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It's a cost cutting move. One touch screen is cheaper than 30 individual buttons, and ultimately many people have died because of it. But I'm sure GM would neve

It's a cost cutting move. One touch screen is cheaper than 30 individual buttons, and ultimately many people have died because of it. But I'm sure GM would never do anything sketchy or illegal to lower cost or increase revenue

Terretta 4y ago
The touch screen is one thing. To your point, arguably it's no incremental cost. But I don't buy that electro-mechanical latches and actuators and wiring cost less than a dumb latch.
- davidbanham 4y ago
  Not having an accessible mechanical latch in the front of the glovebox hatch means it’s now a single smooth surface. That’s way cheaper to injection mould than something with a hole in it. Also, the mechanical latch mechanism needs to be strong enough to withstand hard use over many years. AND it needs to be made in a shape and finish that fits the design of the interior. AND it needs to feel good in the hand. AND it might need a lock in it, either due to expectation or regulation. Suddenly a simple little solenoid and metre of thin gauge wire starts looking pretty cheap.
  - dsfyu404ed 4y ago
    I call BS. The cost of any difference in the dies for manufacturing the glovebox will be amortized to cents over a run of thousands of glove boxes and it's not like each wire you add to the wiring harness and connector that needs to be connected doesn't also have incremental costs associated with it. This design is an aesthetic choice, though certainly motivated parties could spin at as being cheaper (I suspect it's close to a wash).
- matt-attack 4y ago
  Another aspect of the touchscreen button, and no one else is mentioning, is the elimination of the valet key. Auto makers for years have had to machine an entirely separate key. The only difference being that it can start the car, but cannot open the trunk and the glove box. Presumably, this electronic actuator wouldn’t need the need for a separate valet key. Not that I’m endorsing any of this, I have a model Y, and detest how hard it is to open the glove box.
williamcotton 4y ago
How is a manual glovebox latch more expensive than an electronic latch? I think there must be consumer demand for this feature. Oh how luxurious it must feel to never have to use a manual latch unlike the unwashed…
- jimmyswimmy 4y ago
  It's not. But at the margin it is. If you already have a touch screen display then adding a button costs next to nothing on a per car basis. And there are a ton of solenoids in cars so they can probably reuse one and save the cost of the manual latch. Not to mention the Apple-esque design ideals that eradicated headphone jacks. You now have a cleaner looking passenger side of the dashboard. None for me, thanks.
  - williamcotton 4y ago
    Auto-manufacturers are still buying manual latch mechanisms in bulk as well for their non-luxury cars. A demand for Apple-esque design seems more plausible!
    - fomine3 4y ago
      Or say, most manufacturer want to be like Tesla
- mceachen 4y ago
  > there must be consumer demand for this feature That’s assuming competence. Design that follows consumer demand requires actual research work performed by the design team. It’s much easier for product designers to simply follow the design decisions of the “market leader. It’s what their higher-ups may even be requesting or requiring. This pattern explains such user-hostile decisions like the loss of headphone jacks, or curved glass displays that distort edge pixels and don’t accept glass screen protectors. Or car maker’s trend to remove tactile controls with a laggy, convoluted touchscreen UX.
  - 4y ago
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
m463 4y ago
Older tesla model s: - can't flash the headlights at oncoming cars. - can't let the passenger in without touching the touchscreen several times (lock door handle, unlock door handle, THEN door presents itself on unlock) - can't turn on the defrost/defog without using the touchscreen (and that requires attention to locate the control). The new UI that just came out puts these on submenus. The new model S with the square steering wheel is even more of a dumpster fire. no stalks. Turn signals are buttons on the steering wheel. wipers too. and additional things like PRND on the touchscreen / center console.
rco8786 4y ago
That’s why I specifically said “we allowed the industry” to do this. It’s also cheaper to build cars without seat belts, airbags, catalytic converters, backup cameras, etc, etc, etc

Terretta 4y ago

The touch screen is one thing. To your point, arguably it's no incremental cost. But I don't buy that electro-mechanical latches and actuators and wiring cost less than a dumb latch.

davidbanham 4y ago
Not having an accessible mechanical latch in the front of the glovebox hatch means it’s now a single smooth surface. That’s way cheaper to injection mould than something with a hole in it. Also, the mechanical latch mechanism needs to be strong enough to withstand hard use over many years. AND it needs to be made in a shape and finish that fits the design of the interior. AND it needs to feel good in the hand. AND it might need a lock in it, either due to expectation or regulation. Suddenly a simple little solenoid and metre of thin gauge wire starts looking pretty cheap.
- dsfyu404ed 4y ago
  I call BS. The cost of any difference in the dies for manufacturing the glovebox will be amortized to cents over a run of thousands of glove boxes and it's not like each wire you add to the wiring harness and connector that needs to be connected doesn't also have incremental costs associated with it. This design is an aesthetic choice, though certainly motivated parties could spin at as being cheaper (I suspect it's close to a wash).
matt-attack 4y ago
Another aspect of the touchscreen button, and no one else is mentioning, is the elimination of the valet key. Auto makers for years have had to machine an entirely separate key. The only difference being that it can start the car, but cannot open the trunk and the glove box. Presumably, this electronic actuator wouldn’t need the need for a separate valet key. Not that I’m endorsing any of this, I have a model Y, and detest how hard it is to open the glove box.

williamcotton 4y ago

How is a manual glovebox latch more expensive than an electronic latch? I think there must be consumer demand for this feature. Oh how luxurious it must feel to never have to use a manual latch unlike the unwashed…

jimmyswimmy 4y ago
It's not. But at the margin it is. If you already have a touch screen display then adding a button costs next to nothing on a per car basis. And there are a ton of solenoids in cars so they can probably reuse one and save the cost of the manual latch. Not to mention the Apple-esque design ideals that eradicated headphone jacks. You now have a cleaner looking passenger side of the dashboard. None for me, thanks.
- williamcotton 4y ago
  Auto-manufacturers are still buying manual latch mechanisms in bulk as well for their non-luxury cars. A demand for Apple-esque design seems more plausible!
  - fomine3 4y ago
    Or say, most manufacturer want to be like Tesla
mceachen 4y ago
> there must be consumer demand for this feature That’s assuming competence. Design that follows consumer demand requires actual research work performed by the design team. It’s much easier for product designers to simply follow the design decisions of the “market leader. It’s what their higher-ups may even be requesting or requiring. This pattern explains such user-hostile decisions like the loss of headphone jacks, or curved glass displays that distort edge pixels and don’t accept glass screen protectors. Or car maker’s trend to remove tactile controls with a laggy, convoluted touchscreen UX.
- 4y ago

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

m463 4y ago

Older tesla model s: - can't flash the headlights at oncoming cars. - can't let the passenger in without touching the touchscreen several times (lock door handle, unlock door handle, THEN door presents itself on unlock) - can't turn on the defrost/defog without using the touchscreen (and that requires attention to locate the control). The new UI that just came out puts these on submenus. The new model S with the square steering wheel is even more of a dumpster fire. no stalks. Turn signals are buttons on the steering wheel. wipers too. and additional things like PRND on the touchscreen / center console.

rco8786 4y ago

That’s why I specifically said “we allowed the industry” to do this. It’s also cheaper to build cars without seat belts, airbags, catalytic converters, backup cameras, etc, etc, etc