[avi8tir]

If this is what is to come to the rest of the BMW line then I may be looking elsewhere in the future. I am one of the ones that does not like the reduction in button count and integrating it into iDrive... that being said, my complaints about 8.5 can be tossed aside when comparing to the new 7 series. It is WAY overboard with this crap. As well, the materials make it even more difficult to see and use the buttons that are there unless it is shaded or at night...

Right off the bat, I got in and the lumbar felt like there was a basketball in the seat.... there I was, like an idiot, looking for the lumbar button on the seat.

How do you control the AC vents? with two tiny rubberized pieces of plastic placed low on the dash.... you literally have to use your fingernails to grab them. terrible design.

LCI layouts for the X5 and X7 are looking pretty damn good in my opinion after this. I hope they reverse coarse before the next gen X5 is released. There are so few buttons that nearly all functions have to be done in iDrive. I am NOT one of those people who points to safety being a factor but it absolutely makes driving more unsafe since you have to dive into the menus for everything.

[IAmSpeed]

The problem is that this is the trend toward which the entire auto industry is heading. One mega touchscreen and that's it.

Agreed, it's unsafe and can go overboard pretty quickly.

[matowi]

How did it drive though? Gripes about interior design aside, what was the 7 like on the road?

[olneymd]

Having had 5 BMWs in a row since 2007, I won't purchase another one unless it has separate controls for the basic functions - AC, volume, seat heating/cooling, etc. BMW (and others) have created a safety issue, forcing a driver to look away from the road. Not very different from texting or manipulating an iphone/adroid app, which is considered distracted driving.

Interesting that manufacturers like Genesis are keeping these basic controls in their updated dash layouts. To me, BMW is not listening to its' customer base and is at risk in loosing their loyal buyer. Time will tell.

[avi8tir]

Originally Posted by matowi

How did it drive though? Gripes about interior design aside, what was the 7 like on the road?

Drives great. It’s a 740i, so the B58. Nice power. I’ve had 2 750’s in the past so I think a car that size needs the V8 but overall it’s a good ride.

[Caveno]

Originally Posted by avi8tir

If this is what is to come to the rest of the BMW line then I may be looking elsewhere in the future. I am one of the ones that does not like the reduction in button count and integrating it into iDrive... that being said, my complaints about 8.5 can be tossed aside when comparing to the new 7 series. It is WAY overboard with this crap. As well, the materials make it even more difficult to see and use the buttons that are there unless it is shaded or at night...

Right off the bat, I got in and the lumbar felt like there was a basketball in the seat.... there I was, like an idiot, looking for the lumbar button on the seat.

How do you control the AC vents? with two tiny rubberized pieces of plastic placed low on the dash.... you literally have to use your fingernails to grab them. terrible design.

LCI layouts for the X5 and X7 are looking pretty damn good in my opinion after this. I hope they reverse coarse before the next gen X5 is released. There are so few buttons that nearly all functions have to be done in iDrive. I am NOT one of those people who points to safety being a factor but it absolutely makes driving more unsafe since you have to dive into the menus for everything.

I have a 760 and although I do miss the buttons, I’ve gotten used to the touch screen, and automatic climate control is great, you almost never need to touch anything.

[mscot]

I do wish they had put a Max AC button on the small button panel. Plenty of room for at least two more there.

[crabman]

Realistically, they need to add a few back in, and my guess is that will happen. This isn't an accident; it's a stratagem to see what they can get away with, and only the most complained about or requested functions will find their way back out onto buttons.

With this in mind and thinking about what the most valuable buttons are while believing there's a limit, you have to ask, what do I most want?

For me, top of the list is the ACC following distance, it needs to leave the GUI and get put back on the wheel where it belongs. Then I'd say the seat healing/cooling. I'd also like to see a user programmable wheel button make a comeback. With those I wouldn't have much to complain about.

[AP]

Whilst not mandatory , the Euroncap will be marking down cars that do not have physical buttons for crucial features in the near future

https://afma.org.au/euro-ncap-ancap-...ehicle-safety/

So some hope but this could take years before we see it adopted quickly given how much effort must go into designing and manufacturing a car.

Aston Martin seem to have the right balance on their newest cars , they have acknowledged that a touchscreen is not appropriate for a lot of tasks

[crabman]

That would be implemented with industry input, if it's implemented at all; which would mean a time period that allows OEMs to integrate the changes into a refresh or new model.

Realistically, the MKX was the first well-known car featuring a touch cockpit, thanks to the massive McConaughey ad campaign. It got some buttons returned at the first refresh. That's been the trend when you take t0o many functions off physical swithgear. The latest is MB who are saying they've heard their owners loud and clear, buttons are coming back at model refreshes.

Of course, they won't give them all back; just the most egregious pain points will be addressed. But some buttons are coming back, and I think you're going to see the same thing here.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by AP

Whilst not mandatory , the Euroncap will be marking down cars that do not have physical buttons for crucial features in the near future

https://afma.org.au/euro-ncap-ancap-...ehicle-safety/

So some hope but this could take years before we see it adopted quickly given how much effort must go into designing and manufacturing a car.

Aston Martin seem to have the right balance on their newest cars , they have acknowledged that a touchscreen is not appropriate for a lot of tasks

Unfortunately the change in scoring will have no effect on the current design of most vehicles, especially BMW. The five critical functions that are being looked at with the new scoring are " indicating directions, turning on the hazard lights, blowing the horn, operating the windshield wipers, and activating the eCall SOS function".

https://www.carscoops.com/2024/03/ca...-safety-tests/