#bringbackbuttons
this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2024
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I've got a few capacitive buttons in my car, none of them critical, but I'd gladly replace them with the physical buttons in the lower tier version of that car...
Like, how is this considered the nicer option? Hell, I think they're actually cheaper for the manufacturer than proper buttons at this point...
But sure, I really want to have to try three times to turn the vented seats on because I don't hit the exact right spot on the pad, only to accidentally switch it to the heated seats in triple digit weather while reaching for the AC knob (which actually is physical, thankfully)
Yeah, this stuff is always cheaper. Companies, like Tesla, have convinced a few stupid people that it's "premium" but if you look at all the cheapest cars coming to market all they have is a touch screen, like Tesla. It's the absolute cheapest option and it sucks.
Car companies won't be happy until cars become yearly upgrade items like phone companies have convinced us to do with mobile phones
Well I'd gladly switch my car on yearly basis if it cost the same as my phone...
Of course they are cheaper, thats why they put them everywhere instead of regular buttons.
But not as much on the lower end models... That's what's confusing to me.
Nicer in the sense of flat panel that doesn't have dust in the seams making designers happy. And they're indeed cheaper to install.
A well-designed button can be incredibly satisfying. Just ask anyone who owns a mechanical keyboard.
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Capacitive buttons on anything are annoying, they're unreliable as fuck. They might trigger with the slightest accidental touch, but then they'll act like your finger doesn't exist for a dozen pushes.
and why do they have to be everywhere? we have an induction stove and it has capacitive buttons for some idiotic reason. so many problems! when you boil water, little drops are always landing on the buttons. and to reduce power from max to min, you need to hold the - button for like a full minute. wiping the stove with a wet towel makes it go BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP and it won't shut up! and finally, when my cats walk on the buttons, they always manage to turn it on. i miss knobs.
Yes, so much yes. I've got that on mine too, and it's a pain. it has very small, close "buttons" too, setting the temperature is an exercise in accuracy, when it reacts at all.
And yes, the tiniest drop of water fucks everything up completely.
Yeah I'm remodeling and literally refuse to buy anything that doesn't have physical controls in the kitchen.
Fuck touch controls on everything.
As a safety risk, they should be recalled and replaced with proper controls for free.
In germany you migh have the chance to get a 50€ voucher for your next german car
Can confirm that these buttons on the steering wheel of the id4 are really, really dangerous bullshit. I regularly drive those cars as rentals, and I've never (not "rarely" - it's really never) faced a worse decision on buttons in any device I ever handled. Those touchpads are solely the reason I despise all VW-cars - they are complete crap. (I use these cars only for short trips and never activate any system by these buttons after encountering numerous dangerous situations as described in the article.)
I think it's Mercedes that has two mini touchpads on the steering wheel? Horrible.
Shouldn't automotive catch a hint from the fact that the only mainstream capacitive control devices are phones and tablets - something that you're constantly looking at while operating?
They know.
Capacitive touch sensors are WAY cheaper than physical buttons, and aren't nearly as prone to mechanical flaws. Plus they can market them as "newer"!
Car companies only care about your safety as much as it affects their bottom line. It's unfortunately commonplace for there to be known fatal flaws which occur infrequently enough that it's cheaper to just pay out the injured/killed victims than to issue a recall. Driving is inherently dangerous - any car companies that tried to fix everything would go bankrupt, or at least be squeezed out by those that don't.
Now, if only there were a way to build the places we live so that we didn't need to take on the risk of driving so frequently...
The older I get, the more willing I am to pay a premium for safety.
Im of the opinion controls for cars should be designed more like controls for airplanes. Every gage and button in that cockpit is where it is and points where it points to be able to convey a lot of information with a quick glance and allow you to interact as quickly and easily as you can read them. Marketing gimicks that remove layers of tactile response to esential controls don't belong in heavy machinery.
Todays cars cockpit layouts are straight out dangerous for the roads tbh. Forcing you to point your eyes to some shitty display somewhere to turn down your AC, then try to tap tiny buttons and hope you won't tap on something else, instead of looking at a road in front of you? How is that even allowed ffs?!
Touch controls are becoming increasingly common in airplanes and then backed up by mouse cursors. Flight critical controls still need to be backed by physical hardware but stuff like route planning etc is now almost entirely touch based. For light sports aircraft’s even flight critical stuff can be approved as touch controls. Look at the G3X or Dynon SkyView. They both have some form of dial-based backup controls, but it’s clearly designed for touch first.
Thankfully, after every reviewer called them bullshit, their newer cars have shifted back to real buttons on the wheel.
There's still capacitive button BS for the heating controls though, so there's still shit reviewers need to push back on.
I had a 2023 hire VW Caddy while mine was getting repaired and it had real buttons on the steering wheel thankfully. The climate control was all on a touchscreen though which was awful. At least they had a button next to the wheel that would set it to demist the windscreen (change the blowers, heat and fan to Max) so you could do that without crashing.
Was so glad to get mine back with actual controls.
It is absolutely insane to treat capacitive buttons as a good thing in cars at this time.
The only capacitive input I will accept in my next car is the infotainment, CarPlay is brilliant.
Controls for lights, speed, wipers, climate, volume, play/pause, and anything else that you need to use when driving should have a physical control.
I hate having capacitive buttons for temperature in my car, not to mention that to activate the seat heater, I have to go into a menu in the infotainment.
Ban all touch screens in cars.
I only accept Touch Screens for Media and Navigation. Everything else better be a button.
I own an ID3 and it's got the same capacitive bullshit steering wheel. So far I've only managed to accidentally fuck with the audio by brushing the right side of the wheel during a turn, but it's really scary that those cruise control buttons are right there with the potential to be fucked with at random.
Luckily I've learned to be pretty well aware of the adaptive cruise control suddenly deciding there's a different speed limit on the road than what's actually there, so maybe I can manage to catch any accidental fuckings with the buttons too.
The ID.4 doesn't just have capacitive buttons, it has swipe controls on the steering wheel.
And of the most frustrating cars I have ever driven.
It's both. VW can't make their mind up.
Swiping works on them, but so does pressing.
While im not a fan of the capacitive buttons on the steering wheel, I’ve gotten used to them and havent had any issues. That said, if there’s some sort of recall that swaps it out for a wheel with regular buttons, im down for that. I saw some of the newer VWs had physical buttons again, i wonder if it is just as easy to sawp like my MKV Rabbit from the bare bones to a R32 wheel?
Now the capacitive buttons below the screen could f right off lol. I barely use them. I tend to rest my hand on the top of the screen and use my thumb to navigate where i need to go. Thanks above for the travel assist mode.
I got a loaner while my car was being fixed a while ago. The volume control on the wheel was touch sensitive. I would swipe it and blow my ears out while turning.
Worst. Idea. Ever.
Completely ridiculous, used to own a mk6 Jetta and the steering wheel was perfect as it was, everything was right there and it was all regular buttons
This bears repeating more: VW already knew how to make good driver controls. Their buttons and switches were carefully and thoughtfully designed for many years. The decision to throw in touch-screen buttons is either chasing a fad or outright dangerous cost-cutting. Companies like VW deserve the flak because they knew better, and did it anyway.
Mk7 GTI owner here, can confirm it's got great steering wheel controls. I like that the audio is on the left side since my right hand is busy shifting.
Lots of cars got crossed from my list when shopping for a used one this year, no buttons meant no purchase. got a Kia stinger, fast car, looks good, good price, all physical buttons
Your autocorrect took the day off.
Kia Stinger looks like a nice ride, good choice!
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