New / Facelift BMW 3 Series crazy controls

[Calypso-E34]

I was reading in BMW Car magazine about the latest BMW 3 Series, and this one apparently comes with a super duper touchscreen which takes all the buttons off the dash pretty much.  Now I have been vocal previously in condemning BMW's move to contorted looking digital dash, but this is a whole new kettle of balls.  The test driver makes the point that although some minor heating controls are anchored to the bottom of this screen, everything else is in various menus.  He acknowledges that this is at least irritating, and at worst, dangerous.

We are not allowed (quite rightly) to use our phones at the wheel, but now along comes the likes of Tesla, and now BMW (who seem terrified of Tesla) with these crazy touchscreen things which will almost guarantee that our eyes have to leave the road to adjust absolutely anything - and all of this is legal.

I was in a Tesla recently, and while some of the technology is certainly impressive, I couldn't get out of it quick enough.  Now BMW is copying them.

If all cars go down this road of driving using a glorified iPad, I sadly will not be going any newer with my daily drive.  Up with this nonsense I shall not put.

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by Calypso-E34

[Steve VH]

I fully concur here, the beauty of the E28, E34, E39, and such like is you could turn on or off, and make any adjustments to the controls on the dash without having to take your eyes off the road, and a great safety feature of any car, that enables this.

[Sir Anthony Regents Park]

I wouldn't even know where to start trying to operate that.

[Syncrofred]

I thought that the development of the science of ergonomics was to allow a driver to easily reach and intuitively operate the controls without any loss of attention to the road ahead. This puts us back more than half a century.

[E39mad]

Definitely a step backwards. My neighbour has the pre-Lci G21 320d and the interior is superb imho. Feels a grade or two higher than the F series interior. No need to change it either.

[duncan-uk]

There is a lot to be said for simple controls like a knob for hot/ cold or a dial for the volume. 
 

im not sure these developments are progress or an improvement but just for the sake of it. 
 

i heard VW are going back on their current infotainment as it’s annoying people 

[duncan-uk]

I find idrive a bit distracting too even. 

[FlexRay]

I bought a Tesla Model 3 new in 2021, I sold it a year later losing only £400 which was the main reason to move it on however I have since bought a G31 520d for towing a caravan and absolutely love the buttons. More buttons the better. The Tesla interface is cool but sometimes 2 or 3 presses to to simple tasks.

Edited November 22, 2022 by FlexRay

[Matt]

I still maintain the E39 has the best most ergonomic interior where everything was sensibly placed and just worked.  This just looks like a head on collision waiting to happen.