Physical Controls Are Back.
Carscoops:
It seems that the world of technology—including the automotive industry—is undergoing a “re-buttoning” phase. While touchscreens remain a dominant feature in vehicle interiors, automakers are revisiting the value of physical controls as drivers rediscover their importance. Driving, after all, is one area where practicality and safety demand simplicity. But what’s driving this shift in design philosophy?” more
Elephant in the room.
Distraction causes accidents.
Insurance companies are a heavy lobby.
The Vehicle Industry listened and compromised, fewer, endless screens, smaller computer screens, decreasing distractions, accidents and highway deaths. Common sense to me. Rarely do I drive my Wife’s vehicle, way to many screens and Buttons. I never read the Owner’s Manual to find out what all the Icons were for.
But hey, I’m not an Associate Professor or a “button” guru either.
And I think my 1996 Chevy Caprice (my dad’s car with less than 100k miles) is modern because it has a digital speedometer / odometer. The “climate control” is knobs (some of which I’ve had to replace). Still has the “stalk” turn signal / wiper / dimmer switch too along with knobs and buttons on the radio (the CD player quit working 20 years ago). I plan to run it until one of us dies.
I need to get something else to have as a backup, but I hesitate to do so because of what “cars” have become these days. The mechanic that works on my car when I can’t physically do some things told me that today’s cars are basically a Windows 3.1 computer on wheels. When I asked him about cars to avoid, he told me to stay away from anything made since about 2010 because they are garbage because of all the electronic controls – sometimes you have to replace whole “modules” that can cost him thousands of dollars at wholesale prices instead of the specific part that doesn’t work any more.