It seems that with the right components and programming it would be possible to have sensor input from the motor translated into digital information for display on the navigation screen. The information could be in terms of numbers, a graphic depiction of an analog guage, or something appropriately "Jetsons" to match the rest of the interior.

All of the other options that have been explored are have their merits:

A. The cup holders are an attractive alternative gauge location (since they won't hold my Venti mocha anyway)
B. Who needs four dashboard air outlets anyway?
C. The OEM auxilliary gauge panel makes a bold statement by not matching any of the other OEM parts

I just can't help but think that the nav screen is a blank canvas begging for some nerd genius to create just his/her digial masterpiece.

Is anyone working on something like this? You could set it up to display all of the screen data, or in split screen with th navigation system, or flash through each of the motor status gauges in rotation. Maybe underwrite the R & D by selling pop-up ads for NAM sponsor sites.

A world of possibilities.

K. F. Duke

 

There's a company Nav-TV in NY that offers conversion kit, allowing the nav screen to display other video input sources like DVD, TV, reverse camera, computer, etc... So displaying gauge info is possible via a computer with a proper software.

Here's the link to their website!

A sample screen on the MINI Nav screen

 

Someone makes a kit that replaces the middle two vents next to the screen for guages.