this post was submitted on 19 Dec 2023
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Volkswagen Will Bring Back Physical Buttons In New Cars | Down with touch screen controls.::Volkswagen says that it has heard the feedback from its customers. It plans to bring back physical buttons and controls in future models.

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[–] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 40 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (3 children)

I’m fine with some touch controls, but volume, temperature, and gear shifter should never be touch only. All 3 are frequent operations in a vehicle and require too much visual focus when you’re trying to drive. It’s unsafe to take your eyes off the road for this to check the precision of your change. The advantage of physical buttons is that you can adjust them without looking. Also, for volume especially, you frequently want to go from zero/very low volume to higher volume and vice versa. A lot of touch controls are tap-based. Changing volume by tapping is tedious. Tap and hold is worse because you’ll likely overshoot your mark and stress out yourself and your passengers by blasting the volume. Temperature has similar issues, but not as bad because the range of adjustments required aren’t as drastic. Nonetheless, I change the temp often enough, that I don’t want to look.

And, don’t get me started on going between drive and reverse with a touch screen while trying to execute a 3-point turn. People with Teslas always try to defend this with me and, I’m sorry, but no. Changing drive modes should require a physical shifter by law, for safety.

[–] Plopp@lemmy.world 11 points 11 months ago

Ok but hear me out... We could save a couple of bucks putting all pedals in the touch screen as well. All those mechanical parts are costly. And now that I think of it, the steering, my god, the steering! Your wallet will thank us for the extra profit we'll make from cost cutting.

[–] ultra@feddit.ro 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Don't Teslas have physical gear shifters?

[–] phoneymouse@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] ultra@feddit.ro 2 points 11 months ago

Oh, TIL the Model S doesn't. The only Tesla I've been in is a Model Y and that one does have a physical one.

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 28 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I wish there was a subreddit/community for when tech reverts back to sanity (like all digital/screeny tablet console cars, local only/encrypted shit, etc)

[–] TacoButtPlug@sh.itjust.works 9 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 4 points 11 months ago

I'm a dilettante/ideas guy, I just broadcoast the poppy seeds ;)

[–] Kushia@lemmy.ml 24 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

The last thing I want to do is navigate a tablet when I'm operating a vehicle. I don't know how it ever made sense in the first place.

[–] jdeath@lemm.ee 17 points 11 months ago (1 children)

VW really marketed their way into every feed on every site by making a big deal about... putting buttons in their cars. All hail our corporate overlords, who give us our buttons and dominate our feeds.

[–] Darkhoof@lemmy.world 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)

They need to make it clear they understood they messed up and are backtracking.

[–] sizzler@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago

Just not with emmisions, or government supported market manipulation.

[–] Dariusmiles2123@sh.itjust.works 16 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Finally, a good decision. I’ve nothing against touchscreens, but not for everything.

Also, generally their software is so bad. I’m using a new Skoda Kodiaq at work and its GPS is a nightmare compared to older cars.

[–] DreadPotato@sopuli.xyz 10 points 11 months ago

Yeah software in most cars is really underdeveloped and neglected, leaving it in a horrible state. Manufacturers have handled the transition to a digital interface extremely bad.

[–] Lophostemon@aussie.zone 11 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Fuck the buttons, I want brass-handled pull-ropes.

[–] HejMedDig@feddit.dk 8 points 11 months ago (1 children)

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[–] melroy@kbin.melroy.org 9 points 11 months ago
[–] K1nsey6@lemmy.world 5 points 11 months ago

Thats whats held me back from buying an ID. My new truck has all touch screen and I hate it.

[–] Veedem@lemmy.world 4 points 11 months ago
[–] bushpilot@lemm.ee 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I own an ID.4. The capacitive steering wheel buttons were probably my biggest fear when we bought this car.

But, they work great. In a year (with 23,000 miles) I've only had a miss-touch a couple times. Swiping to change volume is way better than button pounding.

The capacitive temperature and volume controls under the screen work just fine, too. Now they do need to be illuminated, which they will be in the 2024 model, but it's great to swipe to the temp or volume you want.

The capacitive buttons on the dash to the left of the steering wheel work the worst. They are for the fog lights and defroster controls. It just doesn't seem to register where you press, so that takes a couple tries, but they aren't used often.

I'd honestly be sad to see them go.

[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 9 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Swiping to change volume is way better than button pounding.

It is, but it's worse than having a physical scroll wheel with nice tactile steps, like even my Fabia has.

The capacitive temperature and volume controls under the screen work just fine, too. Now they do need to be illuminated, which they will be in the 2024 model, but it's great to swipe to the temp or volume you want.

Again, not as good as a dial that you can feel and don't need to take your eyes off the road to operate.

Plus the whole driving with gloves issue.

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

What's this a computer-car for ants?

[–] tsonfeir@lemm.ee 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It’s made for adults who can’t drive good and who wanna learn to do other stuff good too.

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Ouch heehee ;) Too much bad thinkings while bad drivings

[–] jiton@feddit.rocks 1 points 4 months ago

I'm thrilled to hear that Volkswagen is bringing back physical buttons in their new models! Touchscreen controls can be quite frustrating and distracting while driving. It's great to see a company listening to customer feedback and making changes that enhance the driving experience. For those looking for a reliable place to buy cars, check out Cars45. They have a wide selection of vehicles and offer great services.

[–] jiton@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 months ago

Certainly! Here's a comment in English:

It's refreshing to see Volkswagen taking customer feedback seriously. Bringing back physical buttons and controls in future models is a smart move towards improving user experience and addressing user preferences. This customer-centric approach shows Volkswagen's commitment to listening to its market and adapting accordingly. Looking forward to seeing how these changes enhance the driving and usability of their vehicles!

Read more

[–] samothtiger@pawb.social 0 points 11 months ago (2 children)

There’s so many fewer points of failure when you use physical buttons as opposed to touch screens. I hope everyone follows suit.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The physical buttons aren’t attached to anything though. It’s still software. My ford buttons glitch out when the soft buttons and steering wheel buttons do.

[–] riskable@programming.dev 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

It's because they cheaped out and used (cheap) electromechanical switches for the buttons and electromechanical rotary encoders for the knobs.

If they used magnetic hall effect switches they'd never glitch (unless the microcontroller itself is glitching). Hall effect switches are forever.

(And no: Even cars in Arizona don't get hot enough to wreck rare earth magnets... They'll lose strength slightly above 80°C but not enough to matter since the car knows its internal temp and can compensate if they didn't get the better sensors that auto-compensate).

For reference, hall effect switches and encoders aren't really that much more expensive for something like a car where you're going to be using/making millions of them. It probably saves pennies per car to use the cheap switches.

[–] rottingleaf@lemmy.zip 2 points 4 months ago

What I don't get is this constant cheating where they don't have to.

Even where making a real thing with its advantages is cheaper or same, they'll still make it dependent on something that breaks.

Well, it would be advantageous where no competition will do the real thing. But we have competition, right? Free markets, right? No cronyism, right? LOL

[–] DreadPotato@sopuli.xyz 0 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Physical buttons have wiring harness failure, mechanical failure, and software failure...pretty much exactly the same amount as the touchscreen solution.

What boggles my mind is that cheap, snappy, easy-to-use touchscreen interfaces have been a solved issue for well over a decade with the proliferation of smartphones...why the hell do car manufacturers suck so much at implementing it!? They're all slow bug-ridden shitshows.

[–] rottingleaf@lemmy.zip 1 points 4 months ago

How do you do "mechanical failure" with hercons? I'm all attention. They may not be as pleasant to use, but beat touchscreens still.