The case for knobs over touch screens.

A lot of the reason why things even as simple as opening the glove compartment on the Model 3 have to go through the touchscreen is related to Tesla’s vision of an autonomous taxi service: They pretty much want everything-by-wire so that your car can go ferry people around while you’re at work, and those ... customers ... can’t mess with your stuff. That, in the sense of controlling the car, and locking out glove-compartment access.

That thinking strikes me as ... iffy.

 

Some auto makers now have redundant controls (touchscreen and manual controls) with limited voice commands. Maybe the best of both worlds. As an example you can use presets for radio control or the touchscreen and radio has multipurpose knobs for tuning, volume or bass treble etc as well as voice commands for changing stations etc. Similar for climate control.

 

I don't know if anyone here is old enough to remember the Rover 2000 (introduced in the early 1960s back in the UK, I think it may have been called the P6 over here) - but when it was introduced it brought with it many innovative safety features, including knobs and switches on the dash-board which were unique in shape thus enabling them to be identified by touch, making them easier to identify at night. I remember seeing one which had had all the chrome trim replaced with matt--black paint (…this, in the early 1960s looked quite stunning!)

 

There was also a call called the Citroen. Suspension would automatically adjust to the speed and movement of the car..........hydraulically!
The faster you drove, the lower the profile became.

 

Ah! The Citroën DS (…IMNSHO one of the most innovative cars ever conceived!) Check it out in Jay Leno's garage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzW_ERSgFRY
- Wil

 

Real World Anecdote.

My 2016 Honda Fit has no knob controls for the stereo. The volume control is all touch screen.

Now it seems from what I've read at Honda Fit forums, that the lack of knob, was not met with a lot of popularity. The knobs were returned in following years.

That being said? I like NOT having the knobs, it makes the dash look cleaner, sharper, IMO. And the touch screen interface does work.
That being said...again....I mostly use the controls on the steering wheel, which are push button. Not sure I'd be as happy, if I didn't have that option.

 

I agree. The only knob I miss is the volume, though. When you turn the car on and it’s cranked up, the touch screen buttons just don’t turn it down as fast as a knob.

 

You could call it a hot-button issue for me...

I broadly divide cars into two classes: the ones with real buttons and knobs, and the ones I will never buy.

 

I still like my Toyota 4runner with huge chunky buttons for everything. You can control anything while wearing ski gloves, which is great when it's cold out.

A coworker has a Citroen DS (and daily drives it). I need to ask him to show it to me one of these days.

 

Back in the UK, a friend had a DS21, and the weirdest thing I found when driving it was the single-spoke steering wheel, although it made the dash-board visibility pretty good!

 

Looked at Scions back when the brand was new. A common complaint back then was that the pre-touch screen radio used buttons for volume control.

The touch screens in my cars haven't been a big bother for me, but that's because the common tasks had secondary buttons, usually on the steering wheel. I do regularly reach for the volume knob in the Camry over the wheel buttons.

 

This is the main reason WHY I got the base Prius Prime. I just didn't want all the functions embedded in the touchscreen. Plus, having a CD player is nice and is actually a bonus!

 

Agreed.

It has a CD player? That's cool.

 

Yeah, I agree. I actually went to my local dealer to negotiate the price for the Plus trim, but I ended up buying Premium trim. They did not have Plus trim in their stock, but instead, they offered me a Premium model in stock for lower than the quote I got for a Plus trim from a dealer in Boston. I hate the large screen and pleather seats, but the 3 door SKS is very nice. I did not have it on my last Gen3 Prius, but after getting used to the 3 door SKS, I don't think I can ever live without that functionality. Also, a power driver's seat, especially power lumbar support is something I really appreciate. So, overall, I am glad I did get Premium trim for myself.

 

Even cooler...

 

I adapted to no SKS after getting rid of the gen2. It was a bit of a plus. I stopped trying to open my house door while it was locked.

 

LOL I still try to open the car door of my son's CRZ without actually using the key. I also have problem with starting his car with the physical key.

 

LOL! That is why I keep a 2006 Toyota Matrix around. It has old school locks and keys. Sometimes it takes me a second to switch my thinking to it after driving the SKS equipped Prius.