How did the term Dashboard of a car come about ?

Question

How did the term Dashboard of a car come about ?

Answer 1

The term first appeared around 1846 and referred to a leather apron or wooden board mounted at the front (and sometimes along the sides) of a horse-drawn carriage, designed to prevent mud or water being splashed into the interior of the vehicle by the horses' hooves. "Dash" in this sense reflects the basic meaning of the verb "to dash," namely "to throw sharply against something; to break upon," as well as the derivative meaning of (as the Oxford English Dictionary puts it) "to bespatter or splash (a thing) with anything (e.g., water or mud)." This what-a-mess meaning of "dash" dates back to around 1530, and the hyphenated term "dash-board" first showed up around 1846. The word "dash" itself is probably of Scandinavian origin.

Answer 2

I know it goes back to the horse & Cart days, but can't remember the exact reason.

Answer 3

Originally, a dashboard was the upturned screen of wood or leather placed on the front of a horse-drawn carriage, sleigh or other vehicle that protected the driver from mud, debris, water and snow thrown up by the horse's hooves. In short, a panel across the vehicle in front of the driver & occupants, which effectively is what the modern dashboard is, though it now carries instruments & controls etc.