5 ms·

I see comments like this and I don't really get it. What are you changing during your drives? What are those critical adjustments? I've got a touch screen, but

I see comments like this and I don't really get it. What are you changing during your drives? What are those critical adjustments? I've got a touch screen, but I don't touch it while driving, and I'm not sure why I would. Aside from volume control but hopefully that's not on a touch screen.

nvr219 4y ago
Change radio stations, change A/C settings.
dangerlibrary 4y ago
If you live in less-than-temperate climates, adjusting the AC/heat is very common. If you listen to the radio, switching stations is common (a not-safe-for-kids story comes on the news, a song you hate comes on, there are obnoxious commercial breaks).
slau 4y ago
Both AC controls and volume are on touch-sensitive buttons on the new VW entertainment systems. The volume bar/AC temperature buttons don't even light up at night, making it completely invisible under the bright touch screen. Once in a while, the system locks up, and you can't change AC anymore (can't turn it on/off, can't change the intensity). You have to shut down the engine, walk away from the car (with the key) for more then 20-30 meters and then wait 10 minutes. I love my Seat Leon for many reasons, but the lack of buttons is not one of them.
Ikatza 4y ago
Aircon, music volume and skipping songs, emergency blinkers, driving mode (suspension, etc)... These are some things that I could manage with a physical button and are now placed on a screen, forcing me to look since I don't have tactile feedback.
- upupandup 4y ago
  I use the volume key to turn down the music when other cars are around me at a stop. Then as I get away I turn the volume back up
dmix 4y ago
Yeah in my modern Civic I use Carplay touchscreen all the time. The only controls I need during driving are: - volume - change the song - air conditioning - signalling - cruise control All of those are on the steering wheel besides air conditioning which is still a dial. For the touchscreen I open Spotify and then Waze and use voice commands to set a destination before I drive (which is pushing one button to toggle voice and one button to select the top result). I might ID a police car or hazard using Waze if I'm in slow traffic but usually my passenger does that. That's the only touch screen apps I use.
- spywaregorilla 4y ago
  Wait... signaling? Like turn signals?
  - dmix 4y ago
    Yes, turn signalling.
    - spywaregorilla 4y ago
      Nvm I misread. Thought that was in the touch screen.
      - dheerajvs 4y ago
        Lol, don't give them ideas.
        dm319 4y ago
        Have you seen the Tesla yoke turn signals?
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
alistairSH 4y ago
Things I regularly adjust... - seat heaters - HVAC temp/fan level - audio volume - audio track Last two are via steering wheel controls on both our cars (BMW, Honda). But, on different sides of the wheel, so I frequently hit cruise control buttons when intending to hit volume. First two are via physical buttons in both cars. However, buttons are located in very different locations, one uses dials and the other paddles. Also, the BMW has what I feel is a needlessly complicated fan control/temp system with a left/right split and also a chest vent temp setting that functions independently of what the HVAC panel displays, which means even in "auto" mode, there are manual settings that need tweaked (and this is all in a small 230i coupe - total overkill). I can't imagine the mental load using a Tesla, where the seat heat control is burned 2-3 menus deep at the bottom edge of a touchscreen where the virtual buttons actually change function depending on what your doing. It's a UX mess and never should have been allowed.
- Sebb767 4y ago
  > Last two are via steering wheel controls on both our cars (BMW, Honda) Try a new Golf 8. It turns out manufacturers can even screw that up.
  - dublin 4y ago
    Heck, Mercedes can't even get steering column stalks right. For decades, they've insisted on an asinine arrangement that combines way too much (turn signals, wipers, mist, clean, high-beams) into one stalk that is positioned so poorly low that you always hit the adjacent (not opposite side!) cruise control stalk when you try to signal a turn or lane change. Truly one of the most horrific physical UI experiences ever.... I will say that my wife had a Pacifica (the crossover, not the minivan) that is one of the best thought-out cars I have ever driven - not the best built (though it was tolerable), but definitely the best thought-out. (And we've owned dozens of cars from America, Italy, Japan, Germany, and Korea) Absolutely everything about that car oozed the thought and consideration of the designers thinking about how the car would be used. We'd still have it if it hadn't been totalled by a careless wench shoving her Jeep's winch deep enough into the Pacifica to total it.
fbanon 4y ago
- Switch to internal air circulation if I'm stuck behind a diesel car - Adjust temperature - Turn off automatic high beams if it misbehaves and starts blinding oncoming traffic - Switch suspension to comfort mode if bumpy road is ahead - Turn on/off fog lights
baby 4y ago
The fan for when the windows get sorta wet. I always have trouble turning it on, even with buttons. Also the AC and the recycled air.
throwaway9870 4y ago
I accidentally turned on manual shift while recently driving I am unfamiliar with. WTF. Didn't know how to turn it off and had to drive that way until I could safely pull over, put in park, and then back in drive. Bat-shit insane.
giaour 4y ago
> What are you changing during your drives? What are those critical adjustments? Lights, wipers, and cruise control are critical adjustments. I also often change A/C and audio settings because I can do it without looking (though it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I couldn’t mess with those while the car was in motion).
danparsonson 4y ago
Never been driving along on a wet day and had your windscreen suddenly fog up? This happened to me once in a car with unfamiliar controls and within moments I could barely see a thing, even making it difficult to pull over and sort it out. Those kinds of critical adjustments :-)
- magicalhippo 4y ago
  Exactly. This is very common here, both during winter and summer. Happened to me just yesterday as I was driving on the highway, went from 100% to less than 20% visibility in seconds. In my current and previous cars, there's been a separate button which turns the AC heat to max, fans to max and directs it all at the windscreen. When you suddenly lose visibility while driving, you definitely appreciate having a physical button in a known location that fixes the issue.
dr_orpheus 4y ago
This is what they tested in the article: 1. Activate the heated seat, increase temperature by two degrees, and start the defroster. 2. Power on the radio and adjust the station to a specific channel (Sweden’s Program 1). 3. Reset the trip computer. 4. Lower the instrument lighting to the lowest level and turn off the center display.
mbar84 4y ago
It's not just the frequency of access, it's things that are time critical: Next song. Hazard lights. Lock doors. Accept call. Hang up call.

nvr219 4y ago

Change radio stations, change A/C settings.

dangerlibrary 4y ago

If you live in less-than-temperate climates, adjusting the AC/heat is very common. If you listen to the radio, switching stations is common (a not-safe-for-kids story comes on the news, a song you hate comes on, there are obnoxious commercial breaks).

slau 4y ago

Both AC controls and volume are on touch-sensitive buttons on the new VW entertainment systems. The volume bar/AC temperature buttons don't even light up at night, making it completely invisible under the bright touch screen. Once in a while, the system locks up, and you can't change AC anymore (can't turn it on/off, can't change the intensity). You have to shut down the engine, walk away from the car (with the key) for more then 20-30 meters and then wait 10 minutes. I love my Seat Leon for many reasons, but the lack of buttons is not one of them.

Ikatza 4y ago

Aircon, music volume and skipping songs, emergency blinkers, driving mode (suspension, etc)... These are some things that I could manage with a physical button and are now placed on a screen, forcing me to look since I don't have tactile feedback.

upupandup 4y ago
I use the volume key to turn down the music when other cars are around me at a stop. Then as I get away I turn the volume back up

dmix 4y ago

Yeah in my modern Civic I use Carplay touchscreen all the time. The only controls I need during driving are: - volume - change the song - air conditioning - signalling - cruise control All of those are on the steering wheel besides air conditioning which is still a dial. For the touchscreen I open Spotify and then Waze and use voice commands to set a destination before I drive (which is pushing one button to toggle voice and one button to select the top result). I might ID a police car or hazard using Waze if I'm in slow traffic but usually my passenger does that. That's the only touch screen apps I use.

spywaregorilla 4y ago
Wait... signaling? Like turn signals?
- dmix 4y ago
  Yes, turn signalling.
  - spywaregorilla 4y ago
    Nvm I misread. Thought that was in the touch screen.
    - dheerajvs 4y ago
      Lol, don't give them ideas.
      - dm319 4y ago
        Have you seen the Tesla yoke turn signals?
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

alistairSH 4y ago

Things I regularly adjust... - seat heaters - HVAC temp/fan level - audio volume - audio track Last two are via steering wheel controls on both our cars (BMW, Honda). But, on different sides of the wheel, so I frequently hit cruise control buttons when intending to hit volume. First two are via physical buttons in both cars. However, buttons are located in very different locations, one uses dials and the other paddles. Also, the BMW has what I feel is a needlessly complicated fan control/temp system with a left/right split and also a chest vent temp setting that functions independently of what the HVAC panel displays, which means even in "auto" mode, there are manual settings that need tweaked (and this is all in a small 230i coupe - total overkill). I can't imagine the mental load using a Tesla, where the seat heat control is burned 2-3 menus deep at the bottom edge of a touchscreen where the virtual buttons actually change function depending on what your doing. It's a UX mess and never should have been allowed.

Sebb767 4y ago
> Last two are via steering wheel controls on both our cars (BMW, Honda) Try a new Golf 8. It turns out manufacturers can even screw that up.
- dublin 4y ago
  Heck, Mercedes can't even get steering column stalks right. For decades, they've insisted on an asinine arrangement that combines way too much (turn signals, wipers, mist, clean, high-beams) into one stalk that is positioned so poorly low that you always hit the adjacent (not opposite side!) cruise control stalk when you try to signal a turn or lane change. Truly one of the most horrific physical UI experiences ever.... I will say that my wife had a Pacifica (the crossover, not the minivan) that is one of the best thought-out cars I have ever driven - not the best built (though it was tolerable), but definitely the best thought-out. (And we've owned dozens of cars from America, Italy, Japan, Germany, and Korea) Absolutely everything about that car oozed the thought and consideration of the designers thinking about how the car would be used. We'd still have it if it hadn't been totalled by a careless wench shoving her Jeep's winch deep enough into the Pacifica to total it.

fbanon 4y ago

- Switch to internal air circulation if I'm stuck behind a diesel car - Adjust temperature - Turn off automatic high beams if it misbehaves and starts blinding oncoming traffic - Switch suspension to comfort mode if bumpy road is ahead - Turn on/off fog lights

baby 4y ago

The fan for when the windows get sorta wet. I always have trouble turning it on, even with buttons. Also the AC and the recycled air.

throwaway9870 4y ago

I accidentally turned on manual shift while recently driving I am unfamiliar with. WTF. Didn't know how to turn it off and had to drive that way until I could safely pull over, put in park, and then back in drive. Bat-shit insane.

giaour 4y ago

> What are you changing during your drives? What are those critical adjustments? Lights, wipers, and cruise control are critical adjustments. I also often change A/C and audio settings because I can do it without looking (though it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I couldn’t mess with those while the car was in motion).

danparsonson 4y ago

Never been driving along on a wet day and had your windscreen suddenly fog up? This happened to me once in a car with unfamiliar controls and within moments I could barely see a thing, even making it difficult to pull over and sort it out. Those kinds of critical adjustments :-)

magicalhippo 4y ago
Exactly. This is very common here, both during winter and summer. Happened to me just yesterday as I was driving on the highway, went from 100% to less than 20% visibility in seconds. In my current and previous cars, there's been a separate button which turns the AC heat to max, fans to max and directs it all at the windscreen. When you suddenly lose visibility while driving, you definitely appreciate having a physical button in a known location that fixes the issue.

dr_orpheus 4y ago

This is what they tested in the article: 1. Activate the heated seat, increase temperature by two degrees, and start the defroster. 2. Power on the radio and adjust the station to a specific channel (Sweden’s Program 1). 3. Reset the trip computer. 4. Lower the instrument lighting to the lowest level and turn off the center display.

mbar84 4y ago

It's not just the frequency of access, it's things that are time critical: Next song. Hazard lights. Lock doors. Accept call. Hang up call.