CNet Previews the 2010 Lexus RX 450h
CNet has published their take on the 2010 Lexus RX 450h, and it includes a more critical look at the new Remote Touch controller:
Along with the voice command, Lexus updated the controller, using a square joystick on the console to control an onscreen cursor…you can change the settings for the cursor, choosing a different shape and giving more haptic feedback when you move the cursor over a menu item, but the joystick doesn’t feel very solid. Worse, it doesn’t snap back into its center position when you move it around, which gives it a cheap feeling. Another oddity of this interface is that, when you have a fixed number of icons on the screen, you can still move the cursor all over the place.
It would be very easy to argue that all of this points were positive rather than negative, but it’s hard to make a real call until it’s used firsthand.
(Another thing: It’s no Ultrasonic Blue, but this red isn’t all that flattering.)
[Source: CNet]
January 8th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Having tested the Remote Touch at the LA Auto Show, I would say that all in all it is excellent and is indeed the closest thing to a touchscreen without being one…the biggest advantage being the freedom to roam the screen any way you want, so I can see this as a positive. Lexus evidently wanted to make this system as different from the knobs of iDrive/MMI/COMAND as possible.
That said, I think it would be fine if there was a user-selectable option for ‘automatically move the cursor to button’ for simplicity. But that takes an element of control out of the user, and the buttons are very big and easy to select. Still an option for that may be a good idea for Remote Touch v2.0.
I felt the tester Remote Touch I used seemed quite solid. For appearance reasons, it would be nice to have it automatically center the joystick when you let go (but leave the cursor where it is). Some of the interior pics show the joystick to one side which looks a bit more like form following function.
January 9th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Yeah, the controller should probably center automatically as a rule — I’m certainly jealous you got to give the system a try!
January 8th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Still, somehow it’s a bit of a downgrade of the touchscreen.
The big question remains, how easy is it to operate whist driving. When you’re just sitting in a parked car you have more time to be accurate and the car doesn’t move or shake or whatever.
I am still quite sceptical about the “new” control.
January 9th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
I think so much will depend on the new voice recognition.