Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing a dashboard computer system for a vehicle. Systems and methods are provided for installing a computer system in a vehicle dashboard. The dashboard or dashtop computer system includes components designed for installation of the system into the vehicle dashboard, such as a wiring harness for connection to the vehicle battery and/or audio speakers. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the dashtop computer system is configured for efficient and intuitive operation, such as by providing gesture-based commands to the computer system, and/or enabling the computer system to be disconnected from the vehicle battery and connected to an external device, such as a laptop computer, for software updates or data transfer. In an embodiment, the dashtop computer system utilizes a tablet computer, including a thin design, a touchscreen, and an internal battery.