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What's made you smile today?

I think these new cars like Tesla’s and even the latest Citroen’s , where every control including heating and ventilation etc is via a touch screen is pretty dangerous. As cool as it genuinely is.

For example, in my car I can reach for dials for heat / buttons without having to look. I can feel around for them.

With regulators being so harsh on things like safety, I’m surprised this wasn’t ever really picked up on
 
I think these new cars like Tesla’s and even the latest Citroen’s , where every control including heating and ventilation etc is via a touch screen is pretty dangerous. As cool as it genuinely is.

For example, in my car I can reach for dials for heat / buttons without having to look. I can feel around for them.

With regulators being so harsh on things like safety, I’m surprised this wasn’t ever really picked up on
Its fine, next gen cars are going to be all voice controlled, I think you can now get Alexa in a number of cars which controls some of the aspects of the car.
 
Its fine, next gen cars are going to be all voice controlled, I think you can now get Alexa in a number of cars which controls some of the aspects of the car.



That wouldn’t be a problem, I’d love that if Siri was in control (oh, and if it worked! Lol). Voice control would feel like the future alright. Just hope it’s a bit more useful than my Panda’s voice control (I think it does like 4 things?!)..

Only issue then is Amazon / Google’s data handling ... but that’s a whole other issue!
 
I hate non-physical controls in cars. Last one I had that had everything controlled on the screen was a Mk2 Prius.

I don't mind click wheels for the entertainment (like BMW) - but prefer heating etc., to be on physical buttons.

Apparently, I can do a lot of stuff via voice in my car, but I don't want it to call the wife when I'm asking it to switch on seat heating, so I don't bother!
 
The few voice control vehicles I've tried gave problems as speed and background noise changed. Ideally it needs to be trained at 50 mph, which can be very dangerous. Most won't allow you to train it by sitting in the passenger seat while someone else drives at 50, as the microphone is directional, to prevent passengers messing with the control of the vehicle.
 
Finally made the decisions to spend some hard earned cash on a sheer vanity thing for the car... Tinted windows.

Always wanted to do them myself, and was ready to buy a roll of tint off eBay and the little kit, as it seemed just like a giant screen protector for a phone to me... BUT the whole 'pre-shrinking' using the heat gun scared me off. Any time I've ever used that thing and moved a few cm too close it's melted every non-metal part around it... charred plastic... rubber... can't risk it on the nice new car.

She's currently getting done right now (pics to follow). 5% tints, which I'm told are basically opaque... letting barely any light in. Since it's a black Panda I thought it'd not look too silly.

The Panda is so easy to see out of, but conversely, so easy to see IN to... people can clearly see you / back seat passengers. Not anymore, some privacy for them. Not that they 'want' to be seen in it anyway, but there you go!

Can't wait to pick it up shortly and see what it's like. These guys FB seem to do as high up as A7's / current Range Rovers and they seem to do a damn good job so I hope they treat my exotic Italian sports-car just the same ;) LOL
 
Quite happy with the result!
 

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I hate non-physical controls in cars. Last one I had that had everything controlled on the screen was a Mk2 Prius.

I don't mind click wheels for the entertainment (like BMW) - but prefer heating etc., to be on physical buttons.

Apparently, I can do a lot of stuff via voice in my car, but I don't want it to call the wife when I'm asking it to switch on seat heating, so I don't bother!

We Brits get a double whammy with touch screens. The screens are designed for right handed use and most of the population are clumsy on the left.

On heating controls I prefer the more basic Panda turn knobs than the fancy multi press used on the 100HP ans Eleganza models. If my heater throws a wobbly, I would be quite happy with a normal (aircon) heater unit.
 
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Left handed here as well, so having a touch screen on my left while driving is perfect!

The infotainment on my golf with carplay is also handed to being a right hand drive car.

Out Mini Countryman has more or less the same set up as the BMW no touch screen but still on the left. I don't drive the Mini often, so I do often find myself taking my eyes off the road to see what buttons are which. If I drove it more I would soon get used to what buttons do what.
 
If it wasn't a black car you would not have gotten away with them that dark but they look good !

Money well spent on a Fiat, you'll find the aircon works better and the car keeps cooler especially in the recent hot weather. (y)

Now you just need some Panda OEM alloy wheels ;)



Thanks! Definitely not, I tried Googling pictures of other Pandas to see what it’d be like and found a white one with dark tints, definitely didn’t suit it!

I was looking at them but they’re £1,080 from Fiat’s site! I’ll just need to keep a look out on eBay lol but that’s a much bigger investment!
 
Finally made the decisions to spend some hard earned cash on a sheer vanity thing for the car... Tinted windows.

Always wanted to do them myself, and was ready to buy a roll of tint off eBay and the little kit, as it seemed just like a giant screen protector for a phone to me... BUT the whole 'pre-shrinking' using the heat gun scared me off. Any time I've ever used that thing and moved a few cm too close it's melted every non-metal part around it... charred plastic... rubber... can't risk it on the nice new car.

I believe you made the right call here. My youngest boy has his own sign making business and specializes in vehicle wrapping, especially vans and small commercials. I've acted as "helper and stooge" on a number of occasions and seen how difficult it is to get the film to adhere to 3D surfaces. Even he, with nearly 20 years in his game, hands off window tints to a friend of his who specializes in it. His business vehicle is an Astra estate in black and he has all the rear windows in a very dark tint - helps hide all the kit which lives in the back. Must admit it looks pretty "cool" from outside but I don't like driving it. I find the contrast from looking out through the front clear glass to looking in the rear view mirror just too great a difference.
 
I believe you made the right call here. My youngest boy has his own sign making business and specializes in vehicle wrapping, especially vans and small commercials. I've acted as "helper and stooge" on a number of occasions and seen how difficult it is to get the film to adhere to 3D surfaces. Even he, with nearly 20 years in his game, hands off window tints to a friend of his who specializes in it. His business vehicle is an Astra estate in black and he has all the rear windows in a very dark tint - helps hide all the kit which lives in the back. Must admit it looks pretty "cool" from outside but I don't like driving it. I find the contrast from looking out through the front clear glass to looking in the rear view mirror just too great a difference.



Yes the first thing I noticed was that rear view mirror view being incredibly dark. But it should help me be less affected by these guys who seem to have their off angle main beam on during the day!
 
Don't know if it's the same down your way - where ever you are - but it seems common for the Renault Kadjar to be referred to as "The Cadger" up here of late. (someone hoping to obtain for free by imposing upon another's generosity or friendship) Don't manufacturers think about these things? Just to compound the problem if you listen to their latest advert - the one with the "attractive" lady avatar - It would seem that she pronounces it cadger towards the end of the advert!

I remember us all being puzzled when the Marathon bar became a Snickers many years ago and only became aware very recently that Snickers was the name of the of the makers (Mars) family's favourite horse - so now it makes some sense! Don't think I'll get over the cadger though.
 
Don't know if it's the same down your way - where ever you are - but it seems common for the Renault Kadjar to be referred to as "The Cadger" up here of late. (someone hoping to obtain for free by imposing upon another's generosity or friendship) Don't manufacturers think about these things? Just to compound the problem if you listen to their latest advert - the one with the "attractive" lady avatar - It would seem that she pronounces it cadger towards the end of the advert!

I remember us all being puzzled when the Marathon bar became a Snickers many years ago and only became aware very recently that Snickers was the name of the of the makers (Mars) family's favourite horse - so now it makes some sense! Don't think I'll get over the cadger though.

To my mind nothing beats the Colt Starion by Mitsubishi.

1024px-Mitsubishi_Starion.jpg



You can just imagine the Tokyo marketing team asking a focus group of Australian ex-pats what would be a good car name.

Oh yeah wowza mayte. That's Stallion spelled S-T-A-R-R-I-0-N.
Nah Mayte that's ugly. It should be S-T-A-R-i-0-N.
Naow wurries mayte.
Bonza.
 
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