Clock Setting

[NewAudiOwner]

I checked the time setting on the MMI yesterday and it is on +00:00 time zone, within this menu the time is correct but when I exit the to the main menu it is still showing as summer time. Is there a different setting to change this or am I losing it?

 

[cemerson]

There's a 'manual daylight savings' option or similar in mine, which you have to use if you have GPS time turned on I think. Absolutely insane that in this day and age you have to do that kind of thing manually... 'last weekend in march' and 'last weekend in october' isn't exactly the most difficult of things to achieve in software, but there we go. It as at least reasonably quick to change.

 

[BigD289]

Yes there is, can't quite remember what it was called but there is an option to automatically update summer time. It is in the time settings which I think is the same menu you are referring to. I had to change this setting as well.

 

[cemerson]

There's no option on mine to automatically update it, have to do it manually.

 

[NewAudiOwner]

There's a 'manual daylight savings' option or similar in mine, which you have to use if you have GPS time turned on I think. Absolutely insane that in this day and age you have to do that kind of thing manually... 'last weekend in march' and 'last weekend in october' isn't exactly the most difficult of things to achieve in software, but there we go. It as at least reasonably quick to change.

Exactly what I was thinking, I spoke to my colleague and he changed his manually but I thought surely this should be done automatically. Oh well I will have a look again this evening and change it, Thanks

 

[cemerson]

Stupid really. I drove home from my parents' house on Sunday (about 100 miles), and wasn't keeping track of time.. sat nav said I would get home at 9:15 pm - got home, then looked at a different clock in my house and was utterly confused as to why it said half 8... I hadn't updated the time in my car and just assumed it would be automatic! Madness. Computers have been changing the time automatically for over 20 years, phones can do it, why not a 2013 car?

 

[arad85]

'last weekend in march' and 'last weekend in october' isn't exactly the most difficult of things to achieve in software

Except timezone changes vary in every different country. It is only Europe that has standardised on these two dates - some countries have no TZ changes, some do but on different dates, and if you are in the US, different states have different timezone rules (some change, some don't). Avoiding having to update the car computer to take account of any changes made means manual TZ only....

 

[cemerson]

Except timezone changes vary in every different country. It is only Europe that has standardised on these two dates - some countries have no TZ changes, some do but on different dates, and if you are in the US, different states have different timezone rules (some change, some don't). Avoiding having to update the car computer to take account of any changes made means manual TZ only....

Yeh, but the rules here are easy, so no reason they couldn't have done it for the UK or some other timezones while leaving the ones without any set rules as manual. It's also not hard to have a database of timezones and the rules that apply for DST. Microsoft have managed it for nearly 20 years on home PCs.

 

[cuke2u]

Yeh, but the rules here are easy, so no reason they couldn't have done it for the UK or some other timezones while leaving the ones without any set rules as manual. It's also not hard to have a database of timezones and the rules that apply for DST. Microsoft have managed it for nearly 20 years on home PCs.

Something MS got right? Surely not...
There are two ways your PC clock is set, either by the bios or online with a server to your local country. I am not completely sure but I think there isn't a car possess that kind of system because it would mean programming differences on the assembly line.

 

[arad85]

It's also not hard to have a database of timezones and the rules that apply for DST. Microsoft have managed it for nearly 20 years on home PCs.

You would be surprised.... The problem is the dates can and do change which is not good for a car that doesn't have an update mechanism. Far better to be consistent everywhere (i.e. DST offset) than have something automagical for some places, but not elsewhere.

 

[cemerson]

Far better to be consistent everywhere (i.e. DST offset) than have something automagical for some places, but not elsewhere.

Why? I don't see how that is better in any way.

 

[cemerson]

There are two ways your PC clock is set, either by the bios or online with a server to your local country.

Not true - the DST settings are managed locally for most countries, and probably pre-loaded for other countries with fixed dates to a point beyond the expected life of the software. This wouldn't be hard to do. Especially when the rules for most places are so simple. This feature has been available since windows 95, long before the spread of broadband and permanent internet connections, or ever widespread internet connectivity at all.

 

[arad85]

Why? I don't see how that is better in any way.

Because it is consistent.

 

[cemerson]

So? To what benefit? It's not like the specs and options offered are consistent across different countries anyway!

There's just no excuse for it in 2013 really, it's just lazy of Audi not to have done this.

 

[arad85]

So? To what benefit? It's not like the specs and options offered are consistent across different countries anyway!

As far as I'm aware, all the components offered in different countries are the same, just put together in different packages.

Consistency means:

• One explanation for all
• Same training for dealers
• Same manual applies everywhere
• Everyone gets the same experience

At the end of the day, it's a choice made by the manufacturer (call it Germanic logic...). They have decided not to implement a country setting. Simple as.

 

[cuke2u]

Hi, Fords are the same with their clocks on their cars. There is the ability to lock the time to a DAB signal as my alarm clock changed it's time as soon as I turned it on to Radio 6...

 

[dieseldoug]

It's crazy a high price car cannot change the time but some of the cheaper price cars do it through the radio, just have to live with it

 

[Richyboyp]

Am I the odd one out here? My car changed. Ok not auto this time but that's because I hadn't changed it to do so. Using gps to make sure time is right and setting DST to auto I'm convinced in summer now I won't need to do anything. Role on summer!
So to answer you comments
Yes 2013 cars do change time automatically!
(Someone tell me if I'm wrong)

 

[cemerson]

As far as I'm aware, all the components offered in different countries are the same, just put together in different packages.

Consistency means:

• One explanation for all
• Same training for dealers
• Same manual applies everywhere
• Everyone gets the same experience

At the end of the day, it's a choice made by the manufacturer (call it Germanic logic...). They have decided not to implement a country setting. Simple as.

I know what the definition of 'consistency' is, but that still doesn't explain its benefit. Like I said, the spec, trim levels and available options and even engines differ from country to country.

I'm saying, at the end of the day, it's stupid not to have this as a feature. It would be easy to do it for all countries, just as it would be easy to do it for some countries. It's 2013, not 1993.

 

[cemerson]

Am I the odd one out here? My car changed. Ok not auto this time but that's because I hadn't changed it to do so. Using gps to make sure time is right and setting DST to auto I'm convinced in summer now I won't need to do anything. Role on summer!
So to answer you comments
Yes 2013 cars do change time automatically!
(Someone tell me if I'm wrong)

There is no 'DST to auto' setting for me. I think there was a bug with this (a thread on here a long time ago), and the later versions don't have the option, as a temporary fix or workaround. I hope they bring it back in a later version.

 

[Richyboyp]

Oh, my car was new in sept. Seems odd, didn't have to change the time on mine only the setting. As assumed it'll change back itself??

 

[arad85]

I know what the definition of 'consistency' is, but that still doesn't explain its benefit.

It's benefit is it works in the same way everywhere and so saves Audi time, money and effort. There are a number of features that are disabled on products I work on simply because they are confusing to the end user. Technically, they may be possible, but explaining them, and explaining why they cannot be used in any particular instance, is more hassle than it is worth for the consumer.

Like I said, the spec, trim levels and available options and even engines differ from country to country.

Yes, but you don't have different operation of the engine etc. You don't have an engine in Europe that uses the right foot as the accelerator, but in the US the left foot.

I'm saying, at the end of the day, it's stupid not to have this as a feature. It would be easy to do it for all countries, just as it would be easy to do it for some countries. It's 2013, not 1993.

Until someone decides to change DST dates a couple of years in the future requiring all cars to have some form of software update. Just not economic to implement for the perceived customer benefit....

 

[cemerson]

Oh, my car was new in sept. Seems odd, didn't have to change the time on mine only the setting. As assumed it'll change back itself??

I'll have a look tomorrow but I'm pretty sure there was nothing in my settings like that. I'm trying to remember back to this thread... perhaps its something like the option for auto DST is there when GPS time is turned off?

 

[cemerson]

Until someone decides to change DST dates a couple of years in the future requiring all cars to have some form of software update. Just not economic to implement for the perceived customer benefit....

Cars get software updates all the time. It's utter rubbish that consistency saves any time here - as has already been established, different versions of the software have the setting anyway (or different cars at least) so what your saying is a load of rubbish I'm afraid.

The amount if 'inconsistency' this would cause is miniscule compared to some of the other changes they have to explain in the manual for different options, and it would be possible to keep it consistent anyway like I said.

 

[arad85]

Cars get software updates all the time. It's utter rubbish that consistency saves any time here - as has already been established, different versions of the software have the setting anyway (or different cars at least) so what your saying is a load of rubbish I'm afraid.

Well, it's seemingly not implemented.... so there is a reason for it somewhere. I know for a fact, useful features are disabled/not implemented on other consumer products simply because it is too difficult to explain to the user why.

Whether the reasons I have given are rubbish or not is a conjecture on both your and my part. Unless you can ask Audi directly, you will only know it isn't implemented (assuming you can't find the menu option) but you won't know why.

OTOH, it may simply be a difference in the s/w for the car units - I notice you have the tech pack, Richyboyp has the standard info system.... Could be that too.

 

[Richyboyp]

Yep that's right, No teck pack for me buddy. Just sd satnav and standard mmi

 

[cemerson]

Well, it's seemingly not implemented.... so there is a reason for it somewhere. I know for a fact, useful features are disabled/not implemented on other consumer products simply because it is too difficult to explain to the user why.

I'm a software developer and that sounds like utter tosh to me. What's more difficult to explain to consumers - 'Do Nothing' or 'Change this setting in this menu twice a year'? Are you seriously saying that it's too difficult to explain to people how an auto-updating DST setting works, despite the fact that smartphones and computers do this all the time and have done for over a decade?

Anyway, a difference for tech pack and non tech pack users? So much for your consistency...

 

[arad85]

I'm a software developer and that sounds like utter tosh to me. What's more difficult to explain to consumers - 'Do Nothing' or 'Change this setting in this menu twice a year'? Are you seriously saying that it's too difficult to explain to people how an auto-updating DST setting works, despite the fact that smartphones and computers do this all the time and have done for over a decade?

Yup. The problem is explaining to someone "why doesn't it work automatically for me" (especially if it is country based). Believe what you like, I've just given you a possible reason why it isn't implemented (and I'm a s/w developer too, so know how easy/difficult it is to implement).

Anyway, a difference for tech pack and non tech pack users? So much for your consistency...

Yup. Possibly not noticed in Q/A or just there to give you something to grumble about or something else of course....

 

[arad85]

Alternatively, Audi could see it as not worth the effort of implementing & testing, given the extra effort it is for people to change the setting in a menu somewhere...

 

[cemerson]

Yup. The problem is explaining to someone "why doesn't it work automatically for me" (especially if it is country based). Believe what you like, I've just given you a possible reason why it isn't implemented (and I'm a s/w developer too, so know how easy/difficult it is to implement).

I understand what you are doing, just sounds like a load of rubbish to me It's not hard to explain why some users have a feature that others don't if there's a reason for it. Just like they managed to explain changes in other software updates without blowing people's minds...

 

[Little Red Monster]

I have Tech Pack and on mine there is a 'Time' option. The factory (manufactured in May), or showroom set it for 'manual' and I just ticked the summer time box and the time went back an hour automatically? Hopefully it will go forward again next year?