I think speed in cars is a bit of an outlier, as generally people are driving at (or above) the speed limit, and knowing precisely how fast you’re going is usef

I think speed in cars is a bit of an outlier, as generally people are driving at (or above) the speed limit, and knowing precisely how fast you’re going is useful to that end. Additionally, since speed limits usually end in 0 or 5, you don’t really have to parse the number as a number per se (as in, I don’t have to do a gt/lt check), you only have to recognize some shapes. One area (other than jets, as a sibling comment mentioned) where the careful blend of meters and numbers has been used to great effect is on military submarines. I’ve stood watch as a nuclear reactor operator on both ancient tech with full analog gauges, as well as full digital, LCDs only, with a blend of data presentation. I can tell you with absolute certainty that having metrics in graph form is far easier to instantly grasp with a quick scan across panels. At the same time, the values are displayed next to it should you need or want that info. But for steady-state info? All pointers in the green area means everything is copacetic.