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I don't change the AC while I'm in motion. All my cars have auto AC so I rarely touch them even as the temperature changes outside. I probably adjust the AC a h

I don't change the AC while I'm in motion. All my cars have auto AC so I rarely touch them even as the temperature changes outside. I probably adjust the AC a handful of times a year. I'd rather not waste a lot of dashboard space on buttons that practically never get pressed, I'd rather have my map be even bigger and easier to quickly glance at and have more space to browse my media collection while stopped. I don't understand how so many people have come across cars with seemingly terrible auto AC systems. Even my old 2000 Honda Accord had a competent auto AC system. I haven't had manual AC on any of my cars in decades. Whenever I rent a car it's always infuriating having to constantly muck with the AC system.

me_me_me 3y ago
this is akin to it works on my PC so not an issue
- vel0city 3y ago
  I'm not talking about a single car, I'm talking about several different makes and models over the last couple decades. Works on my machine implies it's something special about that one device. My experience has been auto AC has worked fine with several different car models from several different makers across the last 24 years of car manufacturing.
  - me_me_me 3y ago
    I am talking about a use case that works for you but not others - due to preference, hardware limitations etc. My car can only turn AC on and off. What about me then?
    - vel0city 3y ago
      I take it your AC controls aren't behind a touchscreen then? I'm mostly arguing having AC controls on a screen aren't that big of a deal, because chances are if they're on a touchscreen they're auto, and if they're auto you really shouldn't need to ever really mess with them while moving. The only real exception to this would be defrosters, but I do agree there should be a least a physical defrost toggle button.
      - me_me_me 3y ago
        Fair enough, I wouldn't mind controls behind the screen for stuff you wouldn't need on daily basis. But I feel like we already had it with early screens and infotainment. Functionality that might be needed when you drive (fogging up, change audio src, increase temp) should have physical interface. So if you have auto AC it could go behind the screen. But what I am afraid is that cars are sold with premium features as upgrades. So features that are fine behind screen would suck in cheaper models. And when looking at what BS automotive industry is pushing now (subscription services for physical features that are present), I am not hopeful this would be addressed.
        vel0city 3y ago
        > Functionality that might be needed when you drive...should have physical interface. I generally agree. Safety critical features need physical control options close to the driver's normal inputs. > But I feel like we already had it with early screens and infotainment. I have two cars. One with a big screen and few physical buttons, and one with a small screen with lots of physical buttons. Because of all the physical buttons, the screen had to be a lot smaller. The vast majority of those buttons relate to actions I really shouldn't be messing with when driving or are connected to the auto AC system which as mentioned doesn't really get used. So it is a ton of wasted space on the center console. On the other car, the screen is very large. There's still important physical controls related to driving and defogging and adjusting media and what not, but they're all immediately around the driver's area not the center console. This allows for the maps for navigation to be very large and easier to glance at. The interface for changing media a lot easier to use when stopped and wanting to actually look at what choices I have or have my passenger make changes. At least to me, I'd much rather have the center console be filled with the map and actually used input surface rather than just have it filled with tons of buttons which generally still shouldn't be used when driving.
Toutouxc 3y ago
> I don't understand how so many people have come across cars with seemingly terrible auto AC systems. > Whenever I rent a car it's always infuriating having to constantly muck with the AC system. Am I missing something or do these not make sense together?
- vel0city 3y ago
  I guess I should have phrased it as "chosen to own cars with seemingly terrible AC systems". Theromostatic controls are pretty cheap to implement, its not like you'd need some high-end extreme luxury car to have that feature be normal. If the AC controls are on a touchscreen, chances are they're auto. If they're auto, you probably shouldn't have to mess with them at all while moving.
  - dzikimarian 3y ago
    You need at least sun direction, temperature and humidity sensors and reasonable software behind them to have good automatic AC. Basic thermostat is somewhere in center console, which doesn't help much if your chest is blasted with sun. Also temperature you feel is different depending on humidity.
    - vel0city 3y ago
      I live in North Texas. I guarantee you we get a lot of days with intense radiant heat. Both of my cars have glass roofs. Previously they had sunroofs. Lots of sunlight in the cabin. I haven't had issues with automatic AC in decades in cars that aren't exactly luxury cars. It is a solved problem for at least every brand of car I've owned.
      - fastasucan 3y ago
        This explains why you are content with automatic AC. When you live with fost and snow many months a year you get a need to adjust the AC while you drive.

me_me_me 3y ago

this is akin to it works on my PC so not an issue

vel0city 3y ago
I'm not talking about a single car, I'm talking about several different makes and models over the last couple decades. Works on my machine implies it's something special about that one device. My experience has been auto AC has worked fine with several different car models from several different makers across the last 24 years of car manufacturing.
- me_me_me 3y ago
  I am talking about a use case that works for you but not others - due to preference, hardware limitations etc. My car can only turn AC on and off. What about me then?
  - vel0city 3y ago
    I take it your AC controls aren't behind a touchscreen then? I'm mostly arguing having AC controls on a screen aren't that big of a deal, because chances are if they're on a touchscreen they're auto, and if they're auto you really shouldn't need to ever really mess with them while moving. The only real exception to this would be defrosters, but I do agree there should be a least a physical defrost toggle button.
    - me_me_me 3y ago
      Fair enough, I wouldn't mind controls behind the screen for stuff you wouldn't need on daily basis. But I feel like we already had it with early screens and infotainment. Functionality that might be needed when you drive (fogging up, change audio src, increase temp) should have physical interface. So if you have auto AC it could go behind the screen. But what I am afraid is that cars are sold with premium features as upgrades. So features that are fine behind screen would suck in cheaper models. And when looking at what BS automotive industry is pushing now (subscription services for physical features that are present), I am not hopeful this would be addressed.
      - vel0city 3y ago
        > Functionality that might be needed when you drive...should have physical interface. I generally agree. Safety critical features need physical control options close to the driver's normal inputs. > But I feel like we already had it with early screens and infotainment. I have two cars. One with a big screen and few physical buttons, and one with a small screen with lots of physical buttons. Because of all the physical buttons, the screen had to be a lot smaller. The vast majority of those buttons relate to actions I really shouldn't be messing with when driving or are connected to the auto AC system which as mentioned doesn't really get used. So it is a ton of wasted space on the center console. On the other car, the screen is very large. There's still important physical controls related to driving and defogging and adjusting media and what not, but they're all immediately around the driver's area not the center console. This allows for the maps for navigation to be very large and easier to glance at. The interface for changing media a lot easier to use when stopped and wanting to actually look at what choices I have or have my passenger make changes. At least to me, I'd much rather have the center console be filled with the map and actually used input surface rather than just have it filled with tons of buttons which generally still shouldn't be used when driving.

Toutouxc 3y ago

> I don't understand how so many people have come across cars with seemingly terrible auto AC systems. > Whenever I rent a car it's always infuriating having to constantly muck with the AC system. Am I missing something or do these not make sense together?

vel0city 3y ago
I guess I should have phrased it as "chosen to own cars with seemingly terrible AC systems". Theromostatic controls are pretty cheap to implement, its not like you'd need some high-end extreme luxury car to have that feature be normal. If the AC controls are on a touchscreen, chances are they're auto. If they're auto, you probably shouldn't have to mess with them at all while moving.
- dzikimarian 3y ago
  You need at least sun direction, temperature and humidity sensors and reasonable software behind them to have good automatic AC. Basic thermostat is somewhere in center console, which doesn't help much if your chest is blasted with sun. Also temperature you feel is different depending on humidity.
  - vel0city 3y ago
    I live in North Texas. I guarantee you we get a lot of days with intense radiant heat. Both of my cars have glass roofs. Previously they had sunroofs. Lots of sunlight in the cabin. I haven't had issues with automatic AC in decades in cars that aren't exactly luxury cars. It is a solved problem for at least every brand of car I've owned.
    - fastasucan 3y ago
      This explains why you are content with automatic AC. When you live with fost and snow many months a year you get a need to adjust the AC while you drive.