VW Finally Reintroduces Real Buttons in a Car That Isn’t Available for Purchase: TDS
Volkswagen ID 3 Neo interior.
Volkswagen
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Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short.
TDS condenses all the major automotive industry headlines from the morning into a quick read, allowing you to catch up and continue with your day. Each item includes a link for more information. Unfortunately, they don’t come with coffee, so you’ll need to brew your own.
Happy Wednesday, here’s what’s going on.
🔊 The latest episode of The Drivecast, The Drive’s new weekly podcast, will be available later today. Make sure to tune in, whether you stream it on The Drive, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.
☝️ Volkswagen has unveiled its new ID 3 Neo electric vehicle. Although it won't be sold in the U.S., it showcases VW's commitment to using feedback, featuring a dashboard that replaces nearly all touch-sensitive controls and sliders with real, physical buttons.
💸 In other VW news, the end of ID 4 production at the company's Tennessee plant to make way for the new Atlas is likely to impact its earnings in the first quarter, as reported by Reuters following a management call.
🚐 Honda is recalling approximately 440,000 Odyssey minivans from model years 2017 to 2022 due to side airbags that may deploy unexpectedly, such as when driving over potholes or speed bumps. Owners will need to have their vehicles serviced, which involves uploading new software that cannot be downloaded wirelessly.
😇 BMW informed Australia’s CarSales that it will ponder introducing new “brand shapers” (meaning enthusiast or halo models) only after it has fully refreshed its main lineup.
🔌 Ioanna, the North American electric vehicle charging network created through a collaboration of eight automakers, has announced a partnership to install 350 charging stations at Circle K locations. The company is also still trying to popularize the term “rechargery,” which is unfortunate.
🔋 Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has announced a new collaboration with SAIC-GM-Wuling to introduce 10-minute charging technology, competing against BYD, according to Electrek.
💷 A brand new, V8-equipped Jensen Interceptor, named the Interceptor GTX and produced by Jensen International Automotive, a firm known for restoring the British company's classic vehicles, will make its debut this spring, as reported by Autocar.
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VW Finally Reintroduces Real Buttons in a Car That Isn’t Available for Purchase: TDS
The VW ID 3 Neo finally fulfills the company's commitment to reintroducing actual buttons. Unfortunately, it will not be available for sale in the United States.