Topic: Auto Tech: MyFord Touch

[rrocket]

My point is that technical reviews shouldn't be based solely on an afternoon of testing.  When is the last time you purchased a piece of technology and after playing around with it for a short time could write a professional review of it?

Don't get my wrong the MFT has it's faults (and bugs for that matter), but to me giving it poor marks for over complication means it has been graded by someone that has spent very little time using it.  

My point is, it shouldn't take you a few days to figure out how to use a GPS, turn up the volume or change the temperature.  This is a car.

[CanuckS2K]

My point is that technical reviews shouldn't be based solely on an afternoon of testing.  When is the last time you purchased a piece of technology and after playing around with it for a short time could write a professional review of it?

Don't get my wrong the MFT has it's faults (and bugs for that matter), but to me giving it poor marks for over complication means it has been graded by someone that has spent very little time using it.  

My point is, it shouldn't take you a few days to figure out how to use a GPS, turn up the volume or change the temperature.  This is a car.

Who said it took a few days to figure out the Navi, turning up the volume or changing the temperature?? 

[rrocket]

Who said it took a few days to figure out the Navi, turning up the volume or changing the temperature?? 

Well you..sort of.  You said that people should use a device longer than a coupel of days before they form an opinion.  I say: for something as simple as radio, gps, temperature it should be an easy, smooth operation.  The say this is not the case.  They said it was complex and more time consuming to perform these routines than simple knobs. I tend to believe these people.  They test cars for a living, so I don't think I'm out of line to assume they are devoid of basic technical knowledge.

Anyways..they said "It all adds up to three or four ways to make what should be simple adjustments. None of the options works as well or is as easy-to-use as old-fashioned knobs and switches, and they can be more time-consuming and distracting to operate."

[CanuckS2K]

^ Well I apologize if I didn't make myself clear earlier.......it will take a couple of days to get used to ALL of the functions of the MFT (just like it would take a day or two to get used to ANY new vehicle).  If you can't figure out how to adjust the temps, adjust the volume on the steering wheel, or tune into a radio station on the MTF you've got some serious issues.  My point is that MFT is no more complicated to learn than learning where and how to use a gazillion traditional buttons on other cars.  And like I mentioned earlier, everything I do is via voice command.......so how hard is that?? 

[rrocket]

^ Well I apologize if I didn't make myself clear earlier.......it will take a couple of days to get used to ALL of the functions of the MFT (just like it would take a day or two to get used to ANY new vehicle).  If you can't figure out how to adjust the temps, adjust the volume on the steering wheel, or tune into a radio station on the MTF you've got some serious issues.  My point is that MFT is no more complicated to learn than learning where and how to use a gazillion traditional buttons on other cars.  And like I mentioned earlier, everything I do is via voice command.......so how hard is that?? 

But the testers clearly say it's more difficult and cumbersome than a regular dial for BASIC functions.  I know 5 year olds can turn the volume up with a dial.  And these are seasoned car testers at CR, not some techo-phobic idiots.

So I guess we'll disagree.

OVR50 is the defender of iDrive.

I guess we can make you the defender of Touch??

[Ice]

Every vehicle with this level of technology should be marked front and rear so I know who to watch out for.

Or maybe not... especially if you can hit a button on your steering wheel and tell the car to change to the playlist/album/whatever of your choice and set the temperature to 22c all without taking your hands or eyes off the road in the slightest.

Right now if I want to adjust the HVAC controls on my Corolla I take a hand off the wheel, blink down to see where I'm reaching and then adjust the dial by feel. The Corolla has big huge honkin' controls so it's alright but voice controlled sounds very appealing.

How did I drive all these years without problems 

I drive one handed about 99% of the time anyway

Well...in the case of an emergency then both hands on the wheel is very much a necessity in my mind. What I'm doing with the HVAC takes maybe a second but you never know right. The point is that with the Ford voice control system you never need to take the hands off the wheel at all which means that it's less distracting.

And I've probably been driving less time than most of the forum anyways

[CanuckS2K]

^ Well I apologize if I didn't make myself clear earlier.......it will take a couple of days to get used to ALL of the functions of the MFT (just like it would take a day or two to get used to ANY new vehicle).  If you can't figure out how to adjust the temps, adjust the volume on the steering wheel, or tune into a radio station on the MTF you've got some serious issues.  My point is that MFT is no more complicated to learn than learning where and how to use a gazillion traditional buttons on other cars.  And like I mentioned earlier, everything I do is via voice command.......so how hard is that?? 

But the testers clearly say it's more difficult and cumbersome than a regular dial for BASIC functions.  I know 5 year olds can turn the volume up with a dial.  And these are seasoned car testers at CR, not some techo-phobic idiots.

So I guess we'll disagree.

OVR50 is the defender of iDrive.

I guess we can make you the defender of Touch??

I'm actually not a defender of anything, just stating my personal experiences with it.  I've used it, you haven't.......so you are basing everything off of reviews and hearsay.  But yes, we'll agree to disagree.   

[CanuckS2K]

And to follow up with that, I am not saying that Ford's new MFT is problem free because it certainly is not.  In fact, I am taking my Edge into my dealership to get a Sync TSB done to fix a few bugs.  While it's far from perfect, it's definitely not hard to use. 

[rrocket]

I'm actually not a defender of anything, just stating my personal experiences with it.  I've used it, you haven't.......so you are basing everything off of reviews and hearsay.  But yes, we'll agree to disagree.   

I've used it.  LOL   Didn't you see my post about my buddy's gigantic, super-duper pimp daddy new Ford Flex Platinum?

**EDIT** You posted a comment in the thread, so you did see my post...

[rrocket]

And to follow up with that, I am not saying that Ford's new MFT is problem free because it certainly is not.  In fact, I am taking my Edge into my dealership to get a Sync TSB done to fix a few bugs.  While it's far from perfect, it's definitely not hard to use. 

I know...the guys with iDrive say the same thing.....

[CanuckS2K]

I'm actually not a defender of anything, just stating my personal experiences with it.  I've used it, you haven't.......so you are basing everything off of reviews and hearsay.  But yes, we'll agree to disagree.   

I've used it.  LOL   Didn't you see my post about my buddy's gigantic, super-duper pimp daddy new Ford Flex Platinum?

**EDIT** You posted a comment in the thread, so you did see my post...

Sorry if I don't remember every post on this forum.  If you've used it and found it complicated so be it.  I think otherwise.  In any case, I'm done here before some confuse my my personal experience with the system with an MFT fanboy. 

[rrocket]

Sorry if I don't remember every post on this forum.  If you've used it and found it complicated so be it.  I think otherwise.  In any case, I'm done here before some confuse my my personal experience with the system with an MFT fanboy. 

I didn't find it complicated per se.  Just not as easy to use as a knob..as it the case with most EVERY touch system.

As I said earlier, I REALLY dig the voice commands though, and that's where I think the strength of the system is.  If I was Ford, I'd concentrate more on doing future upgrades to the voice command portion than the touch screen portion.  There's real value in voice commands IMO.