The automotive future

[JKP]

We had a local test drive event today. I drove S5, S6 E-Tron and the RS3. While all of the cars were brilliant as cars I can't help thinking the way we're heading with all the infotaiment and augmented reality stuff there. The RS3 was like a proper old-school car with just the right amount of information given by the screens and HUD. But the other ones based on the new platforms, they were intimidating.

I'm 40 years old so I don't think I'm too old for anything new, but still I don't understand who the heck needs this junk they are stuffing the new cars up with. I won't go to all the settings being behind the screens as you all know it's not ideal during traffic, but I found it useless how the virtual cockpit was showing the road side line going on the screen and the cars around you, failing with those multiple times. The HUD drew a red line at the side of the road when you drove near to the edge and showed some mark when I was getting closer to a car before me. I can see all of this just through the windscreen with my own two eyes, so why should I be pointed out so strongly the system also found out the same basics? All of that is nothing but distractive and for no other reasons but some show-off nonsense. I can't see any profit in any of that. And if you buy a new car you also pay for that unnecessary crap, and this must be one of the reasons cars are getting so expensive. Nothing of this "progress" comes for free.

For long Audi was the one manufacturer in Germany who seemed to concentrate to the essentials. Now it seems like they are going to be lost in the same micro-plastics ocean as the others.

 

[JKP]

I continue my rant despite it seems to not interest anyone... The new Merc CLA was released yesterday and the interior looks like absolute nightmare. Now the entire dash is practically just one single screen with "ambient" light around the air vents that are integrated to it. Looks more like a gaming computer than a car. It actually does have a video game controller stored in the glovebox! I really, really can't understand who need this crap in a car. Go home if you want to play a video game and leave it out of a transportation vehicle! Also the build quality looks even in the pictures like the Mercs of recent, I can imagine how much creaky trim edges there are.

Ok I don't have to buy a Merc, and I won't, that's for sure. But for some reason it seems that when one manufacturer comes up with an idea, all the others must follow it, no matter how stupid it is. I'm starting to lose my interest in the new cars, since instead of decent quality, it looks I'm going to have to pay for something I find totally unnecessary. Even if I don't choose the options that include that crap, I'm contributing to funding the development of it by buying the car, and I don't want to be involved a tiny bit.

 

[jdp1962]

I sympathise entirely. Cars aren’t cars anymore; they’re games consoles on wheels.

 

[NWHighlander]

Aother owner in agreement.
My wife's 8.5 R BE has a screen that's overlarge and has innumerable icons/apps and such unwanted/unneeded crap crammed into it, the car is 7 weeks old. On the other hand in a similar way my RS4 is 15monthe old and has a much smaller screen which too has an overburden of crap apps and such but thankfully it is lesser than the VW.
As above I detest paying for techno wizardry which I don't need or want, it just comes as part of the particular spec I do want. VW's latest 8.5 still has an archaic manual pole to support the bonnet, {the bonnet by the way is very heavy to lift}, but comes with a very large screen which is mostly populated with unwanted sh-te. The same situation with the previous 8R, I'd ask them to get the basics right first.
Customers want the price of cars to fall, haha, that's very unlikely, but by continually adding unwanted or uncalled for "features", I feel they are alienating a growing part of their customer base and market. It is further disappointing to see one manufacturer after another slavishly introduce a piece of tech just to keep up with the Jones'.
Enough, I didn't mean it to turn into a rant, apologies.

Mike

 

[JKP]

I think there aren't too many unnecessary apps in my 8Y A3 and they are quite simple and small ones, like messages or weather or whatever. The screen itself is nicely integrated to the dash and isn't too large or distracting. The HVAC and seat heating controls are still behind buttons unlike in Golf 8 or its other siblings. This is exactly how I think it's optimal. Lots of settings that you need to adjust only rarely are good to do using touch screen instead of large amount of additional buttons, but while driving there's almost nothing you have do do by fiddling the screen. Guess I have to see how the next A3 turns out and then very likely buy one of the last old ones to replace my current one. I see no reasons why they won't just downscale the A5/6 interior to A3, which will be a huge step down from the current model.

 

[jdp1962]

I’ve just recently swapped a 2018 FY SQ5 for a facelifted 2024 one. Overall, it’s a much better developed car and for the most part, I’m very glad I changed. But, whereas when I wanted to change a preset radio station in the old car I pressed one of five buttons in a row, now I press a steering wheel button several times to bring up the presets, feed a scroll wheel to the desired station and then press the scroll wheel to select the station. Not exactly intuitive, l dare not imagine operating the multiple menus and screens of the third generation model.

 

[JKP]

One thing I never fully understood is the importance of a physical volume knob that Audi still has even though so much more have gone behind the screen. I have had the scroll on the steering wheel in all my cars for so long I can remember and it's all I use for volume control. I think the most imporant single thing about volume control is that in Audi you have the mute function on both scroll and the knob, it's often very useful. Volkswagen didn't have that and it quite annoyed me while I had the Golf. Had to turn the volume down to zero to mute. How's this in the newer VWs where the volume is controlled by the slider thing?

 

[JKP]

Continues... Today I really saw what the new cars are like. We had a big show with most brands available here. I was upset to see how big a share the Chinese brands already have, and what kind of a downfall this all looks to me. The most appealing cars to me were the BMW 3 series, which must be the oldest platform shown in the entire show, the old-school Range Rovers and some of the VAG products. Almost everything else felt over styled junk with screens and lights, smoke and mirrors. I've always been interested in new cars, I was never the "classics" guy, but now it seems the interesting section has gotten very narrow for me. BMW E92 coupe was one of the most striking cars I remember, begins to be a time to buy one...

 

[JKP]

Saw the new A6 Saloon yesterday. I think the body design looks great to me, like the Avant already did. The roundish boot lid even reminded me a bit of the C5 A6 Saloon. But the blank passenger screen thing inside is hideous. I told the sales guy to pass on my feedback that rather execute it like it is in the new Q3 with no additional screen at all... I don't expect much but just hope they resolve that at the latest in the facelift.

 

[JKP]

New Merc face. Looks like they stole the singleframe grille from Audi and stuffed it with chrome and lights. Brilliant, right?