Recently we reviewed VW's four-door GTI and one of our few complaints was the difficult-to-use nav system. We suggested replacing all the little buttons and dials with a touch screen. Guess what? They listened! VW's design chief, Walter de' Silva, tells Automotive News Europe that starting next year, every VW will have a touch screen interface. Not just those equipped with nav, but every VW made. It's not clear from the story whether this is will be in Europe only or includes U.S.-spec VWs as well.According to the article, all the car's main passenger-usable systems will be controlled by the screen including climate, radio, entertainment, etc. While we'll withhold judgment on the usefulness or intuitiveness of the system, it will surely go a long way toward giving VW a high-tech look. Could this have been what VW consulted Apple on a few months ago? Or is it just finally the fruition of VW's tech licensing of touch-screen technology from Immersion back in 2005? If so, that could mean the company's new touch screens will have tactile feedback like GPS units that use Immersion's TouchSense technology. Either way, we look forward to seeing how iPhone-like automotive controls work out.
[Source: Automotive News Europe - Sub. Req.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
SherbornSean @ Nov 12th 2007 9:18AM
A German car with intuitive controls? What next, competitive reliability?
zamafir @ Nov 12th 2007 10:06AM
I take it you've never, ever, driven an Audi? MMI is by far the most intuitive control system I've ever used in any car.
SherbornSean @ Nov 12th 2007 1:22PM
Zamafir,
The point is not whether MMI is superior to iDrive or COMAND, but why this e-garbage is foisted on the driving public in the first place.
Dave @ Nov 12th 2007 9:32AM
Mass produced, the system has the potential for cost savings.
Personally, I'm leary of any audio system that can't be easily upgraded, though.
robotrock @ Nov 12th 2007 9:41AM
I hate touch screens....I want to be able to change settings based on touch.
Paul P. @ Nov 12th 2007 9:50AM
Exactly, I hate how the touch screen on our RX330 requires taking your eyes off the road to change simple climate controls settings. I really prefer knobs and buttons for controls that are used while the vehicle is in motion.
Justin @ Nov 12th 2007 10:18AM
I have to agree...they look nice and there's definitely a novelty there but in the end it's just not as safe or functional.
I had a touch screen, found myself wishing for buttons back. Luckily it got stolen and the universe righted itself...
Snark @ Nov 12th 2007 12:44PM
Reading comprehension > you. They're collaborating with a company that is working to provide tactile response to touchscreens, so it feels like you're hitting a button or switch. I've used the system and it feels exactly like pressing a real button.
robotrock @ Nov 12th 2007 12:51PM
Despite the fact it may feel like I am pressing a button I still have to look at the screen to know which menu is currently up. My current HVAC and radio controls never suddenly decide to switch places. I can always reach down and change the fan speed without having to look.
Snark @ Nov 12th 2007 12:55PM
And that's where a half-decent interface design (such as that offered by Apple; if my dad can operate an iPod without instruction anybody can) and a screen mounted high up in your line of sight come in.
robotrock @ Nov 12th 2007 12:57PM
A screen mounted high so you can easily look at it.
As opposed to not looking at all.
Get it?
RicardoHead @ Nov 12th 2007 10:00AM
Sounds to me like another reason to avoid a VW.
Maybe if car makers didn't try to ram 40 billion functions (99.9999% or which are effectively useless) into each vehicle then they wouldn't have to cram 200 trillion buttons on a dash or give me a crappy touchscreen with very likely 500 sub-menus to get lost in (like the damn copier at work) while I'm theoretically supposed to pay attention to the road.
Snark @ Nov 12th 2007 12:56PM
Amazing how you know how it will work before it even exists.
lauralemay @ Nov 12th 2007 10:10AM
ARRRRGGGHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOO
gotsmart @ Nov 12th 2007 10:23AM
Touch screens are excellent for controlling complex systems like navigation units (while the car is stationery, of course) but well-designed, ergonomic knobs and buttons are much better suited to simple things like climate control and radio.
Requiring the driver to take their eyes off the road to make simple adjustments that could be done by feel with physical controls is bad news for drivers.
Corey W. @ Nov 12th 2007 10:25AM
I really like controls I can touch without looking, and although you do have to glance at a GPS screen for directions, controlling stuff from a touch screen is like opening a map in your lap and steering with your knees. What's the point of being high tech when you can't keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
gotsmart @ Nov 12th 2007 10:26AM
Also, given VW's historic incompetence with long-term reliability of the electrical systems in their cars, i can't imagine how many systems will go down simultaneously if they centralize control of everything into one touch-screen interface.
seoultrain @ Nov 12th 2007 10:48AM
So judging by the title, will that girl be getting a touch screen?
k.w.a @ Nov 12th 2007 1:29PM
oh i get it! haha took me a second
et @ Nov 12th 2007 11:02AM
voice commands are better than a touch screens. but, i still like vws attemp at increasing the automotive experience. they are trying.