Volkswagen To Bring Back Push Buttons On Steering Wheels

At least a first step, acknowledgement they've made a dangerous "improvement". Take it further, actually TEST these controls. Monitor how long the driver has to take his eyes off the road, say to change the H/V system from full auto to the the mode that directs air primarily to the windshield.

Even WITH buttons, there's no way I can accomplish that on our 2010, without a protracted eyes-OFF-the-road gander:

1. Look down and to the right, find the H/V mode button, in a row of uniform, smooth-faced buttons.
2. Reach down, get a finger on it.
3. Push button, and check LCD display to see what it's gone to (likely Vent).
4. Push button again, and again check LCD display. Repeat as needed. Don't go to fast, or you'll go past it, have to run through them all again.

I pine for our mid-eighties Honda's, with the dials and sliders with detents. You could set anything you wanted, purely by touch, eyes on the road the whole time.

Maybe governments need to get off their duffs and legislate some common sense in this regard.

Our new-and-improved apple tv is the same btw (it was a present). Old one you clicked where you wanted to go/do; new one, just pick the damn thing up and chances are you're going somewhere you don't want to go. Newer ones reverted, ditched the clever touch/swipe crap.

 

Who thought touch sensitive buttons were a good idea to put on an object a driver's hands are suppose to be all the time?

 

This review I saw recently had nothing good at all to saw about the controls on the ID.4. That would be an absolute deal breaker for me. No way would I put up with that.

 

tl:dr Because, Tesla.

ICE cars have the button, because having the engine turning on and off all the time under those situations isn't good for it. Start up with minimal oil in place is where much of the wear happens in the engine. This isn't an issue in a BEV. Just opening the door on any car will bring on the cabin lights, so this isn't exactly extra drain on the 12V battery.

Not having a button is only a problem if the car doesn't automatically apply the parking brake, and many newer cars of all types do that. Otherwise, it is just something that needs getting use too, says the person that tried using a foot parking brake on a car, they've had for 6 months, that doesn't one just last week.

 

I made an EPB discovery today on my Bolt EUV. I got one of those ratcheting arms for the scissors jack to make it easier to raise the car and change a tire. I chose the left rear to test it. Once it was off the ground in my level garage, the back wheel spun freely. When I first got the jack and tested it in my sloping (but not steep) driveway, I seem to remember that the rear wheel was locked. I'll have to verify that when I get a chance. The manual isn't really clear. It just says the parking brake my set in certain situations.

BTW, that ratchet arm for the jack is pretty clever. Seems like $13 well spent should I ever need to change a tire on the road.

 

I wasn't sure what level of accessory on you meant. One key notch or button push until the car is put in gear isn't a big deal, turning on everything whenever you sit down can get old.Is this something that can be adjusted in settings?

Or using a really flimsy one. That's just being cheap. If you know you aren't going to use it, it would be nice to make a real option. I'd also like to see that for floor mats. They overcharge for them, and most third party all weather ones have more coverage.

That one Jeep didn't have it.

 

Some of my cars wouldn't turn on everything in the accessory mode. Had to be in Run for the radio or windows.