Why no USB outlet on the dash?

[Gilez]

This one isn’t specific to the Roc, but all cars I guess.

I have never seen or heard of it being done in a car yet, so guess it hasn't, but I can’t work out why the manufacturers don’t provide a USB port on the top of the dash or pillars in a discrete location. So many people have Satnav's or their phones in cradles on the windscreen that need powering, and the only way to do it is to have a cable hanging down to your cigarette lighter or port in the arm rest, which is crap.

Admittedly, it doesn’t cause me an issue as I tuck my tomtom in by the cigarette lighter, and pop my phone into the arm-rest. It would be good for a dash mounted CCTV recorder though. Talking of which, same again really, but I have never heard of a CCTV system being an option in a car. Surely, the manufacturers could easily pop one in the back of the dash behind the dials, for a nice clear view of the road ahead.

I reckon I am onto someting here

[Pheo]

Agree! Bloody irritating and easy to fix

[Skollers]

Totally agree, this is simply an easy fix, come on VW get ure act together ?

[jimma1983]

Although not on the dash, USB ports are getting common in cars in North America in all other sorts of places. It is something that would be good here too. We had a rental car in Canada (Ford Explorer) that had 4 USB ports plus a 110V plug socket in the centre console. It was very useful when there were 3 of us with BlackBerrys, laptops, sat navs etc that needed charging!

[phil4]

But if they make it too easy for you to use your own SatNav/Phone system, you won't buy their SatNav.... and that wouldn't be good for their business.

That, I'd suggest is the primary reason why they've never done it.

The secondary will be safety: they'll suggest that by putting a connector up there, you're more likely to put devices on top of the dash which aren't properly secured and could cause an accident.

This also makes sense, but money will most likely be the driver.

Am I too cynical?

[Mark V]

No - I would say completely realistic! The safety aspect is, I suspect, the main thing - a high level USB port would encourage objects being placed within the windscreen glass area which could obscure view and maybe also cause issues in an impact.

I am actually very surprised that VW and others have been able to maintain the high purchase cost of sat-nav as a factory option and that the mass availibility of high quality cheao devices does not seem to have pressured them in to reducing their option prices. Having sad that, RNS315 is now standard on the Roc but the 510 is still a pricey £800 plus option.

[phil4]

Smoke and mirrors is how they justify the price.

The better units aren't just "SatNav", they have extra interfaces, storage, options etc.

No one would pay 800quid for the satnav alone.

I think

[Mark V]

You get the MDI interface anyway and telephone prep/Blutooth anyway. Currently an RNS510 is an £885 option in the pricelist. Thats extra over the standard RNS315!! Presumably someone has ticked that box?

[phil4]

You can see from my spec, I've the 510 rather than the 315.

I can't recall exactly what swayed me, but I'm pretty sure it was things like the DVD player, onboard HDD etc. that I don't think the 315 has/had. But I might have been wrong.

[Mark V]

No you were right - it has neither of those facilities and the 510 looks much better in the dash too!