Like most people, you probably use the terms “dashboard” and “instrument panel” interchangeably without giving much thought to where the two words come from. However, their origins are quite interesting and definitely something every auto trimmer should know.
The word “dashboard” was originally used to describe the wooden board carriage makers attached to the front of carriages to prevent mud and rocks from being splashed (or “dashed”) onto drivers and their passengers by the horses that pulled them about. In essence, dashboards served as mud flaps for horses’ hooves.
While the term “dashboard” didn’t work its way into popular English until the 1800’s, the concept of a “dashboard” existed long before then. In fact, Mesopotamian chariots dating as far back as 3,000 BC employed similar guards against mud and rocks.
It wasn’t until the early 1900’s – when carriages became dependent on motors instead of horses – that “dashboards” were repurposed to house vehicle instruments, like speedometers and gas gauges.
Shortly after, the word “carriage” was shortened to “car”; the term “instrument panel” replaced “dashboard”; and windshields were developed to guard drivers and passengers from light debris.
Still, the term “dashboard” never quite disappeared.
Learn something new every day!
Glad you enjoyed it. The etymology of words really fascinates me.
Learned something new today. Very interesting… Thank u!
I refer to the top of the “instrument panel” as the “dash” or the “dashboard”, as in “just put your gloves on the dash”. I seem never to use the term “instrument panel”.
Interesting! Thanks
I don’t think I have ever used the words instrument panel. When I hear them I think of an airplane. I have always used the word dashboard to mean just the top area next to the bottom of the window and protruding several inches towards the driver and/or passenger(s). I’m sure you are correct, but I think I grew up with the usage I have described.
Wow…fascinating how some words came about. Thanks!
i suspected as much but having it as the “puzzler” on the click and clack brothers radio show my curiosity was peaked
Piqued.
The reason I looked this up was due to the lyrics in the song The Surrey with the Fringe on Top (Oaklahoma). Therein part of a lyric is – ‘The dashboard is genuine leather’.
When I was a kid, the storage space in a dashboard was called a ‘dash box’ by regular folks and the ‘glove compartment’ by those more sophisticated. Wonder how many people carry gloves today.
Today you can put anything in it. Candy, guns, condoms…..
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Remember the Meatloaf song, “paradise by the DASHBOARD light??
A ROCK song too!……..lol
Interesting, thank you
I always thought it was because you can dash your head on it if you break too hard ! 😉
But seriously, in a similar way the computer “firewall” got its name from the firewall being the protective bit between the hot engine and the passengers.
I learnt that the word dashboard came from the old Norwegian word daskarbordir – which was a board on the viking ship that protected against sea spray. Anyone else heard that story?