On 3/7/2024 at 9:07 AM, StephenFord said:

Yet manufactures quite happily put widescreen technology in the cabin to control pretty much every aspect of the cars functionality

I agree but with auto climate control you only ever need to go up or down a couple of degrees. Sync 4 has a volume knob and 4 essential buttons. I noticed they’re still using sync 3 in the Kuga etc I think they might skip sync4 for the rest , onto whatever else they’ve dreamt up. I thought Google had done a deal with Ford for infotainment 🤔 

2 minutes ago, Alex.S said:

I agree but with auto climate control you only ever need to go up or down a couple of degrees...

??? So, you don't need to take your eyes off the road just for a couple of degrees 🤣

17 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

??? So, you don't need to take your eyes off the road just for a couple of degrees 🤣

It’s not the 1980s having to use a rag to wipe the fogged up windscreen while doing 70  

My point is it pretty much does it all itself. Personally I prefer buttons but all this tech has been thought through, passed whatever safety checks to get the NCAP5. 

"you only ever need to go up or down a couple of degrees..."

I think we're across purposes! You stated that you only need to adjust the temp by a few degrees. My assumption was that even for a few degrees, you'd still need to take your eyes off the road to adjust that on a touchscreen. Have I totally misunderstood you?

Oh, and you were posh using a rag to wipe the screen, us poor folk just used our hands 🤣

6 minutes ago, Alex.S said:

.... Personally I prefer buttons but all this tech has been thought through, passed whatever safety checks to get the NCAP5. 

That's my exact point - it hasn't been thought through! If it's dangerous to look down at a smartphone (because you can't operate one without looking at it's touchscreen) how come it's suddenly safe to fiddle with another touchscreen to operate the actual vehicle you are driving! Anyway, looks like legislation may actually catch up with common sense and put buttons for key functions back on a car...

I’ve only driven one car with all touchscreen. The climate control worked as it should, the temperature buttons were bottom right , big buttons   Pretty quickly I could adjust it as easily as physical buttons (without really looking at the screen) Stereo buttons on the steering wheel worked well too. First thought… fkn hated it. After a while it becomes easy. 
The big screens are half album covers half sat nav , no really distracting imo. Apart from the collision avoidance incident last week 😳 

I read Audi are going back to some physical buttons 

I've got a big knob to alter my climate temp. 🤣🤣 Don't take my eyes off the road ahead when flicking it up or down a few degrees

2 minutes ago, iantt said:

I've got a big knob ...

No one likes a show off 🤣

I'm not even going to ask what colour 🤣

I thought this might be of interest ... sadly I did not really understand what was being said but am rather responding to the positive vibes exuding from the presenter of this video!!

 

Related article: https://carbuzz.com/news/ford-finds-a-way-to-keep-the-internal-combustion-engine-around-for-even-longer#:~:text=Ford Finds A Way To Keep The Internal,Pre-combustion enables cleaner burn during main combustion cycle

On 3/8/2024 at 5:07 PM, StephenFord said:

Anyway, looks like legislation may actually catch up with common sense and put buttons for key functions back on a car...

Yes, might not be actual legislation but I have seen the suggestion that Euro NCAP will not award full 5 star safety ratings unless certain functions can be operated by physical controls.

https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/euro-ncap-wants-more-physical-controls-and-less-touchscreens-to-achieve-five-star-rating

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/consumer-news/362499/touchscreen-backlash-euro-ncap-says-physical-buttons-will-be-incentivised-car

On 3/3/2024 at 5:50 PM, Scottman said:

If Wrightbus collaborated with BYD he signed over any intellectual property rights for processes or designs that he created.

that’s how “partnerships” with Chinese companies works.

As FinDreams Battery Co (BYD) is the world third largest vehicle battery manufactor it's not surprising at all that Wrightbus have a deal with them.

Wrightbus and other UK builders do not have their own battery plant, they have to buy them from somebody.

 

As for the lack physical controls in cars, it's not just an EV issue and has been creeping into all car. The new Euro NCAP policy is overdue and most welcome, ALL basic functions should be with a switch or leaver.

40 minutes ago, Mark-UK said:

As FinDreams Battery Co (BYD) is the world third largest vehicle battery manufactor it's not surprising at all that Wrightbus have a deal with them.

As mentioned in earlier posts, it's Alexander Dennis who have a JV with BYD, not Wrightbus.

Afaik Wrightbus has a battery deal with the French Group Forsee Power, who have plants in France, Poland, India and China.

https://www.sustainable-bus.com/news/wrightbus-streetdeck-electroliner/

About physical buttons, I predict Ford will bin the sync 4 setup. Probably repeating myself but Audi apparently are going back to more physical buttons so I’d think the rest of the VW group will follow suit.  
What is the new NCAP policy ? 

The only saving grace about not having physical buttons is that a lot of the cars that do not have them do have some of the safety features that a lot of the forum members sneer at.

Still not as safe as having physical buttons and driving properly though in my opinion.

55 minutes ago, Alex.S said:

What is the new NCAP policy ? 

According to the reports I've seen: "To achieve a full five-star safety rating, vehicles will require physical controls for hazard lights, indicators, windscreen wipers, SOS equipment, and the horn."

The latest iteration of the Tesla Model 3 would fail for sure, and from what I've seen the new Volvo EX 30 will be on shaky ground, also.

I see Renault CEO, Luca de Meo, has made his "Letter to Europe" publicly available.

It's 20 pages, but an interesting read, and can be downloaded as a pdf here:

https://www.renaultgroup.com/en/letter-to-europe/

 

Well, I gave it a couple of reads. It’s basically a surrender flag. He is basically saying that things have progressed to the point that he believes it best to just make the investment and that everyone will have to make the sacrifices and pay the increased costs. The political term for it in America is “sing Kumbaya”. Or in layman’s terms “ Let’s all resolve to suffer this together “. I would not have expected much more than this from the French. When it comes to giving up, they have always been a world class player. 

2 hours ago, Scottman said:

It’s basically a surrender flag.

I didn't take it quite that way. He's pretty critical of EU overregulation, supports technical/scientific neutrality, backs e-fuels and hydrogen; and pushes for smaller vehicles against the SUV trend. Perhaps we see a bit more of his general attitude and pronouncements on these matters here than make it to the States.

And he's not French, btw.😀

2 hours ago, Scottman said:

. I would not have expected much more than this from the French. When it comes to giving up, they have always been a world class player. 

Cheese eating surrender monkeys 🇫🇷 

https://www.techspot.com/news/102349-ford-challenge-new-tesla-model-25000-electric-vehicle.html

For supermarket shelf browsers, this week's Autocar  has a piece on best "affordable" (£35k to £40k!) EV 2024. Cupra Born, which a few of us seem to kinda like, is No 1 with Hyundai Kona and related Kia Niro at 2 and 4 respectively.