iDrive is terrible and distracting. Never has changing a radio station been so dangerous.
Yes, which is why they give you hard buttons for presets and up/down scan.
Only after 2012 as far as I can tell. I don't know if that finally makes the system sane but it certainly wasn't previously.
Try the Lexus car-mouse. It's far better than the "knob" systems (Mercedes, BMW, Audi). You still get haptic feedback (magnets, how do they work?) and the motion of the controller corresponds directly with the screen display.
I remember seeing that at the local auto show last year. I couldn't help but think that if you see a mouse in the car they did something wrong.
For one, BMW does this right. The large screen is controlled by the iDrive knob in the middle, which rotates with haptic detents, is pushable, and has 4-directions on it. All of the major controls are still present with physical controls: radio volume, presets, dual temp control, fan speed, vents, cruise control, phone, etc. The only time you would regularly use the iDrive is for navigation, which is always going to be kludgy because of the complexity of putting in addresses. I welcome voice and touch here.
http://www.moibibiki.com/images/bmw-4-series-interior-12.jpg