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Thu Jan 23, 2025 5:42 pm

Story about the touchscreen ruining driving, and putting lives at risk, one more reason to drive classic cars...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/features/touchscreen-dashboards-have-taken-over/

What you all think?
Me, I think they is a big safety hazard.

Thu Jan 23, 2025 7:23 pm

it's been in the works for a while, to go back to knobs and buttons

https://www.popsci.com/technology/car-buttons/#:~:...e%20trend.

Personally, I think it's evil. As some may know, I have been working on Volvos for too long. The Sensus cars (anything with a touch screen) are so clunky to use it's dangerous...

it's a swipe side to side then swipe up and down to get anywhere, like fan speed, temp, radio etc. Yes, let's fuck with this doing 85 down the highway....

I hope it goes back to knobs and switches. Muscle memory is a hell of a thing, and you can do this without taking your eyes off the road

Thu Jan 23, 2025 8:03 pm

I have a 2018 Subaru Impreza and a 2018 Subaru Legacy.

The HVAC controls on the Impreza are 3 rotary nobs with a switch in the middle of each. There's a control that sets which vents and the middle is the rear defrost. The middle is the fan speed and the middle is the recirculate and the last is the temp and the middle is the AC.

The HVAC on the Legacy are knobs to se the temp, but everything else is a push button with multiple modes.

I never have to take my eyes off the road on the Impreza, but the Legacy requires me to look at the buttons and the display so it's NOT safe.

I can't imagine using a touch screen.

Thu Jan 23, 2025 8:53 pm

I miss my old 08 Lexus. All knobs and cassette player, compact disc AM FM satellite radio and Bluetooth. Now same model 2019 heads up displays with some voice activated but to really get into requires you stop to program. I like analog gauges over digital this one has both. Maybe it’s trending towards all voice controls. About once a week I drive AC VW to keep things in perspective.

Fri Jan 24, 2025 12:56 am

Pffftt. All these modern conveniences.

My HVAC controls in the Beetle are superb.

Pull up one lever and burn your foot with the excess heat then bend down and adjust the slide. Too hot, use the axially adjustable vent window to pull in fresh air. The only screen touching I have to do is with a spare rag to wipe the inside of the fogged up windscreen.

Seriously though. For us dopes who drive on the LHS with RHD modern cars and who tend to be right handed, have you ever tried to type in an address with your left digits into a GPS? Same as swiping one of these screens with your left hand. Not easy. I guess it’s he same as the left dominant handed people driving LHD cars.

If they made roads super smooth then I can see how convenient touch screens can be but some of us drive on goat tracks. I have enough problems as a passenger typing this iPhone when it gets a bit bumpy.

Hold on here’s a rough patch coming.

Aby wayyu thrrts aklo I hace top sat.

Fri Jan 24, 2025 5:56 am

viiking wrote: Pffftt. All these modern conveniences.

My HVAC controls in the Beetle are superb.

Pull up one lever and burn your foot with the excess heat then bend down and adjust the slide. Too hot, use the axially adjustable vent window to pull in fresh air. The only screen touching I have to do is with a spare rag to wipe the inside of the fogged up windscreen.

Seriously though. For us dopes who drive on the LHS with RHD modern cars and who tend to be right handed, have you ever tried to type in an address with your left digits into a GPS? Same as swiping one of these screens with your left hand. Not easy. I guess it’s he same as the left dominant handed people driving LHD cars.

If they made roads super smooth then I can see how convenient touch screens can be but some of us drive on goat tracks. I have enough problems as a passenger typing this iPhone when it gets a bit bumpy.

Hold on here’s a rough patch coming.

Aby wayyu thrrts aklo I hace top sat.
There is a clever device on the market that overcomes this problem. It is made of paper and often conveniently folds up into a small package when not in use.
The only problem I have with it is that my navigator ( wife ) has never
really understood how the thing works. :cry:

Fri Jan 24, 2025 6:30 am

viiking wrote:
have you ever tried to type in an address with your left digits into a GPS? Same as swiping one of these screens with your left hand. Not easy.

I just use the voice control. Most cars with touch screens have voice options. Much safer. Unless you're Glaswegian. https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/double-dutch-fergie-style/25963796.html

I find some aspects of the touch screen are good (like pinch-zoom on the satnav maps), but for most things I prefer to use buttons or dials. With modern cars being so configurable though, it's no surprise that manufacturers have embraced touch screens that can cover all the functions. The problem is that they've not realised there's a place for tactile/mechanical and touch screen controls.

I blame Tesla.

Fri Jan 24, 2025 7:15 am

iowegian wrote: There is a clever device on the market that overcomes this problem. It is made of paper and often conveniently folds up into a small package when not in use.
I use those clever paper devices as I don't have smart phone or GPS. Of course Mrs. Cusser can never fold it correctly after I look at it.

Fri Jan 24, 2025 9:31 am

When I was in Peru, we were in a Chinese made van that was playing music videos on the touchscreen. I’m sure you could watch anything on the screen.

Fri Jan 24, 2025 10:28 am

viiking wrote: Pffftt. All these modern conveniences.

My HVAC controls in the Beetle are superb.

Pull up one lever and burn your foot with the excess heat then bend down and adjust the slide. Too hot, use the axially adjustable vent window to pull in fresh air. The only screen touching I have to do is with a spare rag to wipe the inside of the fogged up windscreen.

Seriously though. For us dopes who drive on the LHS with RHD modern cars and who tend to be right handed, have you ever tried to type in an address with your left digits into a GPS? Same as swiping one of these screens with your left hand. Not easy. I guess it’s he same as the left dominant handed people driving LHD cars.

If they made roads super smooth then I can see how convenient touch screens can be but some of us drive on goat tracks. I have enough problems as a passenger typing this iPhone when it gets a bit bumpy.

Hold on here’s a rough patch coming.

Aby wayyu thrrts aklo I hace top sat.

I lived in Japan for 10+ years and got to experience driving RHD cars on the left side of the road and using my left hand for everything. You get used to it pretty quickly.

Fri Jan 24, 2025 6:39 pm

iowegian wrote: There is a clever device on the market that overcomes this problem. It is made of paper and often conveniently folds up into a small package when not in use.

I moved those clever devices from my old Volvo wagon to the new Subaru when I bought it. My son thinks I'm crazy - I keep them just in case.

The '89 760 Turbo wagon's system was so very simple, transitioning to the Subaru touchscreen still ticks me off every time I have to LOOK to make sure I'm touching the heat or a/c correctly - it's annoying as hell.

Fri Jan 24, 2025 10:04 pm

The old bugs, just reach down to the tunnel and turn the big knob for heat control. So easy a blind man can do it.

Want the headlights on, pull the large knob on dash, want them off, push that same knob in. want the box of gloves open, push the button on the box of glove door. So easy!!! So intuitive. Eyes stay on the road, zero distraction.

But we cant have too much of that now can we?

Sat Jan 25, 2025 10:26 am

l can't imagine wanting to own a vehicle with the engine in front of you.
technology, touch screens, oh hell no !!!!
l've only had power steering since l came to the states, and that's gotten me lazy.
my first 45 cars didn't have it, 3 of the 4 l've bought here had it, one l decided to retro fit.
if given a modern car, l'd ONLY take it if l could sell it on, l have zero interest, none, and l hate automatics, 2 reasons l would never own a modern car.
and this electric car nonsense, if they decided to have all ICE vehicles crushed, l'll sit in mine while they crush it.

Sat Jan 25, 2025 11:13 am

I do not mind "some" nerw tech nin my daily driver. My 2012 Golf has about the right mix. The screen which is about 6" x 8" is part of the sound system. It also works as backup camera screen if you have that option.

But nicely its down on the normal dash position instead of an annoying stand up screen like newer cars. It has analog instruments with controls on both stalks, knobs for climate control and stereo tune and volume but also has buttons on the stereo. The vent/blend/defrost switches have a tactile marker so you can operate by feel.

The big problem that VW screw2ed up (and so have others)....is that when the mk8's showed up they had non-tactile...haptic...touch buttons for a dozen functions on each panel of the steering wheel.

One channel that doess a lot of great long term driving reviews found that if you have a manual transmission, driving through a curve and one handing the wheel like any normal manual trans driver would....as you wrist passes over the haptic buttons on the steering wheel it can turn off and on a whole slew of functions, some of which can only e turned off on that silly main screen and they take several keystrokes to get to. Very stupid.

That same report...and this was like 3 years ago...noted that Subaru went trhough this same issue and their client base sid no fuckin way and they instantly changed back on examples like the WRX that would largely be bought with a manual trans.

Yes...I think more than a few get it and hopefully are changing back. Ray

Sat Jan 25, 2025 12:37 pm

We found a 91 Geo Tracker a bit over a year ago to flat tow behind the Sprinter RV.
I absolutely love the how analog it is.
The only thing I found odd is it is air conditioned but has no power steering which evidently was optional.
Outside of the MB Sprinter which is a 2017 the newest car is my 2012 GTI which doesn't have much except too much nanny tech.

Sat Jan 25, 2025 3:12 pm

kingkarmann wrote: We found a 91 Geo Tracker a bit over a year ago to flat tow behind the Sprinter RV.
I absolutely love the how analog it is.
The only thing I found odd is it is air conditioned but has no power steering which evidently was optional.
Outside of the MB Sprinter which is a 2017 the newest car is my 2012 GTI which doesn't have much except too much nanny tech.

My Golf is a 2012/mk6.....what kind of "nanny tech" did your GTI come with? There is virtually none in my Golf.

Ray

Sat Jan 25, 2025 3:58 pm

raygreenwood wrote: kingkarmann wrote: We found a 91 Geo Tracker a bit over a year ago to flat tow behind the Sprinter RV.
I absolutely love the how analog it is.
The only thing I found odd is it is air conditioned but has no power steering which evidently was optional.
Outside of the MB Sprinter which is a 2017 the newest car, my2012 GTI which doesn't have much nanny tech.

My Golf is a 2012/mk6.....what kind of "nanny tech" did your GTI come with? There is virtually none in my Golf.

Ray

Wow!
I’m not sure what sort of gibberish I was attempting to type.
Anyway, really no nanny tech on the GTI other than messaging you of impeding doom when the outside temp drops below 39.

Sat Jan 25, 2025 4:14 pm

kingkarmann wrote: raygreenwood wrote: kingkarmann wrote: We found a 91 Geo Tracker a bit over a year ago to flat tow behind the Sprinter RV.
I absolutely love the how analog it is.
The only thing I found odd is it is air conditioned but has no power steering which evidently was optional.
Outside of the MB Sprinter which is a 2017 the newest car, my2012 GTI which doesn't have much nanny tech.

My Golf is a 2012/mk6.....what kind of "nanny tech" did your GTI come with? There is virtually none in my Golf.

Ray

Wow!
I’m not sure what sort of gibberish I was attempting to type.
Anyway, really no nanny tech on the GTI other than messaging you of impeding doom when the outside temp drops below 39.

:lol: damn!.....I think that was the dealer setting. Mine is STILL set to chime and light up the heads up display at 39°F. On a DARK highway late at night....when that thing chimes and blinds me it always freaks me out. At one point in time I figured out how to change that with the right hand stalk and one of the buttons. But I am pretty sure that when you disconnect the battery to work on something it goes right back to 39°!

Yep....a million threads over the years. Supposedly according to some, it's a European requirement because 39° is the first temperature that black ice is able to form. Supposedly......and I know this is not true on mk6....they say that if the temperature when you start the car is already below 39°F.....it will not chime. It's supposed to....they say....only chime when you are moving and THEN it drops to 39° or lower.

I have been drinking and going up and down hilla and had it go off every other mile. This thread says you can turn it off or at least setting to a different temperature using VCDS.

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/disabling-the-39-degree-warning.342602/

I may be wrong but I think on my mk6 you can change the temp in the maintenance menu. I will have to look again.

Ray

Sat Jan 25, 2025 4:28 pm

Black electrical tape.

Sat Jan 25, 2025 4:44 pm

The equivalent apparently is 4*C. Both our ‘05 Golf and ‘14 Jetta have that same setting. Now that winter is here it goes off on the way up from colder temperatures. The Missus and I have a good laugh now when it goes off, it’s our “Spring is coming!” notification!