The touch screen issue was the main thing that drove my purchasing decision when I bought a car in 2020. I wanted a vehicle with dedicated climate controls, which is becoming less common. The...
The touch screen issue was the main thing that drove my purchasing decision when I bought a car in 2020. I wanted a vehicle with dedicated climate controls, which is becoming less common. The beauty of physical controls is I can rest my fingers on them as long as I want and they don't do anything until I provide a notable input. Trying to hover my finger over a screen with lots of things to accidentally press and too little negative space just seems like such an obvious problem!
I think a blend is good: a screen for navigation software and buttons for music source, a volume knob, and climate buttons keep the interior slick without sacrificing too much usability.
I settled on a Honda Passport. I have really enjoyed it far. I’m tall, so I wanted an larger-sized crossover and looked at Ford, Subaru, Toyota, and Honda. The passport was the right mix of...
I settled on a Honda Passport. I have really enjoyed it far. I’m tall, so I wanted an larger-sized crossover and looked at Ford, Subaru, Toyota, and Honda. The passport was the right mix of features and price. It’s basically a small truck engine in a medium sized crossover. So it’s got plenty of power for the hilly area I was in, and it’s comfy!
I’ve driven it 18-20 hours straight on a number of occasions and it’s been a joy.
Don't underestimate that haptic feedback: you can relay information to the driver without it being visual. When you're concentrating on driving sometimes you can only spare half a second to find...
Don't underestimate that haptic feedback: you can relay information to the driver without it being visual.
When you're concentrating on driving sometimes you can only spare half a second to find the button, and you just need it to click into place so you're sure the widget is on now.
Nevermind that you can often find certain buttons by touch alone. You know roughly where they are and you can get the last few centimeters by just knowing what the buttons around it feel like. I...
When you're concentrating on driving sometimes you can only spare half a second to find the button,
Nevermind that you can often find certain buttons by touch alone. You know roughly where they are and you can get the last few centimeters by just knowing what the buttons around it feel like. I believe that's why physical buttons in cars are often irregularly shaped. Making all the buttons physically the same is cheaper and can be pretty, but a triangular or square or round button all feel different.
When I upgraded my truck’s head unit, I made sure I at least had physical volume buttons. Thankfully the climate control is all physical knobs already.
When I upgraded my truck’s head unit, I made sure I at least had physical volume buttons. Thankfully the climate control is all physical knobs already.
This consideration would be top of mind whenever I buy a new car. I really value the physical controls of my current car as it makes it easy to change heat/A/C and volume without looking away from...
This consideration would be top of mind whenever I buy a new car. I really value the physical controls of my current car as it makes it easy to change heat/A/C and volume without looking away from the road. Although many manufacturers are switching away from touchscreens to drive down cost, some such as Honda have returned to using some buttons after complaints from customers.
The touch screen issue was the main thing that drove my purchasing decision when I bought a car in 2020. I wanted a vehicle with dedicated climate controls, which is becoming less common. The beauty of physical controls is I can rest my fingers on them as long as I want and they don't do anything until I provide a notable input. Trying to hover my finger over a screen with lots of things to accidentally press and too little negative space just seems like such an obvious problem!
I think a blend is good: a screen for navigation software and buttons for music source, a volume knob, and climate buttons keep the interior slick without sacrificing too much usability.
What’d you get?
I settled on a Honda Passport. I have really enjoyed it far. I’m tall, so I wanted an larger-sized crossover and looked at Ford, Subaru, Toyota, and Honda. The passport was the right mix of features and price. It’s basically a small truck engine in a medium sized crossover. So it’s got plenty of power for the hilly area I was in, and it’s comfy!
I’ve driven it 18-20 hours straight on a number of occasions and it’s been a joy.
Don't underestimate that haptic feedback: you can relay information to the driver without it being visual.
When you're concentrating on driving sometimes you can only spare half a second to find the button, and you just need it to click into place so you're sure the widget is on now.
Nevermind that you can often find certain buttons by touch alone. You know roughly where they are and you can get the last few centimeters by just knowing what the buttons around it feel like. I believe that's why physical buttons in cars are often irregularly shaped. Making all the buttons physically the same is cheaper and can be pretty, but a triangular or square or round button all feel different.
When I upgraded my truck’s head unit, I made sure I at least had physical volume buttons. Thankfully the climate control is all physical knobs already.
This consideration would be top of mind whenever I buy a new car. I really value the physical controls of my current car as it makes it easy to change heat/A/C and volume without looking away from the road. Although many manufacturers are switching away from touchscreens to drive down cost, some such as Honda have returned to using some buttons after complaints from customers.