Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by moolcool 1218 days ago
First, car companies are generally terrible at making software from the jump. The interfaces are always byzantine, laggy, and poorly laid out. There's the small bandaid of Apple Carplay and Android Auto, but then your vehicle settings are decoupled from the rest of the UI, which is confusing and frustrating. I'm honestly due to get a new car, but I have no idea what to get because virtually every car on the market feels like using a 10 year old Android tablet.

All I want is a small display, doesn't have to be touch, for backup camera and carplay. Please put everything else behind buttons, switches, and LED indicators.
3 comments
stanleydrew 1218 days ago
It's not exactly what you're looking for, but maybe test drive a car with Android Automotive (Google's built-in infotainment product). I have it in my Volvo XC40 EV and like it. But at least in my car there are still physical controls for audio playback and a few other things (not climate).

There is a list of cars with Android Automotive at the bottom of its Wikipedia page: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_Automotive

link
DMell 1218 days ago
Unless they have switched recently, the Toyota Camry has a great combination of screen and physical buttons.

https://di-uploads-pod3.dealerinspire.com/toyotaofclermont/u...

link
ThunderSizzle 1218 days ago
My F-150 2013 is exactly that. Anything since 2013 is a touch screen for everything as opposed to a small display screen with physical buttons for everything.

You might just need to find an older used model that is in good condition.

link