How about touchscreens in cars

[Zenith]

How many cars have accelerometers, and gauges, on touch screens? Not many. That's my point. They cater to people whose concerns are entirely different.

No, that's not your point, that's an entirely different discussion.

Every one of those is becoming increasingly cheap. The cost benefit is also great as none of those weigh very much and the possible uses of the data they collect are huge.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

So, I'll wait until they cost less, and display all of the data I want; AFR, ECT, TPS, LGA, and so on.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

How many cars have accelerometers, and gauges, on touch screens? Not many. That's my point. They cater to people whose concerns are entirely different.

If that the only solemn bit of victory you can take away from the entire post he wrote, then why bother. You're as needless to discuss with as W&N at this point. He makes solid points and you boil it down to a singular piece that you yourself tried to shift the conversation in to get your argument victory of the week because people wouldn't accept the one comparing you car with the random joe that thought it was epic (once again).'

So, I'll wait until they cost less, and display all of the data I want; AFR, ECT, TPS, LGA, and so on.

Sounds like a good idea...also I have to ask you this what about those who use their tablet or phone as a portible heads up touch screen display in their car when they don't have a fixed one?

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

But, my car has all of the same functions without the price tag, or the screen.


My car was like $10,000 total.


Fact is, though, not a single car I can think of, for less than $90,000, displays the data I need. I have a $100 scan tool for AFR, ECT, TPS, LGA etc., like I need.

 

[Bopop4]

What do you need to know AFR for?

Also, Guelph isn't really what I'd call the arctic circle.


A touchscreen that links all of my devices to the car would be nice, and it seems that you've just bought some adapters so you can do the same functions anyways.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

What do you need to know AFR for?

Also, Guelph isn't really what I'd call the arctic circle.


A touchscreen that links all of my devices to the car would be nice, and it seems that you've just bought some adapters so you can do the same functions anyways.

The cigarette lighter (I'm not a smoker, and my car is a no-smoke zone) is not a data connection. I've got a Bluetooth system.


Guelph has some pretty intense winters, though, right?


AFR = duh, power.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

But, my car has all of the same functions without the price tag, or the screen.


My car was like $10,000 total.


Fact is, though, not a single car I can think of, for less than $90,000, displays the data I need. I have a $100 scan tool for AFR, ECT, TPS, LGA etc., like I need.

The cars aren't any more expensive now than they were before they had screens an almost standard feature. A new 2013 Camry without the scree isn't any less or more expensive than the 2014.5 version. Also most people don't need those items displayed and I'm sure there are cars out there less than 90k that do it.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

Camry - overpriced beige sedan... yawn.


Most people don't need those items displayed - kinda why I find them useless. Being on the other side of the coin, I don't really care what's on the other, I just don't like it.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Camry - overpriced beige sedan... yawn.


Most people don't need those items displayed - kinda why I find them useless. Being on the other side of the coin, I don't really care what's on the other, I just don't like it.

Okay then it's been noted, this isn't about you though this about the overall purpose of them, as the thread was founded on. To be honest most people really don't care what you have to say in your little world I'm sure you've talked yourself into thinking you have to know the Air to Fuel ratio is a big deal...it isn't. Nor does your oddball needs prove the irrelevance of touch screens other than to you and your needy niche.

And since you missed the setup I placed, all of your needs can probably be done on your phone or a tablet if you have one, thus it can be used as a default display like those that cars come with. As someone interested in Racing I'd think you'd have seen some of these innovations in race cars especially teams who use the tablet for an interface. So how are touch screens irrelevant still?

 

[Bopop4]

The cigarette lighter (I'm not a smoker, and my car is a no-smoke zone) is not a data connection. I've got a Bluetooth system.


Guelph has some pretty intense winters, though, right?


AFR = duh, power.

Yeah, but you would've added that into the car to get that functionality.
It's cheaper for manufactures to just mass produce the systems and install them, rather than you putting them in yourself.

Last few years it's been mostly slush, nowhere close to what you get if you go a few hours north.

I don't think it's going to matter much on a 150hp AT wagon.
We threw enough fuel at my bike to make it misfire at peak hp, so much so that it's at risk of fouling a plug, and even then it only lost 5hp.

Camry - overpriced beige sedan... yawn.


Most people don't need those items displayed - kinda why I find them useless. Being on the other side of the coin, I don't really care what's on the other, I just don't like it.

The Camry is just an example.

The touchscreen integrates everything together.
I much rather having a music player on my computer than having to pull a boom box up beside the PC.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

I don't think it's going to matter much on a 150hp AT wagon.
We threw enough fuel at my bike to make it misfire at peak hp, so much so that it's at risk of fouling a plug, and even then it only lost 5hp.

Problem solving - "what went wrong? How do I fix the first question's result...?"

If that were integrated, as you say, and there were more uses for it than there currently are, then it'd be fine.



But, what is the point in having a screen in a car if all it does is music and navigation? I don't see the purpose. Keep trying to convince me, after a year you might find a single point, maybe. Until then, I'll remain my stubborn self and inevitably tell you guys that a car's purpose is to drive about.

 

[Xilor]

I've driven a lot of cars with touchscreens, and in general I've liked most of them.

My favourite is probably Mopar's system that you get in their pricier offerings like the Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, etc.
They have a split-screen touchscreen, with radio controls at the top of the screen, and HVAC controls at the bottom. This means you don't have to navigate through multiple menus every time you want to go from adjusting the radio station to lowering the temperature, for example. In many ways its just like the separate button controls that we're all used to, except its all organised on a touchscreen, giving the center console a clean, streamlined look.

One problem with their system is the absence of tactile feedback. You really need to know where the buttons on the touchscreen are to be able to use them without looking away from the road. I've been driving these cars on a weekly basis for a couple of months now and I still can't manage it.

 

[ildd]

.



But, what is the point in having a screen in a car if all it does is music and navigation? It.

So you can see stuff, do stuff and go places without having to look at a bunch of mapquest directions?

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Problem solving - "what went wrong? How do I fix the first question's result...?"

If that were integrated, as you say, and there were more uses for it than there currently are, then it'd be fine.



But, what is the point in having a screen in a car if all it does is music and navigation? I don't see the purpose. Keep trying to convince me, after a year you might find a single point, maybe. Until then, I'll remain my stubborn self and inevitably tell you guys that a car's purpose is to drive about.

Who is trying to convince you? We realize you aren't going to change and you're only here to make noise, the point is for others reading this not for you. You're as lost of a cause as W&N

 

[Korza]

But, what is the point in having a screen in a car if all it does is music and navigation?

Um, that is the purpose. Most people have no need for having raw data from the ECU being displayed. And if someone does need it then they can hook up a laptop or a smartphone to get said data.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

So you can see stuff, do stuff and go places without having to look at a bunch of mapquest directions?

My phone has voice-directions. The screen is useless. The phone has google navigation, and every sound the phone makes goes through car stereo via Bluetooth. The screen is useless. All it tells you is what the ground looks like, and what the roads are shaped like. Woo?

 

[Bopop4]

music and navigation

That's all I want/need.
Makes things a lot easier when you don't have to plug everything in and have wires everywhere.

car's purpose is to drive about.

Yes, A-B.

The easier it makes it for the driver the better.
Having everything in one system is a lot easier than having it on one or more external devices.


Integrated hands free calling, telling the car to heat up a for a bit before you go to work on a cold day, there are tons of small things that it can do to make life easier.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Um, that is the purpose. Most people have no need for having raw data from the ECU being displayed. And if someone does need it then they can hook up a laptop or a smartphone to get said data.

hell a few years ago you could do it with a damn Gameboy advance SP and can still do it with a DS.

 

[Xilor]

My phone has voice-directions. The screen is useless. The phone has google navigation, and every sound the phone makes goes through car stereo via Bluetooth. The screen is useless. All it tells you is what the ground looks like, and what the roads are shaped like. Woo?

Google Maps on your phone uses data. A lot of people have other uses for their monthly quota, and don't want to spend any of it on navigation.

Then there's the issue of travelling abroad. If I, or you for that matter decide to go to the States, we can't use our 3G network there. Google Maps is a great thing but it can't fully replace a proper navigation system.

 

[ildd]

"Screens are useless"
Rear view camera.
Mind=blown

And don't say "but those are only for the weak and stupid" Because it's a safety and time saving thing. I realized on Sunday I should have bought one.

 

[Zenith]

Problem solving - "what went wrong? How do I fix the first question's result...?"

Almost nobody has problems with AFR, imagine if cars came with a physical gauge with AFR displayed. What a colossal waste of space that would be.

On the other hand, if you have a touchscreen, you can set the UI to display AFR at all times if you'd like. Isn't that nice? Convenience? Customizability? Efficiency?

Oh wait, I forgot we should really be saving that space for physical FM radio controls that many drivers will never use.

If that were integrated, as you say, and there were more uses for it than there currently are, then it'd be fine.

Nobody needs AFR displayed. Professional tuners and race engineers do not have AFR displayed in their daily drivers or race cars. It's just not needed.

But, what is the point in having a screen in a car if all it does is music and navigation? I don't see the purpose. Keep trying to convince me, after a year you might find a single point, maybe. Until then, I'll remain my stubborn self and inevitably tell you guys that a car's purpose is to drive about.

Once again, touchscreens can be used to control or display anything.

Here I was thinking being stubborn was something to be ashamed of, silly me.

I guess all us silly car enthusiasts will have to live with being able to tailor our dashboards exactly the way we want them and having easy access to driving accessories. When will we learn that real driving is about sitting in front of a mess of switches and knobs until you strangle yourself in a mess of wires while trying to adjust your speaker volume.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

"Screens are useless"
Rear view camera.

Finally someone who almost has a point. Sucks that I have a neck which can turn, though.

until you strangle yourself in a mess of wires while trying to adjust your speaker volume.

...And people call me melodramatic.

 

[ildd]

Finally someone who almost has a point. Sucks that I have a neck which can turn, though.

It's not that simple... Unless your entire trunk and bumper is made of glass. Which, if that's the case, you need a new bumper and trunk.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

It's not that simple... Unless your entire trunk and bumper is made of glass. Which, if that's the case, you need a new bumper and trunk.

I mean, I'm a mechanic - I drive - and reverse - cars all day long.

 

[Azuremen]

I've got music, a nice exhaust note, decent power, and wonderful handling.

Exhaust note... not really.

Decent power? That 2.5 paired with an automatic is abysmal. One of the most obnoxious and irritating drive train combos I have ever experienced in my life. A falling apart Integra LS with an iffy clutch and grinding gear box was more satisfying.

Handling? Amusingly, the stock falling apart Integra LS I mentioned also handled better.

The delusions are strong. Especially given the whole temperature argument, and it is quite nice to be able to set the car to exactly 68 degrees F on a long drive, or tweak it up a couple degrees for a passenger that wants it a touch warmer.

As for the various engine management data, you realize any decent tune on a car will have management, where you can pull all that data and pipe it into the cabin? Then you display it on a screen (laptop in the old days, modern setups are working with tablets I believe) so you can see it all on the fly.

Of course, this data isn't meaningful to 98% of drivers so it isn't really a huge priority in development.

Google Maps on your phone uses data. A lot of people have other uses for their monthly quota, and don't want to spend any of it on navigation.

Then there's the issue of travelling abroad. If I, or you for that matter decide to go to the States, we can't use our 3G network there. Google Maps is a great thing but it can't fully replace a proper navigation system.

Pre-cache (the maps app has an option for this from what I recall) all your maps on wifi if you want to be State side. Also, the data consumption on maps is trivial compared to any media. Having current maps absolutely trumps any integrated navigation system I've seen in the past ten years, because, you know, things change.

As for the topic, while I love my dials for HVAC and radio controls, I don't see much issue with the modern direction of touch screens. Large, adjustable UI elements are nice to have for drivers. Plus, interior layouts vary so much between manufactures there isn't much precedence for how analog controls are laid out, what buttons are most important, and so on.

But I am partial to the simple layout on my old M3, but any other car with dials and buttons tends to just be a mess of rectangles.

Finally someone who almost has a point. Sucks that I have a neck which can turn, though.

Try driving a car that isn't relatively small. Or low to the ground. Or when you accidentally run over a skateboard/bike/pet left in the driveway.

I mean, I'm a mechanic - I drive - and reverse - cars all day long.

And yet you're so completely ignorant on the various quality of cars and the various desires of consumers.

 

[ildd]

It may not be a problem for you but when you live in a culdesac with 8 little kids who are always outside and leave their **** all over the place, not to mention they are still oblivious to big moving blocks of metal, the rear view camera is a good idea.

Then there are the dumbasses who park the opposite way as you, slightly boxing you in at night...

 

[Exorcet]

My phone has voice-directions. The screen is useless. The phone has google navigation, and every sound the phone makes goes through car stereo via Bluetooth. The screen is useless. All it tells you is what the ground looks like, and what the roads are shaped like. Woo?

Are your voice directions flawless and never ambiguous? The screen is giving you additional information that you can't get or cannot easily use with voice.

Finally someone who almost has a point. Sucks that I have a neck which can turn, though.

I assume you have legs too, so why use a car?

 

[ildd]

Side note-my mom's Fusion has a rear view camera in the mirror. It's like, the only redeeming quality about it.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

@Azuremen, I spent two hours trying to force a module in a GMC Envoy to re-learn all of its TPMS sensors. In the end, the unnecessary module, which inevitably costs a lot of money, is popping an annoying light on the dash. The customer wanted the light out. Impossible. Needs a new module (at least $160). But, yes, modern cars are great.


All to turn a light out in the dash.


Now, feel free to tell me about how I'm ignorant towards modern cars. I try to put up with these unnecessary changes, but nope, I'm already tired of TPMS/touchscreens etc., from having to work on them. For the PITA-amount, they're just not worth it.


Also, I'm not talking about my current car specifically, so stop saying about my 2.5RS. I'm talking about car stereo systems that don't use irritating touch-screens.

Side note-my mom's Fusion has a rear view camera in the mirror. It's like, the only redeeming quality about it.

I approve of this.

 

[Azuremen]

@Azuremen, I spent two hours trying to force a module in a GMC Envoy to re-learn all of its TPMS sensors. In the end, the unnecessary module, which inevitably costs a lot of money, is popping an annoying light on the dash. The customer wanted the light out. Impossible. Needs a new module (at least $160). But, yes, modern cars are great.

I like how you picked one of the worst manufactuers in the past decade to use as an example.

Now, feel free to tell me about how I'm ignorant towards modern cars. I try to put up with these unnecessary changes, but nope, I'm already tired of TPMS/touchscreens etc., from having to work on them. For the PITA-amount, they're just not worth it.

You realize you're pretty much describing any OBD-II car? Which means anything post 1995? Or have you never had an mystery CEL that throws a code that clearly isn't the issue? Because that happens all the time.

Also, I'm not talking about my current car specifically, so stop saying about my 2.5RS. I'm talking about car stereo systems that don't use irritating touch-screens.

Pretty sure I was directly responding to your glorfying you're amazing automatic econobox. Again.

So stop going on about a generic eco-box and we will stop lambasting your car.