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My 2000 model year BMW M roadster. Not counting the radio, the car had a tiny number of buttons and switches- window up/down, headlight knob, and 5 buttons. T
by efitz 5y ago
My 2000 model year BMW M roadster.
Not counting the radio, the car had a tiny number of buttons and switches- window up/down, headlight knob, and 5 buttons. There was nothing extraneous or redundant. There were no door lock buttons- the lock indicator was the button to lock the door, and the door open handle was the unlock button.
Also, every darn control in the car was exactly where it was supposed to be. It’s hard to describe it, but even from the very first time sitting in the car, I never had to search or guess how to operate anything. I would think about needing to do something, put my hand where I thought the control would be, and there it was.
I’ve never had a machine delight me like that car in its simplicity and elegance of design.
- drdunce 5y agocars used to be so well designed. you never had to look down at a screen to see what was going on, it was just there, at your finger tips. You could tell what gear you were in, if the handbrake, lights, indicators were on/off or virtually anything without taking your eyes off the road for even a second. The interface had evolved with everything being exactly where it ought to be. When you changed it it made a reassuring clunk so that you knew. Now it seems like everyone is reconfiguring the keymappings on a 90s flight simulator while they're driving.
- IshKebab 5y agoThe really annoying thing is that now they have touchscreen computers but you still need some proprietary hardware tool to fix software problems in the car. Why do no cars expose debug info / service tools in their UIs? My Skoda has an issue with headlight levelling and I'm pretty sure it just needs some kind of software reset or recalibration but they just don't let you. Infuriating!
- papertokyo 5y agoThis is why I desperately hope that manufacturers don't follow Tesla's example of putting everything in a digital UI. It makes sense when you have a limited amount of space in which to support infinite uses (e.g. a smartphone) but not in something like a car where having dedicated, tactile controls is both a safety benefit and a more enjoyable user experience.
- wiredfool 5y agoAlong the same lines, my '90 Miata. I left it behind when I moved to Europe a few years back and it's one of the few things that I miss.
- Peanuts99 5y agoI'd like to throw in my 2000 VW Golf MK4. Was the last model they made before the design turned all bubble like. All the interior controls were actual buttons and knobs and had a good feel to them. Probably one of the last cars to have glass headlights that don't get plastic corrosion too.