremal]

A head-up digital display on the windshield would be nice to have. Between the 18/19 Civic and Accord, only the Accord Touring had the head-up display, and I didn't think it was worth upgrading that far on the Honda tiers for the feature.

I'm of the opinion that displays should not break the plane of the dash to appear in your actual view out the windshield. We are then heading into AR territory, and may as well be wearing a pair of AR glasses--Apple is rumored to be launching theirs next year.

While better visual indicators should be provided for current drivers, my (out-there) guess is that Honda will integrate the speed limit sign reader with autonomous driving in the near-future, to the extent that drivers won't control or have to know/see the speed at every moment.

This integration would be very welcome, but is the Insight capable of autonomous driving with additional software updates? I would guess not. I agree that Honda's intent is for the computer vision of the speed limit signs and the car's AI data about traffic speed can be integrated into a seamless driverless (or heavily assistive of the driver) experience but there are many regulatory hurdles before Honda can actually roll this out and market such technology.

BTW - view from a 90s Civic is attached. (Not my car, but very similar.) I still have/drive it, and perhaps you can see why the speedometer was an 'easy' user transition to the Insight's. I do still miss the tachometer though..

Yes, a much easier transition from your Civic.

 

[Verdier]

"While better visual indicators should be provided for current drivers, my (out-there) guess is that Honda will integrate the speed limit sign reader with autonomous driving in the near-future, to the extent that drivers won't control or have to know/see the speed at every moment."


God I hope not. Considering my car reads route 100 signs as speed limit signs all the time, the car would probably kill me.

 

[808_Insight]

No Digital Speedometer

It really would be nice to have a digital speedo right in the middle of the instrument panel. It sure would round out the digital aspect vs. the needle speedo.

 

[vinylrobot]

I have been using a digital speed ODBII HUD kit, the one I got is not stable, but it's nice when it works. It was $11, I might try some other ones.

 

[vinylrobot]

 

[insightfully]

@vinylrobot - at first I thought this post was in follow-up to autonomous cars/driving, given the mess of traffic and street blockage in front of you. But then I saw the faint glow of speedometer reading as a heads-up display.

Was wondering - Is your OBDII HUD kit able to show other measures, in addition to speed? Is the projection unit battery operated and/or wireless (don't see any wires)? Also per your post in separate thread, what do you see and/or what happens when it's "not stable"? Is it just the display that's affected, or the actual OBD reading?

 

[Verdier]

I have been using a digital speed ODBII HUD kit, the one I got is not stable, but it's nice when it works. It was $11, I might try some other ones.

I haven't seen any so far that aren't either very unstable or just plain gaudy in what they display.

 

[gremal]

I haven't seen any so far that aren't either very unstable or just plain gaudy in what they display.

We'll have to wait for Apple's augmented reality glasses. :nerd:

 

[elvin]

Joining this thread belatedly as both my wife and I have recently discussed the usefulness of our 8th Civic digital speedometer, being in the top tier dash bump, functioned like a HUD to focus key info to the driver (with less critical fuel level and engine temp too).

I know that there are fans and haters of the 8th/9th Civic two tier display, so I was curious to see what eventually the 10th settled on. The attached photo does seem show that the 10th kept key info in the center at the top with a digital speedometer. The analog in the Insight just seems to be so much wasted space (shifting the driver focus to the left side, and squeezing ACC info in the middle). Wish they could have adapted the Civic display to better center driver attention.

Now I have to catch up on seeing for myself the frustration about getting a digital speedometer display in MPH.

[This thread also hit nostalgia with a 5th Civic dashboard, but my love for my '94 and its dash was more about how I could take it apart and put in Alpine stereo with iOS device integration.]