“VW’s design chief, Walter de’ Silva, tells Automotive News Europe that starting next year, every VW will have a touch screen interface. Not just those equipped with nav, but every VW made. It’s not clear from the story whether this is will be in Europe only or includes U.S.-spec VWs as well,” Chris Tutor reports for Autoblog.
“According to the article, all the car’s main passenger-usable systems will be controlled by the screen including climate, radio, entertainment, etc.,” Tutor reports.
Tutor wonders, “Could this have been what VW consulted Apple on a few months ago?”
Full article here.
Engdget covers the story, including photos and videos, here.
¿Primero?
The “iBug”
You heard it here first, Folks!
– Doga
Nothing really to say here. Just looking for the elusive glory of being first to post. Doesn’t that count for something on a slow news day?
Touch me, Love me, Drive me, Crazy.
Apple creating new revenue streams. Great way to diversify while staying true to your core business.
I can just see it now. MultiTouch screen = no hands on the wheel = more accidents.
having an iphone interface integrated with all the other automobile ergonomics, including Nav, would be unbeatable. Nav can be daunting, unless you spend a lot of time with it; most people don’t an don’t want to. I love using my iPhone even though my 17″ PB is sitting right there.
You put a little “touch” in a car and everyone will want to use it.
Looks very Apple-ish to me. Maybe it runs OS X?
Not enough bugs in OS-X, so they put OS-X into bugs.
Well Ford is now powered by MS so why not have VW powered by Apple.
Bad idea, look at BMW’s iDrive. Cars should have big physical buttons and knobs where you can tell what it is by touch so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road just to change the temperature or radio station.
what ‘r u gonna pinch?
if we are going into details the Space Up! is the apple car,it as some of both worlds.
I was already looking at a Golf FSI or GTi for my next car. I guess I just wait a little longer.
At the moment I’m using a Kenwood system which far and away has the best iPod integration on the market, but I’m sure this will kick ass.
I’m selling my Golf and buying an Up for sure…or maybe sell my girlfriends car and have her buy one…or both.
The YouTube video on the engadget link definitely shows CoverFlow being used with a slide of the finger..
Up has to be the worst looking car around the Japanese are making better looking cars. Such a shame what is VW doing.
— ping —
Bad idea indeed. Being able to control systems without looking is essential to safety when driving. A touch screen is the worst of all possible choices in that regard.
unpimp your ride!
Bad idea, look at BMW’s iDrive. Cars should have big physical buttons and knobs where you can tell what it is by touch so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road just to change the temperature or radio station.
Fully agreed!!
Now, the really smart car companies make their buttons and knobs so they’re functional when you’re wearing gloves, a big plus on those Rust Belt winter mornings.
Ad slogan:
“Won’t You Touch My Friendly German Friend?”
Slick system, Really tiny unsafe car for Interstate 95.
Well physical response when ‘touching’ the screen, as is in the works anyway, would go someway to solving the problem of knowing what it is you are doing at any given time. Indeed if such a response was sophisticated enough it could perhaps be a superior system to solid knobs in the longer run as I have found the touch screen’s qwerty key pad to have the potential to be already. A little lateral thinking is all that is required.
From a strategic point of view, as things stand I would much rather be allied with VW (on the way up) than Ford (desperate and sinking) that’s for sure.
Still no Privacy Policy? Go ahead Fools, just don’t look here least you may be enlightened.
I would much rather be allied with VW (on the way up) than Ford (desperate and sinking)
Which is my Ford and MS are such perfect allies in Ford’s “Sync” system.
Automotive-based text messaging is something only those two could create…