Say Goodbye to Audi’s MMI Rotary Dial
#1
Lexus Champion
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Say Goodbye to Audi’s MMI Rotary Dial
I'm somewhat surprised to see this. I am not a fan of touchscreens and always thought Audi's MMI dial was one of the better solutions.
Full article here.
The Audi Q8 concept revealed Monday in Detroit previews a near future in which the brand’s Multi Media Interface (MMI) infotainment system—currently anchored by a rotary **** surrounded by shortcut buttons—will be reduced solely to touchscreen displays. Three dash-mounted buttons will remain for non-infotainment-related functions. The design of the interface may change somewhat from what is in the Q8 concept, but the touch-only MMI setup will launch later this year in a production vehicle, likely the new A8 flagship, Alexander Kendl, the Q8 concept’s project manger, confirmed.
#2
You'd think that Audi and Porsche(the new Panamera uses a similar setup) would've learned that this is garbage tech and had stuck with real buttons. Lincoln figured it out and went back to real buttons and a rotary **** for volume, Cadillac is still lost in the woods with their hard to use CUE system. The thing with real buttons is you can feel with your finger tips and muscle memory where the button is without taking your eyes off the road. With touch screens, there is no tacticle feel, they FORCE you to look down at the screen to do something as simple as turn on the seat heater or adjust the blower fan.
#4
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You'd think that Audi and Porsche(the new Panamera uses a similar setup) would've learned that this is garbage tech and had stuck with real buttons. Lincoln figured it out and went back to real buttons and a rotary **** for volume, Cadillac is still lost in the woods with their hard to use CUE system. The thing with real buttons is you can feel with your finger tips and muscle memory where the button is without taking your eyes off the road. With touch screens, there is no tacticle feel, they FORCE you to look down at the screen to do something as simple as turn on the seat heater or adjust the blower fan.
Last edited by bitkahuna; 01-10-17 at 12:03 PM.
#6
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#7
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#8
Lexus Champion
I'm all for cleaning up clutter of too many buttons. But cutting down to only 3, plus steering wheel controls, just doens't make sense either. My iPhone has more hard buttons than this Audi .
#11
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#12
The pursuit of F
To be honest, I was not overly impressed with the MMI on my A4. Still lots of rotating of the dial to highlight the menu item you want and the "click-click-click..." sound while rotating the dial was irritating. Your eyes were still focused on the screen and not on the road. The Lexus RTI/screen combo is not stellar either but I am more used to it in terms of where things are and how to get to them. If the touchscreen on the new Audi interface allows for fewer navigation/easier access to items you need to select, then I'm for it but control via winter gloves may be a challenge.
#13
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To be honest, I was not overly impressed with the MMI on my A4. Still lots of rotating of the dial to highlight the menu item you want and the "click-click-click..." sound while rotating the dial was irritating. Your eyes were still focused on the screen and not on the road. The Lexus RTI/screen combo is not stellar either but I am more used to it in terms of where things are and how to get to them. If the touchscreen on the new Audi interface allows for fewer navigation/easier access to items you need to select, then I'm for it but control via winter gloves may be a challenge.
#14
Lexus Champion
So Audi removed the high-mounted propped-up tablet and moved it down lower than the main instrument pod? You go from head-up to head-down. How is that progress in human factors? Unless that central screen is meant solely for control purposes and not for display purposes.
#15
I'm sorry to see Audi go this route, since I think the MMI button is fairly easy and I hate touchscreens. Yes, the button is sometimes cumbersome (like for Nav), but scrolling through music tracks is a breeze.
I guess the main thing is that Audi now has the Virtual Cockpit and that is all controlled by buttons on the steering wheel. I've seen comments from many owners saying that is what they primarily use and the MMI screen has become secondary. There is also voice command for Nav and, at least for me, it works pretty well.
I still think it is a step backwards. I had touchscreens in my '01 and '03 GS and almost everything was controlled there. Hated it.
I guess the main thing is that Audi now has the Virtual Cockpit and that is all controlled by buttons on the steering wheel. I've seen comments from many owners saying that is what they primarily use and the MMI screen has become secondary. There is also voice command for Nav and, at least for me, it works pretty well.
I still think it is a step backwards. I had touchscreens in my '01 and '03 GS and almost everything was controlled there. Hated it.