For the first time in 28 years of JD Power’s car owner survey, there is a consecutive year-over-year decline in satisfaction, with most of the ire directed toward in-car infotainment.

  • Usernameblankface
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    202 years ago

    My opinion is that touch screens should be for passengers only. Display screens are fine, but if physical buttons are so unacceptable, then we need voice control that actually works.

    Also, I’m surprised no one has started a company to retrofit buttons and switches into modern cars. Whatever kind of headache that would be to design and install, I’d like to see it work.

    • @[email protected]
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      202 years ago

      A lot of these cars are starting to get massive touch screens too. I’m looking at buying a Prius and several of the trims have a 12 inch touch screen. Why would I ever need that as a driver? Why would I ever possibly want that? Pedestrian and cyclist deaths keep skyrocketing and we continue to out these massive screens in cars that in many cases can’t be turned off. Lawmakers really need to make auto manufacturers responsible for the part they are playing in enabling distracted driving.

      • @[email protected]
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        92 years ago

        And then they double as GPS, but they’re installed so low that you can’t see the GPS out of the corner of your eye, and therefore need to look away from the road. Great design!

        • Usernameblankface
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          62 years ago

          I see “but it does gps!” As an excuse in favor of the oversized screens. But a heads up display, reading aloud turn by turn directions, or even a set of lights to indicate where you should go would do the same thing better

        • @[email protected]
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          12 years ago

          And guess what? I navigate with my Android and don’t even have to SEE the screen. “In a quarter mile turn left on Bright Screen Road.”

      • @[email protected]
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        42 years ago

        They objectively make night driving significantly worse. Why would I want a big, bright, light pointed directly at my face while I’m driving?

    • ReCursing
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      42 years ago

      Sure, but I don’t always have a passenger in my car and want to listen to the radio

      • Usernameblankface
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        32 years ago

        I think the driver should definitely have radio controls, just not through a touch screen. Passenger touch screens should be for their entertainment and their own heating/cooling settings. I think the passenger controls should have nothing to do with the way the car drives and handles, or headlights, wipers, anything like that.

      • Usernameblankface
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        22 years ago

        And I’d like to have a word with them… About how good their idea is!

        That’s a great start. I am dreaming of some kind of a full dashboard and center console replacement. While I’m at it, I may as well dream of having the money to afford a car that would be new enough to need such an upgrade plus be able to afford the upgrade itself.

    • sj_zero
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      22 years ago

      My 09 focus actually had a fantastic voice control. Never seen anything nearly as intuitive or operational.

      My current vehicle is 7 years newer and I don’t even know what the voice button does.