"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
10/04/2013 at 16:28 • Filed to: None
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"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
10/04/2013 at 16:28 • Filed to: None | 0
| 4 |
Is it possible to have a modern infotainment system that doesn't distract? What I mean specifically is: is it possible to solve the distracted driving issue using technology and keep the features that we think we want (internet, Pandora, tweets, etc) or is it fundamentally impossible to maintain driver alertness and send a text, or add a station or any other high tech app based function? Keep in mind I mean driving as we know it today, self driving cars are obviously a different animal and something that doesn't really relate to this discussion.
Google, Microsoft, apple and others are betting that it is, but I'm not so sure. This was brought to mind when reading a patent for gesture based inputs from Google for use in cars. the trouble is, I don't think the user interface is the problem, I think its the task...and before you say "well I've had a radio in my car for 37 years and it hasn't killed me yet" you're right, but I would say that the radio is the most basic of in car distractions and in any case, it does distract, its just that its usually such a small amount of time and mental energy that the distraction is only moderate. Take that in context for a text, tweet, social status update or anything else that requires your mind to devote significant resources to the task and for greater amounts of time.
I don't think I have the answer to this, but it does eat at me a little that I feel we are working the wrong end of the problem with modern infotainment systems and I have to wonder if the path we are on even has a solution, or just more problems. Thoughts?
KnowsAboutCars
> HammerheadFistpunch
10/04/2013 at 16:59 |
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I think don't think we need in-car infotainment systems to provide us twitter, fb, insert any web page here access.
To ask your question if it's possible to make these systems less distracting I think the answer is in haptic sensors.
PanchoVilleneuve ST
> HammerheadFistpunch
10/04/2013 at 16:59 |
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Yes. It's called "buttons".
Atomic Buffalo
> HammerheadFistpunch
10/04/2013 at 17:22 |
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We can do two things at once — just not if one requires concentration.
It's incumbent upon the driver to recognize when the non-driving task requires concentration and then not do it.
Different things come naturally to different people. There's no single UI that can reduce all tasks below the level of concentration for all users.
But I strongly suspect that any interface that requires repeated or extended downward glances is doomed to be distracting. We need buttons (and knobs ) and a head-up display with simple visuals, along with natural-language voice control.
Jayhawk Jake
> HammerheadFistpunch
10/04/2013 at 19:42 |
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Interestingly you posted the best one for that (imo)
Okay, maybe not the full version of mylink, but the toned down one in the Sonic is great. Add a volume knob and I think you could achieve what you're looking for. It's very simple, which allows all the stuff you look at to be big and clear, so it only takes a quick glance. Switching to Pandora involves hitting Home -> Smartphone Link -> Pandora, and then you have just a simple screen with song name, artist name, skip and thumbs up buttons, and album art.
Not to mention at least in the Sonic there's quite a bit of iPhone integration. You can apparently use Siri to make calls, read texts, send texts. I don't have an iPhone, but I'm looking into getting one just because of the integration with mylink.
So in conclusion, keep it simple. Leave AC controls as physical buttons, minimize the number of screens you have to go through to achieve common functions.