Dumbing up of Automobiles

[TallPaul]

In my 2001 Ranger XLT and many other vehicles in that era and earlier you can reach over and find the third knob, turn it all the way to the right for defrost, find the middle knob and turn it to right for more heat, and the left knob and turn up the fan, all without taking your eyes off the road. In my wife's 2005 Mountaineer, forget it! I can hardly adjust that thing sitting at a red light.

I see what they are doing to the newer cars and can't figure out why they moved away from simplicity to complexity in the controls. Am I just not with the computer age? (Computers on a desk, not interfacing on my dashboard.) I like simplicity. I don't want a touchscreen in my vehicles. I wouldn't mind going back to the sliding levers for temperature and output settings.

No, don't suggest I get a Model T. That would be going back way too far. It just seems that once a company has a good design it is never good enough and since they play keeping up with or ahead of the Joneses with the other automobile companies, none will stand alone and stick with something that is good. Like styling. I wish the Mustang still looked like it did in the late 80s early 90s. No, the bean counters seem to rule. Got to maximize profits. Everything else is second.

RANT OVER. Now I feel a little better. But surely I have misunderstood or mis-stated some things and some will surely come and lambaste me for it, so:

This'll be interesting.

 

[simple_gifts]

+1; i need controls a blind person can operate.

 

[DemoFly]

I always laugh at commercials that tout all their vehicles features that distract the driver from the road.

Center console computers, phone integration into the steering wheel and center console, roof console GPS, flip down televisions...

I think Mazda has a commercial right now for a crossover and it doesn't even talk about the vehicle what-so-ever, just Mazda's interior gadgets.

 

[Mr Nice]

I like the technology of 1955 control knobs
Low-Medium-High
Fan speed 1-2-3-4-5

Not the iApple digital display touch screens for the most basic necessities.

 

[hardcore302]

I, too, prefer the simpler things. My 2007 Mustang has what you described. Knobs for: fan speed, temp, and for where the heat should go. Then a button under each knob. A/C, recirculate, and rear defrost. Probably the simplest setup as of late.

Put me in an Audi, with practically a whole computer keyboard to control something that's so simple, and then light it red, and I want to drive off a cliff.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I like the technology of 1955 control knobs
Low-Medium-High
Fan speed 1-2-3-4-5

Not the iApple digital display touch screens for the most basic necessities.



My former '69 Nova (and other cars of the era) controlled the blend door with a cable instead of vacuum. It was one less thing to worry about, and was much cheaper to repair if it did fail.

 

[gotib007]

Several factors go into this. Many dashes are modular now, assembled at the supplier's plant and shipped to the OEM for installation in the vehicle. Buttons, wires and servos replace knobs, cables, brackets and levers. It makes the job easier on both ends.

In addition, the lighter weight saves fuel. With CAFE, any little bit helps.

Finally, reducing the garbage behind the dash allows the safety engineers to work on reducing lower leg injuries, now that they just about have everything sorted out with the life-threatening stuff.

It really is better, overall. Just requires a little more time familiarizing yourself before you leave on a trip. Believe me, I know what you are talking about, I rent a lot of cars on business.

 

[OVERKILL]

I prefer climate control. I never have to touch anything on the Expedition or BMW, they are both just on Auto and function just fine

 

[440Magnum]

Don't get me started on using the touchscreen for the HVAC and radio controls. Dumb, dumb, dumb. I've absolutely LOVED several rental cars apart from that feature, and would probably refuse to buy them BECAUSE of that feature.

The touchscreen is fine for navigating menus to setup the dash, bluetooth, entertainment system, etc. the way you want it while the car is sitting still, but the darn thing should be DISABLED when the car is moving. Anything you operate while the car is moving should be operable by feel alone, you shouldn't have to look at the screen first to check which mode its in, make a selection to get it to the right mode, and then make your change.

Darn, I said DON'T get me started, and there I went anyway.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum

The touchscreen is fine for navigating menus....



My attitude is that they are fine when they work, but are expensive to repair and 10 years from now when some poor owner needs to have the thing fixed, they will be discontinued and will be unobtainable. (I'm just having trouble finding some heater hose for an Aerostar right now.....)

 

[typ901]

Count me as throw back to simpler times as well. It has been 2 months or more since I have even turned on the radio in my 01' M-B E320. I drive 40 miles a day, with about 70 minutes total in the car. Just don't care- I enjoy the sound of the engine and the silence gives me time to depressurize from the day.

I enjoy the modern safety features, but they only come into play when needed. My climate control is automatic-set at 72, and I never drive with my jacket on unless it is very cold. Oh and last thing-I drive with both hands on the wheel! Strange right..

Who has time to adjust settings-apps-etc.. when driving? I just like to keep it simple.

 

[bdcardinal]

I love the 3 knobs on my Mustang, works well. Well the temp feature works until I turn the AC on, but it works besides that.

My Volvo has a automatic air feature that seems to always want the fan on hurricane strength which is mildly annoying.

 

[surfstar]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
I prefer climate control. I never have to touch anything on the Expedition or BMW, they are both just on Auto and function just fine

I prefer to choose when I run a/c - new cars want it on all the time.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
I prefer climate control. I never have to touch anything on the Expedition or BMW, they are both just on Auto and function just fine

I prefer to choose when I run a/c - new cars want it on all the time.



A/C has an independent button apart from the climate control on the BMW, it can be turned off and on at will. This isn't the case with the Expedition unfortunately.

 

[itguy08]

I just touch the climate control 2 times, in the winter 72 and summer 71. I don't care how it does it, just that it does it.

 

[John_K]

I once told a car salesman that reliability was the most important factor in my purchase decision. He said that's great, but for every customer like me there are 99 that purchase according to the placement of cupholders.

I think the masses like the shiny baubles and don't think about the inner workings of a car. And yes I love simplicity, but I find everything any more is so complex. Buy a DVD player and the remote is a foot long and covered with buttons. I want on, play, pause, stop, off.

I recently rented a Ford and it had that Sync in it. Fiddling with it to get the radio on was more complicated than just having a radio. But the masses think it's cool.

John

 

[eljefino]

The automatic AC bugs me more than most stuff. MPG and performance drag. Most other gadgets don't do that.

If it's 40 degrees out and I cold start my car, I direct the soon-to-be-heated air through the defogger. It's the only position that doesn't blow in my face. The cold air from the AC fogs up the OUTSIDE of my windscreen. Inside is fine for fog and of course dehumidified by the AC. I just want the defroster so I don't have wind blowing on me anywhere! I've disabled AC at the pressure switch on a couple of cars to get my way.

 

[fdcg27]

Simple is best for any car's systems.
The menu on a touch screen nonsense is an absurd rube charmer.
The rube thinks he's getting something high tech, while what he's really getting is an expensive and complicated interface to what is really a very simple system.
There should be no need to adjust to or learn the controls for HVAC, the sound system or the door locks.
They should be totally obvious and intuitive.
None of these controls should distract the driver in any way.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

I have not touched the auto climate control since I got my car in 2005..I keep it set on automatic and at 76 degrees all year long..Plus you save a lot of money never fixing window regulators.

Most people I know just set it and forget it..There really is no good reason to keep playing around with the climate control system once it is set at your desired temperture.

 

[Mr Nice]

One thing I hate about Ford TV commercials is that half the time they are focused (no pun intended) on the Sync dashboard entertainment center.

I won't buy any vehicle if it has that iApple features on the dash. I just need round knobs that I can turn without taking my eyes off the road when driving at 80 MPH on the highway. Like I said before... 1955 technology.