Maybe I'm just old

[fisicx]

We have a Mini which has a touch screen thing in the middle of the dashboard for things like the SatNav, radio and suchlike. All the other controls are where you would expect them to be and accessible without taking your eyes of the road (eg: turning the heater up)

Last weekend we were invited to test drive a new mini.

Everything is now controlled using a central touch screen. You don't even get a speedo anymore, it's now a head-up display.

When I pointed out the faff needed to adjust the fan speed or turn on the de-mister (and having to look at this screen while driving to do so) we were informed that we would need to install the Mini app on our phones which used Alexa to respond to spoken instructions to change any settings.

This was apparently a better driving experience that we would soon get used to.

During the test drive if you go over the speed limit it thinks you should be doing it starts dinging at you - even though it was wrong.

Maybe I'm just too old to cope with this new technology but it put us off buying a new car.

 

[MikeJ]

You'll be able to disable the speed alert.

An annoying thing on my car is the fan and heated seat control is the same button. And the thermostat. Pull it towards you and it switches to fan control. Push it down and it becomes the heated seat control.

Having said that, it's all controllable by voice, if you can get it to understand my mumblings.

 

[fisicx]

They did say you could disable but it turns itself back on when you stop the car.

The current mini does voice control. The new mini only works via an app on your phone and Alexa. Not sure how this is an improvement.

I have no idea where to find the choke

 

[Ozzy]

I've got a Model 3 (Tesla) for a couple of months, short term rental, and it has no dash and everything is as you describe for the mini (on a giant iPad in the middle). As a techie geek who loves new toys I can appreciate the tech, but for driving it is taking some getting used to.
Even adjusting the aircon or as I tried this morning, putting the heater on the steering wheel) nearly sent me into a ditch trying to find the controls.

I think the next gen will be fine using voice commands for everything (my kids don't send texts, they send voice notes) but yes us older folks like good ol' fashioned buttons that just do what they need to.

 

[fisicx]

I don’t mind voice commands, we already use them on the current mini. But the new model requires me to install an app and use Alexa to do the same thing. This is apparently an improvement?

 

[Daybooks]

We have a Mini which has a touch screen thing in the middle of the dashboard for things like the SatNav, radio and suchlike. All the other controls are where you would expect them to be and accessible without taking your eyes of the road (eg: turning the heater up)

Last weekend we were invited to test drive a new mini.

Everything is now controlled using a central touch screen. You don't even get a speedo anymore, it's now a head-up display.

When I pointed out the faff needed to adjust the fan speed or turn on the de-mister (and having to look at this screen while driving to do so) we were informed that we would need to install the Mini app on our phones which used Alexa to respond to spoken instructions to change any settings.

This was apparently a better driving experience that we would soon get used to.

During the test drive if you go over the speed limit it thinks you should be doing it starts dinging at you - even though it was wrong.

Maybe I'm just too old to cope with this new technology but it put us off buying a new car.

The "ding" at 30mph is quite good. The "head up" display will develop a mind of its own.

 

[Ozzy]

use Alexa to do the same thing. This is apparently an improvement?

When I had an Ipace that used Alexa, and I didn't use it often but when I did it worked well for Spotify and for making phone calls. Never used it for anything else though, even at home I only use the Alexa to play Spotify!

 

[MikeJ]

They did say you could disable but it turns itself back on when you stop the car.

According to this, it's an EU and UK standard on all new cars?

EU Regulations Are Mandating Speed limit Warnings in MINIs & They’re Coming to the US - MotoringFile

Starting this week, all new cars sold in the EU must have speed limit warnings reminding drivers of speed limits or on some cars even slowing them down. Known as Intelligent Speed...

www.motoringfile.com

 

[Mark T Jones]

On our recent (used) purchase, we had an absolute requirement that the dash was a dashboard, not a games arcade.

Essentially ruled out anything under 3 years old.

Meanwhile my parents just bought a nearly-new Polo and were disappointed to discover that most of the functionality is on a subscription basis. The only functionality they actually wanted was Sat Nav (set up through iPhone) and a conventional speedo - which they had to pay for.

 

[alan1302]

The "ding" at 30mph is quite good. The "head up" display will develop a mind of its own.

The ding every time you go over the 'speed limit' gets annoying very quickly - our car often has the wrong speed, can see a 10mph speed limit on a wheelie bin and starting dinging or at times think 80mph is the speed limit!

 

[alan1302]

According to this, it's an EU and UK standard on all new cars?

EU Regulations Are Mandating Speed limit Warnings in MINIs & They’re Coming to the US - MotoringFile

Starting this week, all new cars sold in the EU must have speed limit warnings reminding drivers of speed limits or on some cars even slowing them down. Known as Intelligent Speed...

www.motoringfile.com

That is correct but you can disable them but have to do it everytime you start the car.

 

[numbersrule]

Yes, decline in progress.

Peak everything has been and gone.

That includes the world economy and plenty of poor design now.

Down, down, deeper and down, driven by environmental decline.

People's power of reasoning has gone which is contributing to the design issues.

There are good intentions but we know what is paved with those.

Poor regulation, combined with a lack of accountability.

How many times do we have to hear it?

Social media are a contributory factor.

 

[fisicx]

Have I missed something? How does social media contribute to needing an app to operate the controls on my car?

 

[Porky]

My daughter has one, it’s not for me.
It has some tray or something for wireless phone charging you can drop your iPhone on and it auto charges it however when she upgraded her iPhone the new one was bigger apparently and won’t fit the tray. She still loves the car all the same. I can’t be doing with any of that. I’m not connected to my phone for a start, I like to go out without it to get some piece and quiet
It is an age thing for sure: don’t you remember your parents asking you to set the video recorder because they couldn’t work it? It’s your turn now.