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Seems like a trend in the right direction - Subaru's doing the same for their 2026 models. Still too much shit on the steering wheel in my opinion but at least

Seems like a trend in the right direction - Subaru's doing the same for their 2026 models. Still too much shit on the steering wheel in my opinion but at least there are physical buttons/knobs for the climate system that don't require multiple touch screen button presses; https://www.caranddriver.com/photos/g64477839/2026-subaru-outback-interior-gallery/ https://www.caranddriver.com/photos/g64477839/2026-subaru-ou...

the__alchemist 10mo ago
What in particular do you want to avoid on the wheel? My thought is it's a perfect place for jet-style HOTAS controls, for the same reason; no moving your hands from the wheel, and driven by tactile feel and physical location.
- mikeyouse 10mo ago
  It's well organized which is nice (cruise control on the right, media, etc on the left) but there's over 20 different buttons/functions there. At very least, X-Mode, Trip odometer reset, phone hold button, audio source button aren't worth the prime real estate. I don't use my phone at all while driving so all of the phone buttons could go away in my car. I hate audio assistants, so that button could go away too. The dash control switch could be on the dash.. etc etc. I'm not a UI person and I'm sure some committee fought over every square inch of that space, but just personal preference.
- SoftTalker 10mo ago
  I don't want any buttons on the steering wheel, except the horn. I don't want a screen at all, but reversing cameras are now mandatory so that one is probably not going away. I like the "return to real buttons" trend but it's less about buttons and more about the appropriate physical controls for the operation being performed. The control itself should both indicate current status and provide for changing it. For example, things that are "on" or "off" should have a switch with distinct "on" and "off" positions, not a single pushbutton that toggles. Temperature or volume or blower speed should be dials or sliders that move between two physical end points. If you have to repeatedly push or hold an "up" or "down" button and look at a display to set the temperature that's suboptimal. Moving a slider or dial where the physical position corresponds to the actual setting is so much better.
  - vel0city 10mo ago
    I want more things on the steering wheel. Anything the driver should reasonably be operating while the vehicle is in motion should be on the wheel or immediately surrounding it, IMO.
    - SoftTalker 10mo ago
      My objection to stuff on the steering wheel is that in my experience the buttons are often multifunction. I.e. a "+" and "-" button that do different things depending on a mode that is selected with some other button. Takes too much thinking while your attention should be devoted to driving. My Mercedes is absolutely terrible at this. Having owned it for a couple of years now I still have no intuition about what most of the steering wheel buttons do. On the other hand, they get cruise control right: It's a simple stalk on the steering column. Up for faster. Down for slower. Easy to find and operate without even a glance off of the road. If there were a few carefully chosen single-purpose buttons on the steering wheel I could maybe get on board. But if there are too many or they are multifunction then it's cognitive overload.
      - the__alchemist 10mo ago
        It sounds like, if I understand correctly, your core objection is poorly-designed steering-wheel controls.
        SoftTalker 10mo ago
        Yes, but also controls for things that should not even be controls. I can select---from the steering wheel---how many seconds the interior lights stay on after I close the door. Why? Just pick a reasonable number, and don't ask me to think about it. Or if you must, put that setting somewhere out of the way so I don't accidentally fall into it when I'm driving. Or better yet, give me a switch specifically for the interior lights that I can control manually. The cars back in the 1970s did a better job with this than today's cars do.
floren 10mo ago
That actually looks really nice. I like my '22 Outback a lot except for the dastardly climate controls on that fucking touchscreen.

the__alchemist 10mo ago

What in particular do you want to avoid on the wheel? My thought is it's a perfect place for jet-style HOTAS controls, for the same reason; no moving your hands from the wheel, and driven by tactile feel and physical location.

mikeyouse 10mo ago
It's well organized which is nice (cruise control on the right, media, etc on the left) but there's over 20 different buttons/functions there. At very least, X-Mode, Trip odometer reset, phone hold button, audio source button aren't worth the prime real estate. I don't use my phone at all while driving so all of the phone buttons could go away in my car. I hate audio assistants, so that button could go away too. The dash control switch could be on the dash.. etc etc. I'm not a UI person and I'm sure some committee fought over every square inch of that space, but just personal preference.
SoftTalker 10mo ago
I don't want any buttons on the steering wheel, except the horn. I don't want a screen at all, but reversing cameras are now mandatory so that one is probably not going away. I like the "return to real buttons" trend but it's less about buttons and more about the appropriate physical controls for the operation being performed. The control itself should both indicate current status and provide for changing it. For example, things that are "on" or "off" should have a switch with distinct "on" and "off" positions, not a single pushbutton that toggles. Temperature or volume or blower speed should be dials or sliders that move between two physical end points. If you have to repeatedly push or hold an "up" or "down" button and look at a display to set the temperature that's suboptimal. Moving a slider or dial where the physical position corresponds to the actual setting is so much better.
- vel0city 10mo ago
  I want more things on the steering wheel. Anything the driver should reasonably be operating while the vehicle is in motion should be on the wheel or immediately surrounding it, IMO.
  - SoftTalker 10mo ago
    My objection to stuff on the steering wheel is that in my experience the buttons are often multifunction. I.e. a "+" and "-" button that do different things depending on a mode that is selected with some other button. Takes too much thinking while your attention should be devoted to driving. My Mercedes is absolutely terrible at this. Having owned it for a couple of years now I still have no intuition about what most of the steering wheel buttons do. On the other hand, they get cruise control right: It's a simple stalk on the steering column. Up for faster. Down for slower. Easy to find and operate without even a glance off of the road. If there were a few carefully chosen single-purpose buttons on the steering wheel I could maybe get on board. But if there are too many or they are multifunction then it's cognitive overload.
    - the__alchemist 10mo ago
      It sounds like, if I understand correctly, your core objection is poorly-designed steering-wheel controls.
      - SoftTalker 10mo ago
        Yes, but also controls for things that should not even be controls. I can select---from the steering wheel---how many seconds the interior lights stay on after I close the door. Why? Just pick a reasonable number, and don't ask me to think about it. Or if you must, put that setting somewhere out of the way so I don't accidentally fall into it when I'm driving. Or better yet, give me a switch specifically for the interior lights that I can control manually. The cars back in the 1970s did a better job with this than today's cars do.

floren 10mo ago

That actually looks really nice. I like my '22 Outback a lot except for the dastardly climate controls on that fucking touchscreen.