Really poor car design - touch screens -

[hedgehog]

In older cars, there are a lot of buttons and switches - each one a different shape in a different location. It was possible to adjust the windows, change the radio station, turn off the heater etc without ever taking your eyes off the road. What is the difference between looking down at a touch screen and texting while driving? If auto makers want to impress me, let's get the speedometer and engine lights on a heads-up display!

[Downwinder]

1. K&R

[upaloopa]

2. My navigation touch screen does not function

while I am moving. I can change radio channels by touch screen or voice command. I can call by voice command. Much of the touch screen stuff can be done via voice command or by buttons on the wheel. I really don't have to use touch screen for most things.
I does require you to learn how to use it.

[hedgehog]

5. I'm only judging from the ads on TV -

my newest car is a used 1991 truck!

[hunter]

3. I don't think there's anything I like in modern cars.

In my utopia most people wouldn't need cars and we'd be removing roads and highways.

If my old car dies I'd replace it with another old car that doesn't have electric windows or any other useless crap that goes bad. Or maybe it'll finally be time for no car.

[cbayer]

4. The only thing you used to look at was the speedometer.

Now, you've got a GPS, a touch screen radio, the telephone, the sirius radio (which has to be retuned as you move from one area to another), the fuel economy screen (Prius) and touch screen climate control.

I heard a story about this recently. The story was about multi-tasking and how most people just can not do it.

This has got to be the cause of many, many accidents.

[MineralMan]

6. Not me. I still glance down to check

Gauges. I buy cars that display important information on the dash display. Always have. Coolant temperature, engine RPM, vehicle speed, etc. These days my car doesnt display oil pressure, but there is an array of warning light that tells me if something is out of normal range, even tire pressure. I check my dash display at least once a minute. Doing so has saved me from expensive repairs several times, and expensive tickets all the time. I have driven since 1962 and have had zero tickets.

[cbayer]

8. I was struck on a recent road trip by how many gadgets I had going at one time.

The Sirius radio was the biggest and most dangerous distraction. Second would be the GPS.

Gauges that give information on the functioning of the car are a different matter.

[MineralMan]

10. Do not use those things or have a passenger operate them.

If you have no passenger, pull over or take the next exit to adjust stuff. I have zero sympathy for your first world auto problems, to be quite frank. Drive safely or do not drive.

[cbayer]

11. I've never had a ticket either, so I think I've got this. Thanks.

You are so insulting. I regret responding to you at all.

[MineralMan]

12. Regrets are many. Understandings are scarce.

Do not reply to me, if that pleases you. If you do reply, I will respond. That may be inconvenient at times.

[MineralMan]

7. All common controls, including

Hands free bluetooth cell pnone and sound system controls are on the steering wheel of my $14k KIA Soul. If a cheap econobox can do that, I do not see the issue. Buy a car that works the way you prefer, for pete's sake.

[bluestate10]

9. I pre-adjust before starting to drive. Regardless of the controls, driving while trying to adjust

a setting is dangerous.

[MineralMan]

13. Exactly. If adjustments must be made pull over

and make them safely, or have a passenger make them. First world problems.

[hedgehog]

14. I've seen too many ads showing the driver's fingers adjsuting a touchscreen

while driving - which indicates that at least some auto companies are modeling this as typical behavior.

[MineralMan]

15. One need not do what appears in TV ads.

Truly.

[stevenleser]

16. Hopefully, we all wont need to drive much longer. They seem to have successfully tested

a car that drives itself and navigates successfully on the road with other cars.

[cherokeeprogressive]

17. I wouldn't mind a HUD, but I'm old-school. I LIKE to drive.

Put all the controls on the steering wheel and the shifter... and leave me to it.

[Buns_of_Fire]

18. My GPS talks to me, so it hasn't been a problem.

As a matter of fact, the instructions specify that, once it's been programmed for my destination, there's no need to look at it at all. Suits me just fine, so long as they don't reprogram it to say things like "Schmuck! I TOLD you to exit here! Are you deaf or something?"

That's the point where I'll go back to using those big paper things... what are they called?... oh yeah, maps.