An automobile instrument panel has a meter housing for supporting meters and various control switches. The switches are operatively coupled to respective manipulatable switch knobs which are grouped into two groups and mounted on the opposite lateral portion of the gauge covering. Each group of the switch knobs are arranged one above the other in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the instrument panel and are supported for movement in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the steering wheel for controlling the associated switches.