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I recently bought a new car. The old one had HVAC as you described. I don't use the new one any differently though. When it's really cold, I turn the heat all t

I recently bought a new car. The old one had HVAC as you described. I don't use the new one any differently though. When it's really cold, I turn the heat all the way up until I'm comfortable. Then I turn it down and keep it there. This is exactly what I did in my old car too. In the new one I just don't use the "auto" feature, and haven't even tried because my established behavior still applies. Then only difference is that in the old car I knew that when it was really cold and I reached a comfortable level, I turned the knob to about two notches left of center, in the red area. In every older car I ever had it was slightly different and I learned quickly where my preference was. That's just like the new car where, once my comfort level is reached, I set things back down to 74F and leave it there. Do some cars not allow users to disable auto? Mine has a dedicated button to enabling/disabling it. Otherwise, I agree that red/blue seemed to be a little clearer, but it only took me a few days of cold weather to find the sweet spot, same as any car I've ever driven HVAC aside, I agree on other issues. Touch screen audio controls are awful and much more distracting to adjust while driving. I have to be very care to pick my moment. I think if I was so inclined, I could set things up so that I could argue with Google Assistant to do some of this stuff. That frustration is offset a bit by the fact that-- and this will amaze you-- a button will roll my windows up or down. Not some crank I have to turn. And another button on the "key" will unlock the door from like 30 feet away! But I have problems leaving my keys in the car because I no longer have to actually hold, turn, and remove a physical key to get out of my car. Trade offs! Hopefully UX design will gently nudge use back to a better middle ground.

wrycoder 5y ago
Absolutely. And I can set a knob without looking directly at it. I don’t have to punch a button 42 times or have an autoincrement function overshoot. Once I’m near the correct temp, I just move the knob one click at a time. For the seat heater, I reach down between the seats, feel for the switch, and push it. Never take my eyes off the road. I don’t want to be doing these things with touch screens, especially at night. Most of them are too bright anyway, they ruin night vision.
- LorenPechtel 5y ago
  Yup. The systems you use while driving should be able to be operated by touch. Congress should mandate that.
midasuni 5y ago
A button has opened car doors for 20 years, the keyless start nonsense offers no benefit. To turn the engine off with a key you have to press a button then find the key. When I’m driving I use the buttons on the steering wheel to change volume, station etc, more complex stuff needs a touch screen (CarPlay and maps), that’s fine because of the buttons on the wheel. My current car isn’t great - it has “lane assist” which turns itself back on every time you start, and is in a menu system to disable (albeit two physical buttons to press). rentals I’ve had recently just have a physical button near the gearstick which your turn off once and it stays off) It’s a minefield buying a car and ensuring you get all the right features (a key, a spare wheel, physical buttons for controls)
- mcny 5y ago
  » It’s a minefield buying a car and ensuring you get all the right features (a key, a spare wheel, physical buttons for controls) Hi, have you found any small car (I am thinking Toyota Corolla/Camry Honda Civic/Accord sedans) that comes with a full size spare? I drive a 2007 Toyota Camry that I bought in 2019 for about USD 5k. I know Jeep Wrangler and bigger vehicles sometimes have a full size spare but I'm not particularly fond of driving. People on YouTube joke and say Toyota Camry is the perfect car for people who don't like driving but I can't think of a better description that fits me.
- ineedasername 5y ago
  >A button has opened car doors for 20 years Yep, but it hasn't been standard, and was a new feature for me in my new car. Believe it or not, so were the power windows. >the keyless start nonsense offers no benefit. The only thing it does for me is mean that it's now much easier to leave my keys in my car. I think this trend began when luxury cars started adding it as a high tech marketing point, and then it trickled down over time to most cars in cargo-cult fashion.

wrycoder 5y ago

Absolutely. And I can set a knob without looking directly at it. I don’t have to punch a button 42 times or have an autoincrement function overshoot. Once I’m near the correct temp, I just move the knob one click at a time. For the seat heater, I reach down between the seats, feel for the switch, and push it. Never take my eyes off the road. I don’t want to be doing these things with touch screens, especially at night. Most of them are too bright anyway, they ruin night vision.

LorenPechtel 5y ago
Yup. The systems you use while driving should be able to be operated by touch. Congress should mandate that.

midasuni 5y ago

A button has opened car doors for 20 years, the keyless start nonsense offers no benefit. To turn the engine off with a key you have to press a button then find the key. When I’m driving I use the buttons on the steering wheel to change volume, station etc, more complex stuff needs a touch screen (CarPlay and maps), that’s fine because of the buttons on the wheel. My current car isn’t great - it has “lane assist” which turns itself back on every time you start, and is in a menu system to disable (albeit two physical buttons to press). rentals I’ve had recently just have a physical button near the gearstick which your turn off once and it stays off) It’s a minefield buying a car and ensuring you get all the right features (a key, a spare wheel, physical buttons for controls)

mcny 5y ago
» It’s a minefield buying a car and ensuring you get all the right features (a key, a spare wheel, physical buttons for controls) Hi, have you found any small car (I am thinking Toyota Corolla/Camry Honda Civic/Accord sedans) that comes with a full size spare? I drive a 2007 Toyota Camry that I bought in 2019 for about USD 5k. I know Jeep Wrangler and bigger vehicles sometimes have a full size spare but I'm not particularly fond of driving. People on YouTube joke and say Toyota Camry is the perfect car for people who don't like driving but I can't think of a better description that fits me.
ineedasername 5y ago
>A button has opened car doors for 20 years Yep, but it hasn't been standard, and was a new feature for me in my new car. Believe it or not, so were the power windows. >the keyless start nonsense offers no benefit. The only thing it does for me is mean that it's now much easier to leave my keys in my car. I think this trend began when luxury cars started adding it as a high tech marketing point, and then it trickled down over time to most cars in cargo-cult fashion.