I’m on my second EV now. 1st was Kia eNiro, now an MG. What matters to me for day to day, are basics like controls not hidden within menus on a touch screen. Buttons and knobs are the way forward.
All I ask is low-distraction operation. I actually think Tesla’s implementation of screen controls is reasonably good at avoiding distractions - probably about as good as you can get with screen controls. (If you reply to this with a political comment I swear to fucking god I will find you)
That said, when I was car shopping in 2018, I bought a Focus 5 speed specifically because it was the car I could find with the absolute least amount of distracting horseshit on the dash. One tiny screen that only displayed the radio and backup camera and wasn’t interactive. Button controls. No mpg nanny lights or color shifting shit. Just a car.
In hindsight, the Focus was a much more engaging experience and much calmer. Touchscreens really don’t belong in cars.
BUT
Neither do massive keyboard-esque arrays of buttons. Controls must be intuitive, ergonomic, efficient, and operable by muscle memory. Regardless of form factor. I’m looking at you, 2010s Honda.
I’m on my second EV now. 1st was Kia eNiro, now an MG. What matters to me for day to day, are basics like controls not hidden within menus on a touch screen. Buttons and knobs are the way forward.
All I ask is low-distraction operation. I actually think Tesla’s implementation of screen controls is reasonably good at avoiding distractions - probably about as good as you can get with screen controls. (If you reply to this with a political comment I swear to fucking god I will find you)
That said, when I was car shopping in 2018, I bought a Focus 5 speed specifically because it was the car I could find with the absolute least amount of distracting horseshit on the dash. One tiny screen that only displayed the radio and backup camera and wasn’t interactive. Button controls. No mpg nanny lights or color shifting shit. Just a car.
In hindsight, the Focus was a much more engaging experience and much calmer. Touchscreens really don’t belong in cars.
BUT
Neither do massive keyboard-esque arrays of buttons. Controls must be intuitive, ergonomic, efficient, and operable by muscle memory. Regardless of form factor. I’m looking at you, 2010s Honda.
I regard my (still going strong) 2003 Honda as a peak in dashboard design.
Can’t upvote this enough. I’m on my 4th EV and god do I miss those physical buttons.