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Hands-on with Acura's novel touchpad infotainment interface

After Acura's Precision Cockpit was unveiled here in LA, I sat in the, uh, driver's seat of the wheel-less interior mockup to get a feel for how this new touchscreen-free touch interface works. There are a lot of good ideas inside. Here are 11 things you should know. It's less like a trackpad and more like a remote-control tablet. So instead of letting you move a cursor relative to its last location like the trackpad on a laptop, each point on Acura's trackpad is mapped to a corresponding point on the center display. If you want what's in the upper right corner of the display, you touch and click in the upper right corner of the trackpad. Simple. I figured it out in two minutes. Maybe less. The whole thing is surprisingly intuitive. The ease of use is helped by the fact that the targets on the screen are pretty big – no tiny "buttons" to fiddle with. The clicks are real. The trackpad actually moves when you press down, so no need for simulated haptic feedback. In their research, Acura engineers found that accidental touches and presses are a real issue. We could have told them that – hit a bump while using a finicky remote interface like Lexus's all-but-abandoned joystick thing, and you select an item half-way across the screen from the one you intended. The placement of the trackpad in this concept interior also helps avoid unintentional inputs – it's not in the middle of the center console where it might get brushed or bumped, but instead in its own little cave at the base of the center-stack waterfall. (Acura's low-profile button-based transmission selector suddenly makes a whole lot of sense.) View 13 Photos Lots of cues cut down on distraction. You hover over the option you want before positively confirming the selection with a hard press. There's no cursor to find and reposition like in the Lexus trackpad system The red highlight gives the necessary visual cue that you put your finger in the right place. The pad is slightly dished to give you a tactile cue of where the center and edges are. It allows you to build up muscle memory, sort of like how you know generally where the "keys" are on your smartphone or tablet's virtual keyboard by now. Or at least I do on mine. You look at the screen, not what you're touching. The problem with touch screens is that they have to be low down in the car so you can reach them. That means you have to look down from the road to stab at what you want.

The cars that won't live to see 2015 [w/video]

Every year in the fast-paced automotive industry brings new models, but it also spells the end for some that have been less successful. This year will be no exception.
Japan's automakers make up the bulk of the list of discontinued models for the 2015 model year: Acura is replacing the TL and TSX with the new TLX sedan, Honda is bidding farewell to the Fit EV as the new Fit hatchback takes its place, and Nissan is saying goodbye to both the Cube and Murano CrossCabriolet. Both the Nissan Maxima and Mazda2 exit stage left before their upcoming replacements arrive, while Toyota is terminating the RAV4 EV and FJ Cruiser as well as the Scion xD, and Lexus IS C and IS F that are being effectively replaced by the new RC. Meanwhile Infiniti is finally discontinuing the G37 that was already replaced by the newer Q50.
From our own domestic automakers, Cadillac discontinues the CTS-V sedan and wagon as the new CTS rolls in, Chevy is canceling the mild-hybrid Eco versions of the Malibu and Impala sedans, and Chrysler is killing off the 200 convertible as the new 200 sedan arrives.

Honda and Acura recall 124,077 vehicles due to potential brake failure

Honda and Acura are recalling 124,077 total vehicles across numerous model lines due to a part in the brake system that was potentially improperly assembled, which could ultimately lead to brake failure. The models affected include the 2020-2021 Honda Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot and the 2020 Acura MDX. As for the issue itself, Honda says the brake master cylinder “may have been improperly fastened to the brake booster assembly during production.” Specifically, the tie rod fastener is the problem point. Honda says that if it was improperly assembled, that could result in loose or missing tie rod nuts. If this is the case, when you hit the brakes, a bending load can be placed on the brake booster tie rod studs, which could in turn cause the tie rod studs to break. This then allows the brake master cylinder to separate from the brake booster, which Honda says could result in diminished or lost brake function. Honda says it received a report of brake failure on a 2021 Pilot last year, which prompted the companyÂ’s investigation. There are no crashes, injuries or deaths related to this issue, according to Honda, but it has received two related warranty claims since September 2022. Owner notifications are scheduled to begin on August 7 this year. Honda says it will inspect and replace any missing nuts, and if any brake booster assembly components are damaged, those will be replaced, too. Related video: Recalls Acura Honda Truck Crossover Hatchback SUV Sedan