[Mike V.]

This is not what I want. This is techno garbage!

The shifter your are calling "techno garbage" operates exactly the same as a mechanical automatic shifter.

Again, most automatic shifters have been electronic since the 1990's and that most people do not realize that there is no direct mechanical connected to the transmission.

Mike

 

[Mike V.]

Get used to it. Even Ford and GM are getting away from conventional shifters.

And have been, for decades.

Mike

 

[90243]

If, as I suppose after Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio, more FCA vehicles will use Continental MK C1 integrated brake system than is better they will not explain too much how it works "brake by wire"
I am curious if will be used also in Jeep Wrangler JL.

Size comparison with a 8"/9" booster (in blue).

 

[Lee N. Burns]

What's next, the trany shifts on a center screen.

If it saves a nickel, expect it. That's really what drives much of this. I laugh at how the general public considers "touch screens" to be a premium feature when it's really just a cost save.

Right now, somebody is working on a concept to communicate with your smartphone via Bluetooth. You'll do everything... Start the car, adjust HVAC, control the radio, etc. by sliding fake cartoon buttons on your screen. Massive cost save. And people will eat it up, because; technology.

 

[dodgeismycar]

What's next, transmission shifter on the 8.4 screen??

 

[Mike V.]

Why is everyone having a had time with this. I can't stand the rotory dial or the 2" tall Tee shifter. Give me my Tall Tee handle shifter of old with the PRND prominently placed on the center console. What's next, the trany shifts on a center screen.

The "2" Tall" monstable electronic shifter that was in the 2011 Chrysler 300 with 8 speed automatic is no longer installed in Chrysler vehicles.

The shifter pictured that you called "garbage" fits what you have described as wanting.

Mike

 

[Mike V.]

What's next, transmission shifter on the 8.4 screen??

It could happen but I do not for see Chrysler having controls for the transmission on the uConnect anytime soon.

The whole shifter thing is really overblown.

Mike

 

[Mike V.]

If it saves a nickel, expect it. That's really what drives much of this. I laugh at how the general public considers "touch screens" to be a premium feature when it's really just a cost save.

Right now, somebody is working on a concept to communicate with your smartphone via Bluetooth. You'll do everything... Start the car, adjust HVAC, control the radio, etc. by sliding fake cartoon buttons on your screen. Massive cost save. And people will eat it up, because; technology.

There will still be redundant controls of some sort because the cell phone industry does not have common docking systems or common charging systems and regulation of using phones will driving will hamper moving controls exclusively to personal devices.

Mike

 

[Lee N. Burns]

There will still be redundant controls of some sort because the cell phone industry does not have common docking systems or common charging systems and regulation of using phones will driving will hamper moving controls exclusively to personal devices.

Mike

I said "working on", which I assume goes with a communized standard, like a USB.

Either way, it doesn't detract from the larger point being: We are given crappy, unfamiliar, non-intuitive interfaces because fewer moving parts = cost save. However, the public has so fallen in love with their phones, tablets, etc. that these interfaces are seen as modern = better. If you've looked behind the curtain, you realize its a scam. Sometimes people even drink their own poison Koolaid and you get things like the monostable shifter, which no sane person would argue has a more natural feel than the ones used for the past 60 years.

Remember oval steering wheels, (Mopar) shifters in the steering wheel hub, (Edsel) Horns-on-a-stick (Ford) Vertical radios (AMC)? Those were all dumb ideas that went away... But there was no meaningful cost save associated with them so the market won and we went back to the natural way of doing things. Much electronic equipment; even ceiling fans, are door stops without their associated remote controls. By now, the market is too dumb to even realize the scam, so we're probably stuck with it.

 

[Dave Z]

Yup, they sold a crap shifter from 2011 (2012?) to 2014 and then junked it.

The Knob may have shortcomings but I think most of the objections are cosmetic or ideological, e.g. “No shifter should be a girly knob.” I do think they should have made the hardware unique to its purpose and not used it in other cars for other purposes, and would have liked an indicator stripe, but those are minor concerns, really. With the Knob or current shifters, you always know where you are.

 

[Mike V.]

I said "working on", which I assume goes with a communized standard, like a USB.

Either way, it doesn't detract from the larger point being: We are given crappy, unfamiliar, non-intuitive interfaces because fewer moving parts = cost save. However, the public has so fallen in love with their phones, tablets, etc. that these interfaces are seen as modern = better. If you've looked behind the curtain, you realize its a scam. Sometimes people even drink their own poison Koolaid and you get things like the monostable shifter, which no sane person would argue has a more natural feel than the ones used for the past 60 years.

But there is still no standard for mounting, and even saying "USB" is not standard because there are four or five different usb systems. Wireless apple CarPlay or Android auto could be the next step for sure, but the car will still need to have an onboard user interface and electronics system like it currently does.

Well some of this is personal opinion only. HMI controls and electronic inputs have been industry standard in manufacturing for years and can be very intuitive. It is also not automatically cheaper than manual, mechanical control systems.

It makes perfect sense that cars would move toward similar controls systems. You may prefer mechanical and manual controls, but that does not make electronics bad or wrong... again it's your preference.

Remember oval steering wheels, (Mopar) shifters in the steering wheel hub, (Edsel) Horns-on-a-stick (Ford) Vertical radios (AMC)? Those were all dumb ideas that went away... But there was no meaningful cost save associated with them so the market won and we went back to the natural way of doing things. Much electronic equipment; even ceiling fans, are door stops without their associated remote controls. By now, the market is too dumb to even realize the scam, so we're probably stuck with it.

Again, a lot of this is purely personal preference only. Let's move past personal preference and stick to real engineering.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Mike V.]

Yup, they sold a crap shifter from 2011 (2012?) to 2014 and then junked it.

The Knob may have shortcomings but I think most of the objections are cosmetic or ideological, e.g. “No shifter should be a girly knob.” I do think they should have made the hardware unique to its purpose and not used it in other cars for other purposes, and would have liked an indicator stripe, but those are minor concerns, really. With the Knob or current shifters, you always know where you are.

Agreed.

Mike

 

[RobbieAG]

Try the level in the Charger and Challenger.... Durango is getting it for 2018 as well. If you like mechanical shifters, this one acts exactly like it.

The Cherokee, Renegade and new Compass all use electronic shifters that act like mechanical shifters and they have had no big issues with them.

Can this be swapped for the 2016 300 Limited's rotary shifter?

 

[npaladin2000]

Yup, they sold a crap shifter from 2011 (2012?) to 2014 and then junked it.

The Knob may have shortcomings but I think most of the objections are cosmetic or ideological, e.g. “No shifter should be a girly knob.” I do think they should have made the hardware unique to its purpose and not used it in other cars for other purposes, and would have liked an indicator stripe, but those are minor concerns, really. With the Knob or current shifters, you always know where you are.

I'm going to disagree. With a long lever that notches into place you can actually tell what gear you're in by feel alone, based on where the shifter head is. A dial you have to look at, unless they put a detent on there that you can feel.

Personally I'm waiting for on-wheel transmission mode selection. And yeah, I know it's been done before, but these days buttons are on the spokes, not on the hub.

 

[Dave Z]

I'm going to disagree. With a long lever that notches into place you can actually tell what gear you're in by feel alone, based on where the shifter head is. A dial you have to look at, unless they put a detent on there that you can feel.

And that shows you have never used it, because the dial has VERY clear detents and wide spaces between them. Indeed, it feels far more mechanical than some of the mechanical shifters I’ve used!

So please don't disagree.

 

[npaladin2000]

And that shows you have never used it, because the dial has VERY clear detents and wide spaces between them. Indeed, it feels far more mechanical than some of the mechanical shifters I’ve used!

So please don't disagree.

I must have tried a different one than you did then.

 

[redriderbob]

Can this be swapped for the 2016 300 Limited's rotary shifter?

You would have to change the entire center console since the console is designed for that shifter.

 

[Erik Latranyi]

I'm going to disagree. With a long lever that notches into place you can actually tell what gear you're in by feel alone, based on where the shifter head is. A dial you have to look at, unless they put a detent on there that you can feel.

Personally I'm waiting for on-wheel transmission mode selection. And yeah, I know it's been done before, but these days buttons are on the spokes, not on the hub.

Once again, you spout off without knowing what you are talking about.

The Knob has clear detents.

 

[pensfan]

I have a '16 Ram with the knob and also a '16 Charger SXT with the shifter shown above. I much prefer the knob in my truck to the Charger shifter. There is nothing wrong the Charger shifter, but with the knob, I don't have to look to see that I am in drive. Park is at one end and drive at the other. Nothing difficult about it. It frees up console space also for those who have Rams without the 40/20/40 front seat.
The Charger shifter is much improved over the previous one. Before I bought the Charger, I test drove a leftover '15 GC, and that shift design would have drove me insane. I could see why it was so hated and deemed hard to use.
If new tech works well, embrace it. The days of mechanical shifters are long gone.

 

[redriderbob]