R2 Launch Watch

[R1TVT]

The Rivian’s wheel and mirror adjustment buried in the screen is another example of terrible UX.

To be fair - they aren't buried - you can reach them when on any infotainment screen in the U/I:

1 tap from top Nav bar when you hit it your profile to reach both mirror and steering wheel - then adjust with steering wheel scrolls
1 tap from bottom Nav bar for all HVAC controls.

Maybe you were trying to access them from "settings" or somewhere else?

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

To be fair - they aren't buried - you can reach them when on any infotainment screen in the U/I:

1 tap from top Nav bar when you hit it your profile to reach both mirror and steering wheel - then adjust with steering wheel scrolls
1 tap from bottom Nav bar for all HVAC controls.

Maybe you were trying to access them from "settings" or somewhere else?

I know you’re a big fan of Rivian, and I would love to be too. I am for most of the vehicles.

But this is a failure of considering safety on the part of all the automotive design teams that are moving controls into touch screens. And it’s not just me or even one or two other people saying this. Scientific research into safety and usability show this to be true as well.

In a Rivian, interacting with any of those functions I mentioned requires at least two taps and a third interaction with the adjustment control. One tap to open the correct menu, a second tap to choose the function, and then an interaction with the control itself. Every tap requires looking at the screen to find the right place to tap because there’s no physical indication at your fingertips to indicate that you’re engaging with the correct function and mis-tapping the screen can engage other menus or functions. You can’t even “feel around” for the functions.

For the vents, it’s even worse. You have to look for and tap the menu. Then you have to find the vent you want to adjust (the adjustment “handles” move around based on where they were last set), then you have to keep your eyes on the screen while you drag the vent “handle” on the screen to adjust the pointing of the vents.

On all vehicles I’ve owned to-date—and it’s a lot—I have been able to adjust the seat, mirrors, steering wheel, and vent directions without taking my eyes off the road. That is when the options were available.

I’m not willing to give up the safety physical controls provide for the sake of “advancements” in UI because some programmers think they know better than 100+ years of automobile engineering.

Moving fundamental functions to touchscreens is a failure of understanding the purpose of those functions and the inherent safety failures that are involved when taking eyes off the road.

"Overall, the results support a hybrid interface design that involves assigning safety-critical, high-frequency actions to physical controls, assigning configuration-heavy and integrative tasks to a touchscreen, and using brief vibrotactile confirmations to reduce verification time and glance time."

"Objective and subjective results of the pilot study indicate that the control of touch screen panels causes higher visual, manual, and cognitive distraction than the use of physical buttons."

 

[oldgeeksguide]

I understand there are people that prefer to have buttons still to each their own. However, saying that the UX in the R2 is going backwards compared to the Mustang is like saying you prefer a BlackBerry over an iPhone 17 Pro lol!

R2 has some of the most advanced UX when it comes out. One thing that's always puzzled me is are people just constantly changing the HVAC the entire time while they're driving? I keep mine on auto and every now and then I may adjust the temp, but otherwise "I set it and forget it" little inside joke for those who get it.

I have had screen only controls for 4 going on 5 years and its just become the norm. The controls are extremely intuitive and the UX is expertly designed for all users. Furthermore, with R2 having the scroll wheels full adjustment of the HVAC can be done without ever taking your hands off the steering wheel, making those irresistible HVAC buttons obsolete. Screens are just the way of the future like going from analog to digital speedometers.

Don't believe me, just look at my 2025 Genesis GV70 loaner HVAC controls. Yep, aside from temp knobs, screens again.
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They are the current fad, and they are a way for manufacturers to save money. Calling it “the wave of the future” doesn’t make it good. It’s bad ergonomics and bad UI design. As long as there are alternatives, I’m not spending money to have a bad UI. We’re already seeing manufacturers walk it back. One of my biggest pet peeves is the way people conflate EVs with stupid door handles, touch screens and capacitive “buttons”. We can have nice things if we stop accepting bad things just because someone claims “it’s the future”.