Steering wheel controls (not Bolt specific unfortunately)

[AbelGoddard]

I currently drive a Ford Focus Electric. Previous cars were Hondas. One of the first things I noticed (read aggravated me) was that the steering wheel controls are on the wrong sides! Radio controls on the right, Cruise Control on the left. I see the Bolt has a similar left/right configuration. Why the heck do they do this?

I haven't done a comprehensive survey of makes and models or anything, but I can't fathom the thought process that puts additional radio controls 2"-3" to the left of the normal controls. It doesn't seem to be useful.

Thoughts?

 

[EldRick]

Because the radio controls should be near the radio display.
Seems like basic ergonomics, just like window controls belonging on the doors near the windows, not on the center tunnel.

 

[SeanNelson]

I haven't done a comprehensive survey of makes and models or anything, but I can't fathom the thought process that puts additional radio controls 2"-3" to the left of the normal controls. It doesn't seem to be useful.

As far as I'm concerned the choice of left vs. right is irrelevant. I can access radio controls with my left thumb just as easily as with my right. It isn't as if I'm going to move my hand toward the radio, go "oops" and then move it back to access the buttons on the steering wheel. The benefit is in not having to move my hand from the wheel at all, and that happens just as effectively with either thumb.

It seems to me like you might be a little too CDO about this.

 

[AbelGoddard]

Because the radio controls should be near the radio display.
Seems like basic ergonomics, just like window controls belonging on the doors near the windows, not on the center tunnel.

Radio controls on the radio. Check. Already there. Extra set of controls right next to first set? Not necessary.

Basically, if my right hand is doing anything at all (god forbid someone not HAVE a right hand) the options for radio controls are limited to reaching across the steering wheel. That's a good idea how?

The Bolt and some vehicles actually put the buttons in a semi-accessible location (the cross bar). My Focus has them semi-recessed into the well between steering wheel arms. Not very accessible by the left hand, certainly not while maintaining any real control over the steering wheel.

 

[devbolt]

Different manufacturers put their controls in different places. Toyota puts their cruise-control on a stalk attached to the right side of the steering wheel. Mini uses a set of buttons on the right side of the steering wheel. Chevy Silverado has it on a stalk on the left side of the steering wheel. Bolt uses a set of buttons on the left side of the steering wheel.

The Bolt's radio controls are actually distributed all over the steering wheel: favorites are a set of buttons on the lower left of the steering wheel, volume control on the backside of the right hand side of the steering wheel. Next/previous track, browsing, etc, re-use the controls on the right side used for various functions for the instrument cluster, assuming you are on the audio control screen. Our Highlander Hybrid has the main radio controls (volume, next/previous track or preset, mode/source) on the left, but additional functions using the direction buttons on the right (like the Bolt), if the instrument cluster screen is set to the Audio menu, just like in the Bolt.

You have two choices here: suck it up and adapt to the different placement of controls in cars from different manufacturers, or sell the car and only buy cars that have the controls in what you consider to be the proper location. You can try complaining to GM/Chevy, but they may have a corporate design standard they follow so that all their cars operate in a similar manner, so they may be unlikely to change things for a minor number of purchasers.

 

[AbelGoddard]

Well thank you for the lovely discussion of how I can shove my opinions up my ass. I thought I was going to get an actual discussion of the merits of the Bolt's layout vs other layouts. I can find facts anywhere. But if the only response to "thoughts?" is that my opinion is wrong, I guess I overestimated this board.

 

[SeanNelson]

Basically, if my right hand is doing anything at all (god forbid someone not HAVE a right hand) the options for radio controls are limited to reaching across the steering wheel. That's a good idea how?

I'm still struggling to see the issue here. Is your right hand busy so often that this is a significant impediment to you?

 

[AbelGoddard]

It's an issue of design thought process, I think. It just doesn't make sense to duplicate the controls so close to each other. If the purpose of the steering wheel controls is to keep your eyes on the road, ok sure, mission accomplished, sort of. But doesn't it make more sense to allow one hand to be free? The exact same controls are only a few inches away and easily manipulated without taking eyes off the road (speaking for my Focus). It's not a deal breaker - but yes, it is a minor annoyance/inconvenience and to a degree offends my designer sensibilities. Unless there's a reason for it that I'm unaware of, which wouldn't be that surprising given that I only briefly sat in an unpowered Bolt at an auto show.

 

[SparkE]

Think about how they screwed up designing your least favorite coffee cup instead.

 

[SeanNelson]

The exact same controls are only a few inches away and easily manipulated without taking eyes off the road (speaking for my Focus). It's not a deal breaker - but yes, it is a minor annoyance/inconvenience and to a degree offends my designer sensibilities. Unless there's a reason for it that I'm unaware of, which wouldn't be that surprising given that I only briefly sat in an unpowered Bolt at an auto show.

Here's where I'm loosing you: you say you can operate the dash-mounted controls without taking your eyes off the road. If that's true, then why not protest about mounting them on the wheel in the first place? You could still operate the dash-mounted controls even if the wheel controls were on the left. What's the difference?

 

[devbolt]

The purpose of the steering wheel controls is so that you don't take your hands off of the steering wheel to perform certain functions. And by extension, you don't take your eyes off of the road searching for those functions on the dash in various places.

 

[AbelGoddard]

Here's where I'm loosing you: you say you can operate the dash-mounted controls without taking your eyes off the road. If that's true, then why not protest about mounting them on the wheel in the first place? You could still operate the dash-mounted controls even if the wheel controls were on the left. What's the difference?

Having the controls on the wheel is good - no doubt about that. I'm saying, why not put them in a place that doesn't duplicate the function? If on the left, one can use either hand to manipulate the radio. For instance, one could pick up/hold a drink and still change the station.

 

[AbelGoddard]

It's kind of amazing to me that no one even sees the issue in the first place. But that's sort of the reason I started the thread.

 

[devbolt]

It's kind of amazing to me that no one even sees the issue in the first place. But that's sort of the reason I started the thread.

You are not accurately describing the issue in the first place. Which specifIc controls are duplicated mere inches from the ones on the dash? The only ones I can think of are the volume controls and the next/previous track/station, because those are the only hard buttons/dials on the dash for the radio. And those controls are in two separate places on the steering wheel.

 

[AbelGoddard]

In my view, any radio controls on the right side of the steering wheel are duplicates, because they still require the use of your right hand.

Does that help?

 

[EldRick]

A lot of people prefer solid, old-fashioned buttons and knobs for the most common functions, like radio and climate control. That's why you get them there as well as on the wheel.
Either way, you don't have to take your eyes off the road, assuming that one can learn new things, like where the buttons are on more than one car.

 

[devbolt]

In my view, any radio controls on the right side of the steering wheel are duplicates, because they still require the use of your right hand.

Does that help?

But all of those functions can be done without taking your hands off of steering wheel, which is the whole point. Either operated by thumbs on the front side, or fingers on the back side of the steering wheel. And the only dedicated controls for the radio on the right hand side are the volume controls on the back side of the steering wheel. The other controls on the frontt side of the steering wheel are used for multiple purposes, one of which might be audio related, if that is the function selected in the instrument cluster.