Rearranging Icons on the Digital Instrument Cluster Display - the Speed Limit Reader Is Off in a Corner!

[Jim Lewis]

I'm not very far into learning everything there is to know about my truck. But a simple thing I especially like is the Speed Limit Reader. I've read the posts that say the feature used automatically with Blue Cruise can be a PITA, and lots of folks turn off automatic speed adjustment by the Reader. However, driving around in San Antonio and Austin over the years, I've found lots of places where the speed limit suddenly changes, and I've missed the sign. So, being able to see on the dash the last limit read is GREAT, IMHO. My only complaint is the display is tucked down in the lower right of the instrument cluster display and is very hard to see without rubbernecking a bit and perhaps taking my eyes off the road more than I should.

@FMC, it would be great if Ford allowed the repositioning of some non-critical information, like the Speed Limit display within the instrument cluster. I can appreciate that the important things like actual speed, battery charge, and battery temperature probably need to be in fixed places so when you take your car into the dealer for service, the service tech doesn't need to figure out where everything went on your cluster display (although Ford could provide a memory function as they do for seat position and one dash memory snapshot could always be reserved for Ford dealers so techs always see a standard display). I'd like to be able to move the Speed Limit display up under or over my actual speed so I can see both in a single glance. It would be nice if the speed limit or actual speed could change color when there is a significant difference (user adjustable) between the two.

The sort of thing I'm thinking of with customized instrument cluster displays might be akin to Apple Watch faces, where the basics of each watch face are standard and fixed. Still, there are several positions on ~any Apple Watch face where you can insert complications (widgets), and the complications displayed at any insertion point can be customized by the user. Maybe there are D.O.T. rules or state regs as to what's allowed to be displayed on an instrument cluster constraining user customization?

I haven't learned whether I can ask the truck what the speed limit is. I'll check that out the next time I'm in it. But my conundrum might also be solved if I could just ask the voice assistant what the speed limit is or tell it to announce any speed limit changes to me or tell me when I'm more than five mph over or under the current speed limit.

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[Henry Ford]

While I think a configurable instrument display is a really good idea, I also think you'll get used to it the more you use it and the speed limit will become a natural part of your scan. I find the feature very helpful for all the reasons you mention and don't seem to have the difficulty seeing it that you do. You might consider exploring other seat/wheel/pedal positions to optimize outside and instrument view.

 

[ivan256]

I have found the speed limit reader to be unreliable.

There are a variety of speed limit signs around here, and the software cannot distinguish.

If you're in a 35 and you drive by a sign that says "School Zone: Speed Limit 20 while lights are flashing" and the lights aren't flashing... It'll tell you the speed limit is 20.

If you're in a posted 45 zone and you drive by a sign that says "Town Wide Speed Limit 25 Except where posted" it'll say the speed limit is 25.

If you drive by a sign that has reduced speed limits at particular times of day, it tells you that's the speed limit regardless.

If you drive by a reduced speed limit sign at the start of a construction zone, and then past one of the regular speed limit signs, it'll tell you that the speed limit is the higher regular limit.

IMO you can't ever trust it.

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