"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
10/20/2016 at 03:48 • Filed to: Distracted Driving
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"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
10/20/2016 at 03:48 • Filed to: Distracted Driving | 2
| 14 |
The German Automakers came at this from the correct angle. We need a center screen interface that doesn’t force you to watch the travel of your hand to the screen. We need a controller. Even Drake wrote a song about it! Using just the touch functions of a screen while driving can be as distracting as texting/app-ing while driving. I really hope the following happens:
All vehicles without automatic braking systems, radar guided cruise control, and active lane keep assist need a physical controller that covers navigation of the center screen. A rotary knob and physical shortcut buttons around that unit seems to work wonders! If the vehicle isn’t equipped with a completely active Smart Cruise Control/Driver Assistance System that places it at the very top of the heap for a Stage 1 SAE Autonomous Vehicle rating then it needs a controller.
Now I completely agree that the screens need to have touch function. The German Automakers made that mistake and are fixing it now. Anything you need to “search” for is best handled through a touch interface. Navigation, vehicle information, interface customization, pretty much all the functions that require many steps, menus, and your attention because you need to “find” what you’re looking for on that screen need a touch interface. Unfortunately, all these things that a touch interface is best for are the worst and most distracting things you can possibly do while driving!
Regardless of whether or not there is a physical controller included with the touch interface, all vehicles need to limit touchscreen functions while driving unless they detect the vehicle is either stopped, all the active Stage 1 SAE Autonomous Vehicle tech is in use, or that there is someone occupying the passenger seat. That means two different display settings: A “full access” display that allows for all center screen functions to be accessed when the driver’s attention can be supplemented, and a “reduced access” display which uses very large and limited icons that are for quick changes.
If we could get center display screens to better match the great things I’m seeing in driver interfaces for the instrument cluster’s display screen and the head-up display then I think we’ll finally be able to keep all our distracted driving to just old fashion makeup application, eating our bowl of cereal, and typing up that report on distracted driving that’s due today. You know, the usual morning drive tasks.
JohnH3ASP
> Wobbles the Mind
10/20/2016 at 06:38 |
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http://jh3-21.kinja.com/ebay-challenge-nice-cheap-cars-1788002920?rev=1476930112656
What do you think of it?
Please leave a comment, I’m waiting for my oppo authorship.
jimz
> Wobbles the Mind
10/20/2016 at 07:15 |
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I don’t think the Germans have figured anything out yet. I haven’t experienced the latest generation of BMW’s iDrive, but both Audi’s MMI and Mercedes’s COMAND should be ripped out of the car and tossed out on the side of the road. They’re terrible. layers and layers and layers and layers of menus. and how do I get through them? Do I spin the knob? Do I move it like a joystick?
and don’t get me started on that “Enform” abomination that Lexus has. utter garbage. I don’t care where the controller is, you spend as much or more time staring at the screen as you would a touchscreen.
hike
> Wobbles the Mind
10/20/2016 at 07:17 |
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Mazda does is right. They offer both a controller and touch screen, but the screen only works when stopped. This solution allows for easy text entry for the GPS function, but forces the user to learn the controller interface.
As far as Uconnect goes in the picture above, it’s pretty easy to use without actually touching the screen much. There are steering wheel controls for volume, changing preset, and tuning. There’s a button for browsing and going to the previous screen. The voice command also isn’t too bad for making calls.
MarchUntoTorment
> jimz
10/20/2016 at 07:32 |
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MMI is great, although I say that as an Audi fanboy. I don’t have it in my car (too old-school), but my parents have it in theirs and it’s great, comfortable and mostly pretty intuitive. I do wish that there were some ‘shortcut’ buttons to access certain screens (like driving settings) and such, though.
COMAND, on the other hand, needs to die in a fire. My uncle has it in his ML350 and it is, categorically, one of the worst things I’ve ever dealt with.
mr2gud2u
> Wobbles the Mind
10/20/2016 at 08:11 |
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I hate the use of complicated touch screens in car. At work a repair high medical equipment and I see touch screens fail all the time. Yeah in the past 5 years I’ve seen an improvement in touch screen failure rates, but I still would not want to rely on one for the use of important functions in a car.
KeedyT
> JohnH3ASP
10/20/2016 at 08:49 |
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Honestly... your doing it wrong, spamming a completely unrelated topic, with something that’s already established as a “thing” isn’t the way to do it.
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JohnH3ASP
> KeedyT
10/20/2016 at 09:00 |
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I’m sorry :(
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jimz
> mr2gud2u
10/20/2016 at 09:02 |
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resistive or capacitive? Resistive seem more failure-prone IMO
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KeedyT
> JohnH3ASP
10/20/2016 at 09:28 |
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Maybe I hit the keyboard before the Mountain Dew had a chance to kick in :-D - didn’t mean to be an asshat
crowmolly
> Wobbles the Mind
10/20/2016 at 09:49 |
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Any movement to the center screen is a distraction from driving. Tuning the radio in a ‘60s car is also technically distracting.
Poor UX research and design will make the system frustrating and cumbersome to use and learn, but if safety is the goal they need to limit the stuff you can do while the vehicle is in motion.
TahoeSTi
> Wobbles the Mind
10/20/2016 at 10:23 |
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Easy, Don’t buy a car with a touch screen. Cars are for driving, touch screens are for iPads.
Eric @ opposite-lock.com
> Wobbles the Mind
10/20/2016 at 10:29 |
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Every creative German solution I’ve encountered was slower to use than a touch screen, more cumbersome, and took more mental concentration (and focus off the road). I’d much rather have a responsive capacitive touch screen and smarter voice controls.
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JohnH3ASP
> KeedyT
10/20/2016 at 10:32 |
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ah its fine - nice Porsche logo!
DynamicWeight
> Wobbles the Mind
10/20/2016 at 11:43 |
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The most distracting thing in a car is when it won’t do what I want it to. Anytime a function has been locked out because I am driving, I have to figure out some work around that distracts me more than if they would have just let me do whatever it is I wanted to do.