The Mazda CX-5 is about to be the Japanese brand’s first new-generation model to go without physical controls for its climate system, and also begin the end of the road for its knob-controlled infotainment.
Due in Australia later this year, the CX-5 will follow the trend of carmakers removing physical buttons for important systems such as the HVAC, instead moving them to a touchscreen sitting between the front seats.
It’ll also be the first mainstream model from Mazda without the rotary dial control for its infotainment system in more than a decade, after it soldiered on with the unique but well-liked function for years.
Despite many users of the rotary dial system praising it for its ease of use – certainly compared to trying to operate a touchscreen while on the move – Mazda’s project manager of in-vehicle technologies and human machine interfaces, Matthew Valbuena, told Motor1 the new tech does a better job of reducing driver distraction.
“Mazda’s driving philosophy remains the same. We are focused on minimising driver distraction,” Valbuena said.
While more functions have moved to the CX-5’s steering wheel than previous generations of the SUV, Valbuena likened the change in tact of Mazda finally adopting touchscreens in full as being similar to two of Apple’s iPods.
“Both can do the same things [the rotary dial and touchscreen], but the iPod Touch has greater flexibility and can do more things than the iPod Classic.”
Obviously, it’s worth noting both of those pieces of technology have since been discontinued.
However, the CX-5’s new touchscreen will also represent Mazda’s first time in using a system which was designed from the outset to work with smartphone mirroring services, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Mazda’s rotary dial has sometimes been criticised for not working as well with these systems as the carmaker’s native infotainment software, though when some models got touchscreen capabilities (albeit at low speeds or a stop) in recent years, this improved the usability of CarPlay and AA.
The CX-5 will also gain Google Built-In, allowing users to completely bypass their own device’s mirroring technology, but also requiring Mazda to drop to rotary dial due to the sheer volume of available control options.
“Trying to control that great variety of apps with a singular command knob would be very difficult,” Valbuena added.
“Even though our approach to the solution may be different than what we have done previously, the goal is the same—it’s how do we give the driver the connectivity and the features they are looking for, but in a safe way that does not distract their driving.
“We didn’t want to have this super complicated user experience that required reading a massive owner’s manual. We wanted that kind of jump in and go and discover, and this system delivers that.”
Australian deliveries of the CX-5 are due to begin in the coming months, with pricing and specifications due to be announced closer to launch.
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