Unfortunately we appear to be stuck with image first designers. There should be a compulsory check list of requirements before a car design is accepted - no chance !

The basic problem is that most car buyers only think about functional details long after choosing their car on the basis of style, colour, price, badge loyalty, personal status ....

Some, like yourself, do include functionality, but I suspect speed readout is a long way down most buyers' list. A MINI, for example, has a large numeric display as well as a normal dial speedo.

The touch screen modes for modern ventilation/heating are just ludicrous and a good way of diverting drivers attention from the road.. Surely that's a step back to adjusting the controls directly? If the screen goes faulty you have nothing that works.

I too would like to have a speedo that I could see without looking down

You can on the civic, speedo is on top of dash so you can see it without taking eyes off the road

Heater/aircon can be set and left on auto, most infotainment I need can be adjusted from steering wheel

so I think some manufacturers are taking note of what people ask for. whether some like it or not is another matter?

so does a digital speed reading in the middle of the dashboard between spedometer and rev counter meet your requirement? having looked at a few newish cars recently this is becoming much more common

This was the usual arrangement on Yaris's for years, it was in a hump on top of the dash in the centre, not easily seen by front seat passenger so nervous ones couldn't see if you were speeding and nag about it.

I'm wary though of those who are going over to fully touchscreen controls, especially for things like A/C temp and fan speed - you have to either be very good at do so blind (i.e. looking at the road) or take a big risk and take your eyes off the road to change the settings

very simples really, you set your temp before you move off then switch to auto which keeps temp as you set it

touch control is a software button rather than physical,instead of pressing a button you touch it which is supposed to be faster reacting than push button (that was the idea anyway) I know some didnt turn out that way

the Civic infotainment system is not as touch sensitive as I would have liked, but I gather its been improved on most cars(not checked any to find out)

very simples really, you set your temp before you move off then switch to auto which keeps temp as you set it

Mostly true, but in the height of summer I find its better to avoid thermal shock by having the starting internal temperature about a third to half the way between the eventual desired internal temperature and the current ambient. I then turn the temp setting down gradually over a reasonable period, which means I don't feel overly cold when the A/C reduces the car internal temperature. As such, I need to adjust the temperature setting. Much easier with a dial or up/down set of buttons than a mobile phone/tablet style flick with the finger, especially the dial as I can feel my way to it and use it far easier than touch screen.

I agree, touch screens are fine for sat nav functions and some other bits, but not all, especially when they relate to the thermal comfort of the car.

Auto temp setting is a gradual process so you dont get a shock as temp goes down, but manual temp adjust buttons are close to the auto, easy to get to and see on dash display when you adjust temp, but it cancels out auto and stays on manual till you press auto again

apart from touch sensitivity, I dont see the difference between a manual button and touch control, I think a lot of people just have a problem with technology and make excuses as to why they have a complaint about it.

I wonder what the reaction will be when everything is voice controlled, which is looking like becoming the norm?

People talking about positioning of control/instruments appear to forget that the manufacturers have to produce a vehicle that copes with different heights,shapes,weights,proportions etc.-not just themselves.

Most if not all seats can be adjusted fore and aft but many cannot be adjusted for height--some steering wheels can be adjusted for height-some in and out-but not all.Some people have long arms-some short.I once followed a car belonging to a somone from the same office.I thought at first it had been stolen as I knew that he was well over 6 ft. tall and the driver was almost peering thro' the steering wheel to drive.On overtaking,I realized it was him but he must have had very long legs combined with a short upper body.

Indeed - I've found that with the 'MPV' cars you are forced to sit far more upright (even with seat and steering wheel adjustments in all planes). I personally found the driving position in my old Mazda3, as well as the latest incarnation, more comfortable than the CX-3 (not bad in itself, both test driven only), the Mazda2 (courtesy car for the day) and mid 90s Micra (my previous car) in between, and a Suzuki Celerio again too upright (I also had to reach down to operate the handbrake, which I didn't like at all.

The standard 'C' sector cars I find have the best driving position ergonomically for me (ave. height at 5ft 10in), followed by the larger ones like the Mazda6 and Mondeo. It also have (for my overall height) long-ish legs and short-ish arms, so reach adjustment for the steering wheel is a must. I do, though, find on some cars that as a result of me getting the seat and steering wheel position as best I can for driving comfort that this can sometimes slightly block my view of the top of the instrument panel. Having height adjustment on the seats would help in that regard.

Ergonomics on cars is something that in recent years many manufacturers have dropped the ball on in favour of pure styling and amount of toys - with my back problems i must have a decent seating position, and that also includes having no as as little amount of offset in the steering wheel and pedal positions, plus a foot rest for my left foot. I've rejected several cars in the past as a result of them not ticking these boxes (they are some of my 'must haves') despite most/all other easpects being to my liking.

Good explanation, Terry W; spot on. I would only add the category EMERGENCY, for the situations we never hope to find ourselves in, where the driver (or front passenger) has to carry out a manoeuvre very quickly and these particular controls need to be in an instantly recognisable, intuitive location. Now that horn and headlamp flashers are all in identical locations, my remaining top three:
1. Hazard light switch. Bring back the 1970s Datsun or even better 1980s Austin-Rover style big red sticking-out switch with a firm press action and built in red tell-tale light, in the best position ever, atop the steering wheel cowl.
2. Emergency/hand/parking brake. Between front seats or low down in console. Can we please have this trimmed in bright chrome and with a universal symbol and standard size and - if it has to be electric (questionable) - with a PULL-NOT-PRESS operation (Avensis, I'm looking at you!)
3. Central locking, even if automatically set and disengaged, also needs to have a large, central, visible switch, preferably two-stage. Standard pull unlocks doors; further pull quickly opens all windows. (I'm thinking worst case scenarios involving rivers and lakes here...)

Edited by Bilboman on 13/09/2017 at 01:43

I remember driving a friend's Alfasud many years ago and marvelling at the workings of the overworked column stalks. If I remember correctly, I once managed to simultaneously switch on lights, wipers, left indicator and the heater fan and flash the lights and blast the horn by dint of rotating, pulling and moving downwards the two column stalks. I seem to remember blowing a number of fuses as well, 1970s Italian electrics being what they were. Last word on car dashboards has to go to the Italians: look at these monstrosities here! bit.ly/2xkhnnI

Both of my recent Hondas, 8th generation civic and late model accord, have had speed alarms that can be preset, enabled or disabled by the driver, operated via the speedo.

For a long time Japanese cars had indicators operated by the right stalk.

I've never found checking my speedometer or any other instruments a distraction.

Touchscreens are a godsend for the front seat PASSENGER and for the driver when STATIONARY, but otherwise they should be totally locked against potentially distracting usage. High-end Jaguars let the passenger watch TV while the driver can only see restricted screen content while the car is on the move - it can't be that difficult, surely!
It's as if we've gone back 30 years to the time when legislation against hand held mobile use - and functional hands free kits - were virtually non existent. Weak, easily-lobbied governments allow car manufacturers unlimited experimentation in a brave new touchscreen, voice-operated world to bestow magical new inventions on the apparently gadget-mad carbuying public, with barely a nod to road safety. But, hey, don't worry, autonomous braking and blind spot detection can keep us safe, right? Wrong! Out pour ever more solutions to questions we've never actually asked.
Even when sitting comfortably at a table with a touchscreen smartphone in my hand, I cannot reliably type a message longer than one sentence without making mistakes for the very simple reason that I can't see where I'm pressing while I'm pressing it. I'm beginning to mourn the company-provided Blackberries I had, bless their little keypads! Give me proper buttons (and not too many of them!) any day of the week, but infernal touchscreen menus can go hang.

Edited by Bilboman on 14/09/2017 at 02:38