The 2019 Acura RDX Prototype is the latest car that joins the ranks of Acura’s cars. Acura boasts a new and intuitive user interface that according to them anyone can use regardless of their skill level. They claim the technology used to be cutting edge and the best available. The new user interface is powered by Android which gets rid of the touch-screen and allows users to navigate their screens in a different and easier way while driving.
It’s safe to say Acura has not been on par with its competitors. Current Acura cars contain outdated technology and include features that one could find in other cheaper (and better) options.
Therefore, Acura needed to do something to put itself back on the map, it comes in the form of the latest RDX. It’s a luxury SUV that was shown at the Detroit Auto Show. Some people might not have associated the term ‘luxury’ with Acura before this car was announced, this just goes to show the poor state Acura was in.
Acura’s new SUV promises more space and better performance that rivals even some of the best cars out there such as the BMW X and the Audi Q5. It takes inspiration from competitor Honda with its engine as its a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The engine used for this car is completely new and different from what they’ve been using previously. The new engine replaces 3.5 liter V6, an engine that can be found in cheaper alternatives.
However, the main selling point of the latest Acura car lies inside the car. Acura’s parting ways with its old ‘infotainment’ system which comprised of a slow touchscreen and an uncomfortable knob-based system. Many cars are now opting to include fully functional touch-screens powered by Android OS, the RDX also has the Android OS running its new interface now, but with a twist. The Acura doesn’t have a touchscreen, instead, there’s a touchpad that the driver can interact with in order to navigate the Android-powered screen.
The idea behind the touchpad interface is innovative. Not only can touchscreen interfaces become really slow at times, but they become really hard to use while driving. This touchpad is something similar to what you’d find on a laptop. The driver uses the touchpad in order to navigate the screen. This way, the driver can focus on the road and keep one hand on the wheel while also toggling between different options on the screen with the other hand on the pad.
The cool thing about the touchpad is that for example if you wanted to go up from ‘settings’ to ‘phone’ (image above). Instead of using a cursor as in a normal laptop, the touchpad is configured in such a way that if you put your finger on the top part of the touchpad, it will go up and the thing you select will be highlighted.
So wherever you place your finger on the touchpad, the icon that corresponds to the place your finger is will become highlighted on the screen. These icons can also be customized to your own preference. You can configure it to give you directions to your favorite destinations, ignore/make calls to people and much more.
Acura seems to be focusing mostly on calls, music/radio playback, and navigations. These things are most likely the only things that matter to people when they drive. Therefore if they can keep a limited focus to those three but make them work perfectly then they automatically get an edge over their competitors. Not only does its interface perform well on all the fronts mentioned above, it also has a voice recognition system as well as multiple hard keys on the steering for convenience sake.
The Acura RDX looks to focus on and perfect the basic, yet necessary things people want from their cars. From the looks of it, they have succeeded in doing so as well which makes the latest Acura a top contender in the market. The Acura is set to be priced within the $40,000-$50,000 range and will go on sale in the latter half of 2018.