|
You're lucky you've got an Audi and not a Volvo, DJM. The Audi and BMW systems are much more intuitive than the one in my V60.
I agree with Rob: the best way to go about this is to go for the end-results approach, i.e. think first what you actually want the system to do for you. There will typically be about half a dozen things that you do want, and about 57 others that you don't. Work out how to make it do what you need it to, and forget the rest.
The other thing you can be thankful for is that it isn't a touchscreen. These are the invention of the devil, encouraging you to prod about trying to find what you want and - because it can't be done by feel - necessitating your taking your eyes off the road for too long.
Edited by Avant on 22/03/2017 at 00:30
|
|
Another Q3 owner here, 11 days in my case.
I've only used the satnav's basic functions, but it does seem far more complicated than my trusty old Tomtom!
The rest of the Tech I enjoy, especially the Drive Select. I like driving in Efficiency Mode and making the car coast by releasing the accelerator. I also like seeing the "2 cylinder mode" message appear in the display (mine is a 1.4 TFSi).
New to me is an SD card slot for music. Took a bit of googling but I now have about 90% of my CD collection on a 16GB card. The Media function sorts it all out alphabetically by artist, easy to navigate. Also made me realise I can't find my Best of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers CD, wonder where that's gone!
Ours has the Comfort Pack which includes front sensors. The stupid thing is, Audi has seen fit that in order to use them, you have to press a button on the console for them to be activated. Ridiculous! They've always been automatically activated in other cars equipped with them I've had (Mercedes, Volvo).
|
|
The necessary requirement for a car is to get from A to B in reasonable comfort and safety, at a reasonable speed, with the passenger and luggage requirement needed.
Buying a car with excessive technology - most of which is completely inessential - evidences more money than sense unless you are of a petrol head or geek persuasion.
|
The necessary requirement for a car is to get from A to B in reasonable comfort and safety, at a reasonable speed, with the passenger and luggage requirement needed.
Buying a car with excessive technology - most of which is completely inessential - evidences more money than sense unless you are of a petrol head or geek persuasion.
Yes, comrade. We should all be forced to drive the most basic cars - electric windows should be banned, as should radios. And we should all be compelled to sing "The red flag", or, for those of us with an internationalist flavour, "Dosvidania Rodina" whilst driving to provide our own music.
In the real world, satnav systems, especially for people travelling for business, are essential. I can put in a number of destinations on my system, along with (from my Outlook email system) the times of my appointments. If there is bad traffic or road closures, then my phone, working off the same systems, will advise me to leave earlier, or that I'm not going to get there on time, and I can call the location to advise them that I am running late. The system will re-route me around traffic, inform me of fuel stations in the area (comparing it with my fuel range).
If really basic works for you, then good. You enjoy it. But for some of us, it doesn't. Having a Stalinist attitude to those of us who have to cover decent mileages for appointments (and most of my appointments are in hospitals, maintaining equipment that keeps patients alive and assists in diagnosis) is not exactly helpful.
You'd probably be one of the first to complain if your endoscopy procedure was cancelled 'due to the service engineer being stuck on the motorway'.
|
|
Not remotely trying to be stalinist - we should all be at liberty to buy and run whatever we want.
I do think, however, that car marketing is more about feeding status, self esteem, sense of control, aspirations etc. We individually sometimes try to rationalise our individual choices - 150mph capabilty, 0-60mph in sub 6 secs, off-road ability etc when mostly we just use the car for the school run, shopping, odd holidays etc.
For instance, I would regard electric windows, air con and central locking as essential. Integrated satnav very desirable. Rain sensing wipers, automatic headlight dipping, several traction control modes, etc are great if you need or want them but hardly fundamental in most cases. Eg: if you live up a sometimes snowy track, some traction control modes would be very useful.
Changing functionality of these systems typically requires relatively cheap software changes (once developed), not major hardware changes.
So to differentiate the upmarket from the mundane, car manufacturers typically add more complex software. It is why the technology apparent on upmarket marques finds its way down the automotive food chain so quickly.
|
|
"Ours has the Comfort Pack which includes front sensors. The stupid thing is, Audi has seen fit that in order to use them, you have to press a button on the console for them to be activated. Ridiculous! They've always been automatically activated in other cars equipped with them I've had (Mercedes, Volvo)."
72 dudes;
On the Mazda's front sensors it's the same too, however when you wish to park for example, when reverse is selected and then the next manouver to go forward will "automatically" engage the front sensors. But should you decide to initially drive forward into a parking space you have to manually select front sensors by pressing the button.
I can see the logic if you consider the annoyance of the front sensors sounding when in town driving/traffic/roundabout queues etc. The maz gap to enable the warning beeps is I believe approx 1 metre 'ish. :-)
|
On the Mazda's front sensors it's the same too, however when you wish to park for example, when reverse is selected and then the next manouver to go forward will "automatically" engage the front sensors. But should you decide to initially drive forward into a parking space you have to manually select front sensors by pressing the button.
I can see the logic if you consider the annoyance of the front sensors sounding when in town driving/traffic/roundabout queues etc. The maz gap to enable the warning beeps is I believe approx 1 metre 'ish. :-)
That's a fair point nailit, and the Audi system works on a similar basis with regards to reversing first. However, I'm rarely aware of the front sensors on my SLK operating when not required in traffic (unless I get too close to the car in front in a queue).
BTW, RobJP, excellent example of how the technology really works for you, much more than a "nice to have".
|
|
|
|
|
I must admit I was quite skeptical myself when using a sat nav for the first time (my first car had very little in the way of tech [no electric windows] as I wanted it to be as reliable as possible, but that was several years ago), however I now use my own or the (soon to be former) company's mobile and they both have been invaluable.
Even the company phone using Google Maps as the sat nav is not that bad, and has often saved me valuable time (and fuel) on my commute to work avoiding delays. Especially good when I go on holiday to Cornwall with all those country lanes. The days of satnavs taking people to cliff edges is almost unheard of now.
I think most people's frustration stems from car manufacturers making tech look nice/seem flashy but at the expense of practicality. Make the system work well first (test it on ordinary people, not tech nerds who know everything about the hardware/software) and then add the 'nice to have' bits, as long as they don't detract from the usability of the tech. Like most tech, people say 'wow' the first time they use it, then don't care after a week or so. Elegant simplicity is what I want, which can still look nice, but be practical in its use too.
|
|
In the real world, satnav systems, especially for people travelling for business, are essential. I can put in a number of destinations on my system, along with (from my Outlook email system) the times of my appointments. If there is bad traffic or road closures, then my phone, working off the same systems, will advise me to leave earlier, or that I'm not going to get there on time, and I can call the location to advise them that I am running late. The system will re-route me around traffic, inform me of fuel stations in the area (comparing it with my fuel range)...................................
Just reading that stresses me out, never mind doing it, I take my hat off to you Rob, if that is a working day! The most I can manage is to put a CD in the stereo, or if I have to, a destination into the Tom Tom, assuming it's in the car!
|
|
We try to add contacts to my phone to use its contacts but it does not work, Audi did a TSB update but it still doesnt wor, im waiting for Audi to come back to me
|
|
|
|
|
|
