They seem to have gotten easier to use since the one in my 2013 Hyundai Sonata was confusing but the one in my 2019 Camry is simpler. I do wish the screen was a little bigger sometimes tho. 
 Also, I really prefer to have a backup camera since backing up without one is a pain. Plus whenever I’d be looking at cars, it must have Bluetooth and a backup camera or it’s a no-go for me 

I hate 'em. This is my preferred kind of "infotainment" system:

This trend keeps getting worse. They are moving more and more functions into the infotainment unit.

Want to adjust your climate control? Can you just reach over and twist a knob by feel without taking your eyes off the road?

NOPE!

Now you need to pull over, so you can look at what you need to press on the screen, and dig through layers of menus.

Grrrr!

🤬

You see similar trend in the car grills. Do they reaaly need to be that big? No. 

I have never had a vehicle with an infotainment screen and I never want one.  I know where I'm going BEFORE I go there.

Honda's are a good size and very intuitive.

Ford, on the other hand....

I will say this: I am a tech geek. I bought the premium Mustang GT's I did because I did not want the stupid little square screen that comes on the base models. 

I like the Tesla layout and also like the big screens in the new RAM's, even though the RAM units seem to have software issues galore.

I like having things integrated into the screen so that the surrounding area has less buttons and looks cleaner. BUT I am not a fan of integrating the A/C controls. My Ridgeline has the right idea: A/C controls have toggle switches for the driver and passenger to set their climate digitally. It is SUPER easy to use and does not require using the touch screen at all.

If I did fault the Hondas, it would be for not being sensitive enough to touch. Also, I didn't like the audio volume control being integrated in the 2020 and older Ridgelines. For 2021, Honda added a manual knob for the radio volume and you'd be surprised how much better it is.

Because everybody is going tech crazy, have infotainment screens gotten any better and are they easy to use for the novice person?

Depends on the make and model:  some are intuitive, easier to use while others are convoluted.  I prefer the ones that still retain physical buttons despite having a touch screen.  The ones that move to solely (or mostly) touchscreen can be more cumbersome to use since key features are buried deep within the interface.

One thing is for sure:  once the screen malfunctions or stops working, it will be very expensive to replace out of warranty.  So, it is very important to buy from an automaker who has historically had good reliability from their electronics.

Ugh. :envy:  

Even the gauge clusters are going digital now.

(example: 2021 Ford Territory)

Alas, I don’t prefer infotainment screens, but if a car has to come with one, I do have one requirement that is more important to size to me. 

Glare!!! It is so annoying and frustrating when you can’t see the screen because if glare. 

Overall, I haven’t found a system I like yet. But they all come with them these days.

In the case of Tesla, those screens were being used to play video games while driving (at least by some drivers).  This resulted in some accidents.

Under pressure and under investigation from the NHTSA in the US, Tesla recently sent out a software update so video games can no longer be played while vehicle is in motion.

This is just the beginning, btw, of what is to come within the auto industry.

I think all of these new trends are a waste of time resources and money.  Silly screens, digital displays, back up cameras etc.  

From my perspective, there is nothing technical about having to scroll through menus in your car in order to operate a vehicle's systems.  

Why don't the car manufacturers make these things optional instead of standard?  What happened to manual windows and door locks as an option?  

What they've created is a monster and planned obsolescence due to the repair costs.  Your average mechanic is not capable of repairing these systems if it's much more than replacing parts.

Mechanics won't be using SQL developer, or reading code when these systems breakdown over time.  Neither will the owners be able to effectively make repairs.

I have never much had an infotainment system, my f-150 doesn't even have a clock any more.

My old GX470 had a backup camera, but it was scratched up, so I installed a better one on the rear view mirror that could record. That way if I get in a wreck, it may can back me up, plus it gives me better visibility when towing.

I also ripped out the old radio and installed a single din radio with good bluetooth capability for hands free calls, and I can play the audio I want from my cell phone.

I just don't care about having more than backup camera and a good radio.

Check out the screen in the new Mercedes electric sedan.

As someone who lives in a dense urban environment, I find these infotainment screens and digital gizmos to be an absolute godsend.

It's NOT like this is an absolute must, It's just convenient.

When I’m driving on my commute, on incredibly congested roads with police and cameras everywhere having a navigation system that can give me traffic notifications, re-route on the fly, like Waze on apple car play really makes my drive so much more continent.

When I’m stuck for an hour in standstill traffic, instead of blankly staring nowhere or even worse using my phone, I can ask Siri to bring up a podcast, play music, or even use Siri to dial or even send WhatsApp messages with my voice.

I consider a large infotainment screen a must – on so many modern cars they’re just not big enough, some still come with small 8” screens with ugly bezels around them, that’s smaller than the cheap Chinese aftermarket system I put on my back up car, an almost 15-year-old Corolla.

I actually like this more than the horrid system on new Toyotas, I hate how it sticks out of the dash on the new ones... like this

the latter image is of the internet, not OC.

It honestly looks hella cool, when it's working...

My favourite car infotainment systems with decently large-sized screens and good performance are:

- Audi MMI (probably the best in the business for its responsiveness and ease of use and much better than older generations of MMI)

- BMW iDrive (very intuitive and user friendly and much better than older generations of iDrive)

- Hondalink (the latest one is superior in every way vs the old and unreliable systems in older Hondas)

- Volvo Sensus Connect (latest ones found in Polestar 2 and newer Volvos are pretty neat and have been improved as time went on)

- New Toyota/Lexus infotainment (Toyota is finally dumping the terrible entune system which I have always found to be slow and laggy and Lexus is moving away from the trackpad system)

The ones I hate are:

- Mercedes MBUX (childish interface and ridiculously complicated to use, and icons looks like they came from Windows XP or 7)

- Lexus Enform (that trackpad interface with the large screen is absolutely nuts and makes you curse)

- Acura Truetouch (honestly it didn't need to be so complicated with an already large screen that can be good to use as a touch screen but no they don't believe in touch screens)

- Ford Sync 3 (interface and responsiveness is very mediocre by today's standards and the new system in the Explorer, F150, and Mach-E looks meh)

- Volkswagen Golf GTi/R 2022 infortainment (the system is super frustrating and the volume controls with the gloss black sliders are retarded)

I will admit this: I also a little more old school and I’d rather have physical buttons rather than screens or touch capacitive buttons to control them. But the screens everywhere is the future and not everyone wants screens. I would also rather have a physical key than some technology to control locks, and the trunk.

These infotainment screens getting bigger to me is nice because it makes it easier to see stuff. For example the screen for the new Rav4 is a great size in my opinion because other than the rearview camera, when using maps which I use a lot I get a bigger screen and makes it easier to see. While newer cars are having less knobs but the few knobs that they have (again with the Rav4 example) have lights in them so easier to see at night. My parents 2001 Chrysler minivan is a pain; the knob to change where the heat comes from has no light and either the passenger has to do it because it needs complete focus or if driving alone you have to pull to the side to use it or just turn it until you feel heat coming from where you want.

Here's a look at BMW's 32 inch screen for rear passengers.