Featured New safety ratings prioritize touch controls for key driving needs

The top answer here rings true to me:

Why are traditional knobs not replaced by touchscreens in cockpits? - Aviation Stack Exchange

 

I was going to say that I've never seen an auto climate setup that will switch over to defogging the windows, but I guess you have.

Personally, I feel auto climate is ok. But what about when I just want to roll the window down and feel the breeze through my hair? Also, on EVs the climate controls can take away a lot of your range (ask me how I know after being stranded in -15 °F weather) while the more touchy seat heating and cooling functions are more efficient. I don't think they can make auto-heating/cooling seats that would be comfortable for everyone. Now companies are burying that in the tablet menus.

But I don't and never will. Like I said, it's enough to make me consider going back to an old car. I'm serious. My next car will likely be from the 70's or 80's. If I get in a wreck and die from lack of safety features, then too bad. Car companies aren't going to make a car that I like, and I'm not buying something I will hate.

 

I know Scotty Kilmer can be extreme, but from time to time he has a point.

 

unfortunately, none of our 7 toyotas have come close to that

 

Airbus started design work on a380 beginning of the 1990s. Compare that to a newer/a350? You have lots of screens



Looks more like my grandson's arcade games
.

 

Press the microphone button on the steering wheel and say “set temp to 74” (or whatever you want).
Seriously, in modern cars, especially a Tesla, use voice controls.
As an aside, any control on the touchscreen that you need while driving is on the touchscreen. No need to dig into a second or third page like some cars.

 

Used to be, if it was too warm, you reached down, turned a knurled dial slightly colder. But now:

 

"turn the temp down one degree at a time, until i say that i'm comfortable hal"

 

or................... on Automatic Temperature Controlled cars - my side remains at the always comfortable 72 degrees and my wife can adjust her side of the car temperature up or down to whatever suits her. This is called Dual Controlled Automatic Temperature Control
The next time I am in the car I just hit syc and both sides of the car sync to the master setting of 72 degrees.

When I am alone in the car I hit Drivers Side Only and Automatically Tempered Controlled air only comes out of the Drives Side Ducts all other ducts are disabled.

Many cars have these same features that can be activated by knob, button, touch screen or voice - your choice - here are two video examples

 

Actually its almost always warm here, so old way turn on max ac until you get cold then dial it back. PITA. My partner wants it colder than me most of the time, old way you make one person comfortable. My biggest complaint about setting an automatic temperature is there is one setting, as a lot of others have put, I'd rather have a heat setting and a cool setting and let it just vent air if the temperature is in between. My first experience with auto climate control I was suprised when I started driving one morning and it turned the heat on trying to get to my 75 degree air conditioning temperature.

People have complained about auto defrost because they don't know how to turn it off. It will just turn on the ac or heat when it senses moisture. I prefer to select that myself, and my tesla doesn't even have the option for automatic defrost (you can defrost before you get in the car from the app). New people to tesla's might have problems. You hit the temperature number and it brings up the HVAC screen. Then its obvious how to defrost the front or heat the rear. I mainly just say defrost if it happens when I'm driving.

Definitely a lot of people want dials and buttons. I don't need more than the two scroll wheels and two stalks, but definitely a dedicated hvac control with buttons and dials makes sense for many users. I am quite sure with a good automatic dual climate control people will fiddle with it less than the old style heat cold, ac/max/heat stuff from old cars.

 

I can see why some people like Tesla (or Tesla style) touchscreen, especially for young people who like to play tablets.

As a senior, my biggest concern is still how to navigate the touchscreen while driving. Obviously one should not wear reading glasses while driving, but one would need them to read the touchscreen manual.

Voice control? Not reliable, especially duration conversations.

Bifocals? Seems not an option many people'd like to take.

 

i need blended lenses just to read the dash

 

While there are people who enjoy their automatic and/or voice controlled HVAC systems, some of us still just prefer old fashioned knobs and sliders.

No judgement. If you like voice controls or a thermostatic system that's completely automated, then I'm glad you've found a car you love and works for you.

But don't think that just because you love such a feature, the rest of us should. I don't mind the automated controls on my Avalon all that much (except when it starts changing settings on its own), but I still would prefer old fashioned manual controls. I like feeling a mechanical connection between me and my car. Auto-climate or voice commands just take that away entirely. It all feels too gimmicky to me to feel right.

So yes, my next car will likely have features I don't want and will be missing features that I want.

Things I wished I could have in a car:

• Roll up manual windows.
• Manual (knobs or sliders) climate controls.
• Stick shift.
• Lightweight car that also needs no and doesn't have any power steering.
• Direct pedal to throttle connection.

Will my next car have any of that? No. But because I don't have a choice.