Which manufacturer temporarily removed digital speedometers after customer complaints about peripheral movement?
Answer
Mazda with their 626/Telstar models
While digital instrumentation eventually became nearly ubiquitous, early adoption faced pushback related to visual distraction. Mazda experimented with digital speedometers in models such as the 626 and Telstar, but they encountered a specific driver concern. Customers complained about the visual effect of the constantly moving digital numbers in their peripheral vision being distracting while driving. In response to this negative feedback, Mazda temporarily took the step of removing the digital speedometers from these models. This historical episode illustrates an early point where driver tolerance for dynamic digital readouts was low, contrasting with the modern acceptance of such displays.
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