Making the Most of the NX 300h Remote Touch
One of the biggest reasons those of us at Lexus of Highland Park value the Lexus brand is because of its dedication to innovation and modern technology. In a recent write-up on the Lexus NX 300h, Joe Bruzek of Cars.com notes that, for this truly modern luxury SUV, the futuristic touches begin at first sight, as the overall structure emits an aura the writer deems is “as reflective to radar as a Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk ‘stealth fighter.’” As with any car that produces such a next-level aesthetic, it’s only hoped that the interior technologies will live up to the exterior’s promises.
And when you step inside the NX 300h, the exterior’s modern lines make a seamless transition to the interior. For many drivers, one of the most notable features in the NX 300h is its Remote Touch functionality, a touchpad that provides quick access to Lexus’s Enform infotainment system.
A familiar system, now at your fingertips
“The laptop-like touchpad is used to control functions of the navigation system, in-car applications and media sources,” explains Bruzek. “The display screen isn’t a touchscreen, so the majority of the functions are accessed via the touchpad. In many luxury cars and NX models without navigation, this is done through a dial controller such as BMW’s iDrive or Mercedes-Benz’s Comand, but in the NX 300h with navigation it’s the touchpad.”
In their official breakdown of the feature, Lexus writes that it’s “equal parts functionality and form” in order to bring the intuitive feel of a smartphone to your fingertips. Understandably, this feature takes some acclimating, since, as Bruzek mentioned, many similar vehicles accomplish this via an older dial controller.
“Remote Touch presents an interesting alternative to the knob-and-button setups of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz or the touchscreens of Cadillac and Jaguar,” reviews Brent Romans for Edmunds. “It operates very much like a laptop computer. You move your finger around a touchpad, which moves around a cursor on the display screen. Haptic feedback (vibrations) through the touchpad confirms your movement from one icon on the screen to another.”
An innovative learning curve
Both Bruzek and Romans admit struggling to adapt to the touchpad at first, but Romans argues that the system’s overall ease of intuition is its biggest advantage. Instead of going through layers and layers of menus and icons, the Remote Touch setup makes it easier to find what you want when you need it.
“The music Shuffle button, for example, is right on the main audio menu,” explains Romans. “You don’t have to dive deeper trying to find it.”
The rectangular controller is positioned in the center console in front of an arm rest, making it natural for drivers to properly and comfortably align their right hand with the touchpad. For added usability, the Remote Touch system allows for users to rearrange on-screen icons, and the robust Lexus Enform app platform continues to shine with its large 12.3-inch screen for reader-friendly navigation.
Moving forward, many reviewers are excited to see how Lexus will evolve its unique Remote Touch feature and make it even more of a standout feature.
“As a control system, the Remote Touch controller with its haptic feedback makes cursor control a simple-to-use reality in automobiles,” writes Derek Fung for CNet. “However, additional refinement will help Lexus make it that much more user-friendly.
