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The New Camaro Features a Clever Design for HVAC Controls

Chevy's designers deserve a pat on the back for these seemingly small details

By Rain Noe - May 26, 2015

in Cars | UX

I haven't owned a car in nearly ten years, so everything I drive is either a rental or a ZipCar. And when you get into an unfamiliar car for the first time, you perform this little routine, in order:

1. Adjust seat distance to pedals and seatback angle.

2. Adjust steering wheel angle.

3. Adjust mirrors.

4. Figure out the climate control.

No matter the car model, the controls for the first three things are almost always consistent and intuitive, but I always have to spend a moment figuring out the climate control; with today's dashboards growing ever more crowded, I find them occasionally tucked into a counterintuitive place.

That's why I'm digging the design of the 2016 Camaro's dashboard vents. There's no separate knobs or sliders to control the airflow and temperature; instead those controls are cleverly integrated into the vents themselves.

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That little dial in the center controls the airflow. And that knurled silver ring on the outside is also actually a dial, to control the temperature. These are small details, I know, but it's little things like this that make me appreciate what the designers are working on behind the scenes.

And the old saw about constraints leading to better design solutions apparently applies here. According to GM Authority, "Chevrolet was working with a bit less space than before. This meant the design team had to get a bit creative with the interior packaging to keep it looking clutter-free, especially in regards to the climate control system."

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Paige Smith

9 years ago

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I really like this design a lot. This would get the air out a little bit quicker and at a higher blast. Also, the design looks very modern. http://www.ronhammes.com/services

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Haiden G

9 years ago

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Ahh yes. My 2004 Mini Cooper S has a very similar vent as well. Air flow in the center, and the entire vent is on a sort of gimbal that allows it to rotate and face all directions freely. I do wish the actual heat / AC control was surrounding the vent, like the Camaro.

We could use a whole post on car interior features. ;)

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Scraped Crusaders

9 years ago

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The 2016 Audi TT has similar controls. It even has a small digital screen in the centre to display temps.

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