Automotive instruments — odometer function What quantity does a vehicle’s odometer measure and display to the driver?

Introduction / Context:
Vehicles include multiple instruments: speedometer, odometer, trip meter, tachometer, and fuel economy readouts. Understanding each avoids confusion during maintenance scheduling and resale valuation.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The odometer accumulates total distance traveled over the vehicle’s life.
• Signal source may be a wheel speed sensor, transmission output sensor, or instrument cluster integration.
• Separate trip meters (A/B) can be reset; the main odometer cannot legally be reset.

Concept / Approach:
The odometer integrates vehicle speed over time to compute distance (distance = speed * time). It displays cumulative distance, typically in kilometres or miles. This is distinct from instantaneous speed (speedometer) or engine rotational speed (tachometer).

Step-by-Step Solution:
Sensor produces pulses proportional to wheel or shaft rotation.Electronic control counts pulses and converts to distance using tyre circumference and gearing.Display increments total distance on the odometer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare GPS-measured trip distance against the odometer; minor differences arise from tyre size and calibration.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Power is not measured by dashboard instruments directly.

Fuel consumption may be shown on trip computers, not the odometer.

Engine r.p.m. is shown by the tachometer.

Vehicle speed is shown by the speedometer, not the odometer.

Common Pitfalls:
Changing tyre sizes alters effective calibration; odometer tampering is illegal in most jurisdictions. Use trip meters for service intervals if recommended.

Final Answer:
distance