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European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

arstechnica.com

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Re: European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

#541

Post by spicybbq »

modeless wrote: post #305
ClikeX wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Volume control is a very commonly used feature in cars. That should definitely should be a physical button. I drive a Lynk & Co (reskinned Volvo XC40) and it has a rotary knob on the center terminal for fan speed, temperature, and volume. Which are all within reach without me having to look or lean over. There's also a volume button on the steering wheel next to my thumb, which is great. The only annoying part is tha…

Is there a car without a physical volume control? Teslas have it on the steering wheel. What really kills me is my wife's Civic has no pause button at all, physical or otherwise. And it autoplays media on your phone when you get in. Don't want your phone to play whatever random YouTube video you happened to click on hours ago? Gotta pick up your phone to pause it there. And this doesn't happen right away, oh no, it t…

We have a newer Mazda, and I thought it had the same issue, but the mute button causes Carplay to pause the audio.

Re: European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

#542

Post by guappa »

NovemberWhiskey wrote: post #527
iforgotpassword wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But even then, how do you find the A/C or volume control on a touch screen without taking your eyes off the road, without accidentally touching something else? You just can't feel your way to the volume knob. Sure, you are a responsible driver and would only do that at a traffic light or other completely safe situation, but I don't know how many accidents touch controls in cars already caused with less responsible dr…

My car has no physical climate controls etc. I just use the voice controls. “Hey Google, set the driver’s side heated seat to one” “Hey Google, turn off the steering wheel heater”

Judging from how google subtitles my videos on youtube, this would look like a comic gag for most people.

Re: European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

#543

Post by amluto »

dkjaudyeqooe wrote: post #428
dotancohen wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The opposite is true. Those old AMCs without power steering were just as easy to steer on the highway as any other car (once you managed to get up to speed) but the parking lot was a chore and parallel parking was neigh impossible.

I guess I got the wording wrong because that's exactly what I meant.

The most dangerous situation I encountered was turning left across traffic from a stop.

Re: European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

#544

Post by itishappy »

throwaway82063 wrote: post #451
oblio wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And in that situation it probably was easy to use because most likely you REALLY needed it, which these laws are trying to make sure happens: it's easily accessible.

I disagree, whenever in the past I needed to use the honk, I've failed to do so because it's hard to press and requires you to take one hand off the wheel, which is the last of your instincts when you panicking, or both if you are juggling your gearstick.

Your instincts suck. Sorry to be blunt. It's similar to correcting a slide: your brain won't do it automatically, but it's worth learning because it's a safety feature.

If somebody enters your lane at speed, the safest thing to do is to let them know you're there. Swerving or breaking in response multiplies the problem, as now there are two cars driving erratically. The horn won't always resolve everything, but it's by far the most effective way to get somebody's attention in a hurry.

Re: European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

#545

Post by Toutouxc »

vel0city wrote: post #464
iforgotpassword wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But even then, how do you find the A/C or volume control on a touch screen without taking your eyes off the road, without accidentally touching something else? You just can't feel your way to the volume knob. Sure, you are a responsible driver and would only do that at a traffic light or other completely safe situation, but I don't know how many accidents touch controls in cars already caused with less responsible dr…

I don't change the AC while I'm in motion. All my cars have auto AC so I rarely touch them even as the temperature changes outside. I probably adjust the AC a handful of times a year. I'd rather not waste a lot of dashboard space on buttons that practically never get pressed, I'd rather have my map be even bigger and easier to quickly glance at and have more space to browse my media collection while stopped. I don't…

> I don't understand how so many people have come across cars with seemingly terrible auto AC systems.

> Whenever I rent a car it's always infuriating having to constantly muck with the AC system.

Am I missing something or do these not make sense together?

Re: European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

#546

Post by papichulo4 »

Silasdev wrote: post #529
kevincox wrote: post #405

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The machine was rather difficult to operate. For years radios had been operated by means of pressing buttons and turning dials; then as the technology became more sophisticated the controls were made touch-sensitive--you merely had to brush the panels with your fingers; now all you had to do was wave your hand in the general direction of the components and hope. It saved a lot of muscular expenditure, of course, bu…

Did Douglas Adams travel in time.... this is scarily accurate!!! My BMW keeps turning off the volume if I wave at anything in the direction of the touchscreen. There is a little infrared camera near the roof that can sense hand-gestures and turn volume up or down ... and lots of other things. Douglas Adams so spot on I want to cry!

Um, hello friend. Turn gesture controls off. It's in the settings.

Re: European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

#548

Post by quitit »

It is mind-boggling that we are at this point.

I understand that reducing buttons has a cost-saving and reliability benefit, but it's unfathomable that core and frequently used controls are reduced to touch screens while emphatically stating that a driver must not be distracted by the screen while driving. I've lost all trust in car manufacturers that do this, it's not just wrong, it's obviously dangerous.

Re: European crash tester says carmakers must bring back physical controls

#549

Post by jolmg »

quitit wrote: post #548

It is mind-boggling that we are at this point. I understand that reducing buttons has a cost-saving and reliability benefit, but it's unfathomable that core and frequently used controls are reduced to touch screens while emphatically stating that a driver must not be distracted by the screen while driving. I've lost all trust in car manufacturers that do this, it's not just wrong, it's obviously dangerous.

Reliability benefit?
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