Computer screens on car dashboards.

[fizzy]

I caught 'indoors holding the car at traffic lights by slipping the clutch.

I see LOADS of people doing that

 

[minimutly]

What do you have to reach over to, to touch? Nothing I would argue. Anything to maintain safe control of a car is within the vicinity of the steering wheel.
Anything on a touch screen is fluff to make you feel more comfortable.

Which is why I said about Tesla going too far with the gear direction being on the screen on the model S and the Speedo being on the only centre screen on the model 3 etc.

But having entertainment and car settings on a touch screen isn’t a bad idea, there’s an argument to be had about climate controls wether they should be physical buttons or not but it’s not key to driving a car safely.

Everything like cruise control, headlight switches, indicators etc. still for the most part (Tesla aside) are tactile buttons/switches as far as I’m aware

The satnav, warning cancellations, hvac, phone (dodgy that one), music (shares some stuff on steering wheel), can’t think of anything else.

 

[KemppiFrog]

A dab of the brakes or a dip of the clutch pedal turns it off.

Er, no. Jeep Cherokee that I was asked to fix would wind itself up to 90kph and frightened the owner badly. Though it wasn't cruise control per se, it was connected with it. Auto box, so no clutch anyway. Brakes just fought the engine.

I am very much with Jerry. Every thing I need on my Kangoo I can touch without looking. Maybe a glance at the rear fog light switch, which is low.

As above, touch screens are cheaper than mech controls and, fashionable. Not too much a problem for the experienced driver, but I really worry about new ones, not least because they spend a lot of time looking at screens and while they may be adept, very likely they would spend longer at the screen than absolutely needed. I often pass people that have their heads down, looking at something for as long as I can see their faces. Clearly far to long to be alert. The more options the screen gives, the more time looking at it.

 

[Revs1972]

My car has head up display ...I don't know why every car doesn't have this!! Without moving my head I can see the current road speed limit (this changes instantly if the limit changes even at temporary road works) and the speed I am driving ...it's fantastic.

It also shows me every turn and junction and a visible countdown in metres to the next turn from my sat nav and I can, if I touch media button on my steering wheel, see what radio station I am listening to or what song I am playing. All this information is shown about 3 feet away 'on top of my bonnet' so I do not need to lose sight of the road at anytime.

It took me a short time to get used to but now when I drive my wife's car without HUD I miss it completely..... with HUD you have no excuse for being caught speeding!!!

Another 'option' I have is automatic headlight assist ..it dips the main beam automatically and is faster and more reliable than you can do yourself and never, ever, gets caught out .. again amazing and much safer than having to think and then dip every time a car comes along ....

Yet another safety option ...active cruise control ...I set my speed to that of car in front - say 60mph - if the car goes faster I stay at 60 but if it slows down my car will slow and keep a safe distance - if it comes to a complete stop my car will also stop and only restart back up to 60 when I touch the throttle and it's safe to do so ..... it also acts as pedestrian avoidance - someone steps out the car will brake sharply to try and avoid an accident.

HUD is a gamechanger isn’t it.
One of the best features of the car.
Mine also has physical buttons for most functions , either on the wheel or dash.
Also , voice control can operate 80% of functions too . 360 degree cameras, matrix headlights, adaptive cruise (semi auto driving means you don’t need to touch anything at low speeds ). All makes it a safer driving experience IMO

 

[Revs1972]

I often pass people that have their heads down,

Looking at the phone sat on their lap half the time

 

[Jaffman]

The satnav, warning cancellations, hvac, phone (dodgy that one), music (shares some stuff on steering wheel), can’t think of anything else.

Again, none of that is a detriment to how safely you drive a car.

Unless you let it be

 

[Wozzaaah]

For those who say how dangerous they are because you have to take your eyes off the road, next time you go for a drive make a conscious effort to note every time you do take your eyes off the road, you’ll be very surprised.

 

[MattF]

For those who say how dangerous they are because you have to take your eyes off the road, next time you go for a drive make a conscious effort to note every time you do take your eyes off the road, you’ll be very surprised.

Possibly, but that's not accounting for how stupid/dangerous a large portion of drivers are with no distraction. Giving them a(nother) distraction is moronic.

 

[redlig]

I see LOADS of people doing that

AND standing on the brake pedal just to annoy the driver behind ,especially after dark.

 

[fizzy]

HUD is a gamechanger isn’t it.
One of the best features of the car.
Mine also has physical buttons for most functions , either on the wheel or dash.
Also , voice control can operate 80% of functions too . 360 degree cameras, matrix headlights, adaptive cruise (semi auto driving means you don’t need to touch anything at low speeds ). All makes it a safer driving experience IMO

I love Matrix headlights - awesome.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I caught 'indoors holding the car at traffic lights by slipping the clutch.

Awwww, bless

 

[KemppiFrog]

For those who say how dangerous they are because you have to take your eyes off the road, next time you go for a drive make a conscious effort to note every time you do take your eyes off the road, you’ll be very surprised.

Nope, I very rarely take my eyes off the road for more than a second. So far, 57 yrs at the wheel and never claimed on insurance. One prang in 72, when I had nowhere to avoid them. Her ins paid and she was proscecuted, even though I rammed her from behind.
One pet hate is drivers who have to look at a person when talking to them, even if in the back seat...
Anyway, I really don't think screens are a step forward. HUD for simple stuff, yes. Peugeots have had it for a while. Keeps your eyes up and on the road.

On wheels up landings, a standard joke was 'How do expect me to concentrate on getting it right, when that horn is going off in my ear'...
I suspect that Herc was not just forgetfulness, it is a two pilot aircraft.

 

[minimutly]

Again, none of that is a detriment to how safely you drive a car.

Unless you let it be

Well now do you stop every time you want to change the radio to cd/stick/whatever? Every time you want to change satnav settings, change the heater outlet settings? Maybe you do. Answer the phone? The point is doing all these things are less safe with a touchscreen. Dose that change the argument? Dunno.

 

[minimutly]

Because when you have to take your eyes off the road to find the virtual button on the flippin' screen to get to climate, then find the ones to warm up, cool down, blow air at the side, or your feet or shut the damn radio up . . .

When in my older bangers the button to shut the radio up was exactly where I left it - on the LHS of the radio which was still where it was yesterday in the dash . . .

The heater control dial/lever also in the same place in the dash as it was an hour ago . .

At 60mph, you cover a lot of ground while not fully concentrating on the road . . . it might perhaps explain the random slowing down and veering around a lot of vehicles seem to do these days.

This exactly - to take @Jaffman s point - you don’t need to operate all this stuff at all - or if you do - stop.
But stop where exactly? Next lay-by maybe? Which will be full of car owners doing the same thing.
I’m sorry, still think they’re a stupid idea.

 

[bigegg]

Realistically, once you are used to the controls, is the fact it's a touchscreen *really* any more distracting than a manual control?
Or is it just ludditism?

fwiw: I've installed a rasp-pi touchscreen control in my car. It only controls the satnav, media centre ("stereo") and telephone - *so far* .
Eventually, it will communicate with my house controller to do things like turn on driveway lights, or open the garage door, or turn on central heating when I'm nearly home.

 

[Kayos]

Realistically, once you are used to the controls, is the fact it's a touchscreen *really* any more distracting than a manual control?
Or is it just ludditism?

fwiw: I've installed a rasp-pi touchscreen control in my car. It only controls the satnav, media centre ("stereo") and telephone - *so far* .
Eventually, it will communicate with my house controller to do things like turn on driveway lights, or open the garage door, or turn on central heating when I'm nearly home.

Why turn the heating on?
It's April, mine is disabled until at least October

 

[bigegg]

Why turn the heating on?
It's April, mine is disabled until at least October

85 y/o mother...

 

[Bullet2012]

Touch screens, are getting a bit old hat anyway. Voice control is the way to go. Tesla have it as I am sure many other vehicles do.

Voice Commands

Enjoy more seamless control of your car with Tesla voice commands.

www.tesla.com

 

[minimutly]

Realistically, once you are used to the controls, is the fact it's a touchscreen *really* any more distracting than a manual control?
Or is it just ludditism?

fwiw: I've installed a rasp-pi touchscreen control in my car. It only controls the satnav, media centre ("stereo") and telephone - *so far* .
Eventually, it will communicate with my house controller to do things like turn on driveway lights, or open the garage door, or turn on central heating when I'm nearly home.

Oh really, I’ve previously explained why it is more distracting, if you disagree fair enough.
Here’s another example, wife’s Astra, the heater controls are at the bottom of the centre console - where you can’t make out any of the symbols - she likes it roasting - so what do I do? Drive in a sweat? No, I have to pull in to peer down at the bloody things.
Poor design, simple as that, should never have been given a licence or whatever they need to sell these things.

 

[jerrytug]

Touch screens, are getting a bit old hat anyway. Voice control is the way to go. Tesla have it as I am sure many other vehicles do.

Voice Commands

Enjoy more seamless control of your car with Tesla voice commands.

www.tesla.com

Seriously, voice control? What about back seat drivers and kids messing about? Who will the car listen to!