[cmos]

Great.

But make climate control 3 knobs: Fan speed + off, temperature and output ports. Put the AC button inside the temperature knob, and the 'recirculate' button inside the output ports knob.

With the radio have a push on/off volume knob that starts up at the SAME volume as always (i.e. relative, not absolute) and NOT the previous volume. The volume knob should have some resistance to it. Opposite that have a tune knob for precise tuning, and pressing that gets you into setup and navigates you through it. This should have the same resistance, but the outside has some indents so you know it's not the volume knob. Have 6 preset buttons and 3 'banks' with a single 'next bank' button. pressing and holding a preset will save it with a beep for confirmation. On the steering wheel: up/dn for radio should be seek, not next/previous preset. There are 6 nice big buttons for presets but when traveling seek up/dn is the main way we change music.

On the door have the rear view mirror controls, and above that have a knob for dashboard light brightness.

2008 Honda Fit was close to a perfect car. https://www.carsdirect.com/honda/fit/2008/pictures/interior

[aeonfox]

While we're dreaming, just have an interchangeable panel. Allow 3rd parties to make whatever dials etc. the customer wants. And if it were up to me I'd also get rid of the screen entirely and only have a HUD for navigation. It will never happen, let alone become mainstream, but dreaming is nice sometimes.

[dzhiurgis]

Basically what Tesla does - near perfect touchscreen, but also easy to add third party buttons.

[The_President]

Excellent vehicle but feels like driving an empty beer can at speeds over 80 mph.

[beAbU]

> have a tune knob for precise tuning

Who the hell still tunes a radio in 2026.

[catlikesshrimp]

Third world countries. We do.

I know first world countries come first, but you asked.