Car makers are apparently still trying to figure out how to build well-designed controls. Early in the rise of EVs, Tesla was considered the North Star of design, offering a cool new look and efficient performance. But over the years, that novelty has worn off a little, and some of the design choices Tesla has made, and still sticks to, clearly aren't where we want to go. Case in point: car climate controls.
The only problem with that is they didn't really think about how to best design their software to ensure easy access to things like fan speed and temperature. The end result? Drivers have to tap on multiple on-screen buttons just to change the basics. When combined with poor performance that meant a tap could take seconds to even register, this was not only annoying but plain dangerous.
But recently, things have been getting better. Car makers have started putting higher-performing processors into their vehicles, ensuring that the software is much more responsive. Not only that, but their design has been improving, and many now offer persistent climate controls that allow for quick and immediate access to basic things like fan speed and temperature, always on the screen.
BMW is a good example of this, as it has begun putting its climate controls in a menu bar at the bottom, both for the driver and the passenger. Basic controls can be changed with a tap, and while you still need to dive into menus for more advanced controls, this isn't necessarily a huge deal.
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