Volkswagen owners know that their car only has one set of window controls, with a toggle button that switches the left and right stalk controls from the front windows to the rear windows and vice versa.
Ford is now rolling out a similar system, according to a TikTok video by automotive content creator, which has sparked controversy online.
The video in question was posted by the account of British car-buying site Carwow (@carwow), which posted a video slamming the innovation. The video, posted to the platform on Friday and with a creator promising “honest reviews, epic drag races, and trusted advice,” has been viewed more than 1 million times.
The 10-second video includes a face-covering emoji and the caption “Ford… why?”, as well as “Cost cutting reaches a new level!”, expressing skepticism about the move.
But do customers like Ford?
When it comes to customer satisfaction, Ford has room to improve. Detroit Free Press article In March 2023, Ford was “ranked as one of the worst auto companies” in that year’s J.D. Power U.S. Customer Service Index study.
In the article, Ford spokesman Syed Deep said of the results, “We work with our dealer partners to provide the support and resources they need to serve their customers better and enhance their ownership experience,” but he focused on “customer-convenient service options” rather than vehicle design.
Ford Own website “Ford has reimagined its vision for the vehicle. With an emphasis on functionality, space and high-performance, fuel-efficient options, our updated lineup is designed to have something for everyone,” he added.
but, Consumer Reports article The study, from February 2024, shows that Ford ranks in the middle in the ratings of the most and least loved car brands, while Volkswagen is second from the bottom out of the 29 brands on the list, behind only Infiniti.
What will people think?
The window shows commenters divided.
One person even went so far as to say, “To be fair, I think they’re being innovative.”
This sparked a debate about what is innovative, and the conclusion of the debate was that it is something new that makes something better.
During that exchange, someone declared, “Because it’s cheaper than adding two buttons.”
“It’s a solution to a problem no one knew about,” added another observer.
Amid accusations that Ford was trying to copy Volkswagen, some argued that “the irony is that Volkswagen has stopped using these buttons, so Ford is falling behind again.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Carwow via email and TikTok direct message, and also reached out to Ford via email.
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