WELCOME
‘Voice control used to be rudimentary at best, whereas now it can be very effective’
Around 10 years ago, when I was What Car?’s road test editor and we’d just named the Audi A3 (above) Car of the Year, I found myself in a lively debate with someone from a rival car manufacturer who was annoyed at the decision. In particular, he took issue with the fact that we’d said the button and dial-operated infotainment system in that generation of A3 was superior to the touchscreen in his brand’s equivalent model. “If buttons are so good,” he harrumphed, “why are all phones switching to touchscreens?” To which I responded: “Try typing a text message into your iPhone without looking at the screen, then do the same with an old Nokia and tell me which is easier.” Back then, though, voice control was rudimentary at best, whereas now it can be very effective. So, do you still need physical controls to minimise distraction? From page 60, we find out.