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The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

uxdesign.cc

371–380 of 410 posts

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#371
post #296

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always hope these kinds of situations would lead to a market opportunity for someone to come in and do it right... but it rarely does.

I think what really is needed is for these displays and interfaces to be replaceable like old car stereo decks.

The display in my car is a double DIN stereo that just happens to have a display on the front and a USB port. You might still be able to replace it.

It does take way too long to boot up.

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#372
post #5

Modern cars seem to be moving towards all controls on a touch screen somewhere. I suppose this allows for more frequent updates, but in my experience it just leads to more bugs and more painful factory updates. Not to mention using a touchscreen to adjust the temperature while driving is incredibly dangerous compared to a dial you can feel for without taking your eyes off the road.

I'm thinking some manufacturers might be catching on to the downsides of touchscreen controls. I did a test drive of the previous generation Honda Civic, and it had touchscreen climate controls. I wound up getting a 2022 Honda Civic which has physical dials for all climate controls.

Though, as an aside, dials for temperature and fan speed are fine, but they also use a dial for changing which vents the air comes out of, which makes no sense. Also, the dials rotate infinitely, even though the ranges are finite. It means I still have to look to see what the setting is at, instead of being able to tell by feel.

By comparison, the 1992 Honda Civic climate controls are way better: https://i.imgur.com/r8JjjNw.png

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#373
post #286

This article strangely undersells the advantages of low tech. It's true that they're not better for everything, but they have advantages well beyond the basic things mentioned. A tactile button has far fewer accuracy issues with positioning: if you can feel the button, you won't start pressing 2/3 off and then get further and further off until you're triggering something else, as happens all the time on touchscreens.…

I agree with you but in response to: A tactile button has far fewer accuracy issues with positioning: if you can feel the button, you won't start pressing 2/3 off and then get further and further off until you're triggering something else, as happens all the time on touchscreens. I gotta mention that I have a circa 2000 Japanese luxury car and the dials that control the stereo and the air conditioning are actually re…

Have you used the touchscreen in a 2000's-era Japanese car? It's horrific.

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#374

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My toyota Corolla has a touch screen for interacting with audio. It has the following delightful features: - latency - it has a boot procedure when you turn the car on. While this happens, the controls have quite substantial latency. However the first thing that happens is it begins playing audio. - there is a knob for adjusting volume, but it's still part of the same system as the rest of it. There is still substant…

>>> "However the first thing that happens is it begins playing audio." Yeah. In the same boat and my wife like to play pranks when she uses the car. Turns the volume to max right before removing the key. When her phone is not found it defaults to radio. That "saved me" from having to drink my morning coffee in the office on more than one occasion + it's good training for the heart. Edit: Forgot to mention that the vo…

This is what I used to do to torment my mom when I was a kid. Except with the physical knobs she had in her car (in the 80s), I could crank the volume without having to turn on the car.

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#375
post #5

Modern cars seem to be moving towards all controls on a touch screen somewhere. I suppose this allows for more frequent updates, but in my experience it just leads to more bugs and more painful factory updates. Not to mention using a touchscreen to adjust the temperature while driving is incredibly dangerous compared to a dial you can feel for without taking your eyes off the road.

I'm thinking some manufacturers might be catching on to the downsides of touchscreen controls. I did a test drive of the previous generation Honda Civic, and it had touchscreen climate controls. I wound up getting a 2022 Honda Civic which has physical dials for all climate controls. Though, as an aside, dials for temperature and fan speed are fine, but they also use a dial for changing which vents the air comes out o…

> Though, as an aside, dials for temperature and fan speed are fine, but they also use a dial for changing which vents the air comes out of, which makes no sense. Also, the dials rotate infinitely, even though the ranges are finite. It means I still have to look to see what the setting is at, instead of being able to tell by feel.

Yikes. I know I'm just a nobody on the internet, but if I worked at Honda in any position of power, I would do everything in my power to get the people responsible for rubber-stamping this fired.

This is unacceptable for a modern vehicle.

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#376
post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would anyone trust a 2nd hand market for an EV when the battery is basically guaranteed to be dead long before more affordable ICE vehicles?

It's a good point, a 2nd hand market assumes the availability of a cost effective battery replacement or serious maintenance scheme... it's not exactly on the same scale as a cam belt change which is the common todo upon acquiring a 2nd hand petrol car. Also worth acknowledging that the battery makes up a huge chunk of the car both physically and in terms of cost, and yet is a consumable, so I guess this lowers the r…

> It would be a big step backwards for society if a new wealth gap is created when oil becomes too expensive to continue running cheap ICE cars and only moderately wealthy people can afford cars priced exclusively at "new" values without a 2nd hand market.

That's coming whether you want to or not.

Once we start pricing in the externalities of climate change into road vehicles (which is beginning to happen, slowly), cars will become increasingly unaffordable to those in the bottom quartiles of income.

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#377
post #22
post #5

Modern cars seem to be moving towards all controls on a touch screen somewhere. I suppose this allows for more frequent updates, but in my experience it just leads to more bugs and more painful factory updates. Not to mention using a touchscreen to adjust the temperature while driving is incredibly dangerous compared to a dial you can feel for without taking your eyes off the road.

The touch screens are the only thing keeping me on dino juice cars. I want to go electric, but they all have these awful touchscreens! I don’t want to navigate a menu to change the temperature or turn on a seat warmer. I’m just not buying an EV until there’s one that doesn’t rely on a giant touch screen for everything or I can’t buy an ICE vehicle anymore.

In the US, all cars will have screens now of one sort or another. Laws were passed requiring the installation of backup cameras in all cars. So, you will never see a new car that doesn't come with a screen of some sort. And if it's going to be required to have a screen, they're not going to make it a single use only for backup cameras.

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#378
post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Tesla Model S has a physical volume control on the steering wheel. I’m not sure about the other Tesla models.

The Model 3 and the Model Y has one two. I would expect the Model X to have one as well. I’m not sure about the old roadster but the lotus interior was not high tech.

The Lotus interior was one of the most glorious interiors of all time. Simple, light and somehow it was so ergonomic, you can road trip in it and not get sore and tired. A true driver-centric design.

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#379

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm thinking some manufacturers might be catching on to the downsides of touchscreen controls. I did a test drive of the previous generation Honda Civic, and it had touchscreen climate controls. I wound up getting a 2022 Honda Civic which has physical dials for all climate controls. Though, as an aside, dials for temperature and fan speed are fine, but they also use a dial for changing which vents the air comes out o…

> Though, as an aside, dials for temperature and fan speed are fine, but they also use a dial for changing which vents the air comes out of, which makes no sense. Also, the dials rotate infinitely, even though the ranges are finite. It means I still have to look to see what the setting is at, instead of being able to tell by feel. Yikes. I know I'm just a nobody on the internet, but if I worked at Honda in any positi…

Regardless of how bad it is, it's a step up from touchscreen interfaces, which means it actually is acceptable by modern vehicle standards.

But I agree that by objective standards, it's unacceptable.

Re: The benefits of “low tech” user interfaces

#380
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The touch screens are the only thing keeping me on dino juice cars. I want to go electric, but they all have these awful touchscreens! I don’t want to navigate a menu to change the temperature or turn on a seat warmer. I’m just not buying an EV until there’s one that doesn’t rely on a giant touch screen for everything or I can’t buy an ICE vehicle anymore.

In the US, all cars will have screens now of one sort or another. Laws were passed requiring the installation of backup cameras in all cars. So, you will never see a new car that doesn't come with a screen of some sort. And if it's going to be required to have a screen, they're not going to make it a single use only for backup cameras.

I don't necessarily disagree with you in general, I do think we're going to continue to see touch screens dominate, but I thought I'd point out a significant outlier to anyone who like the OP doesn't like touch screens: The Mazda 3.

On the latest Mazda 3 (2019+) it does seemingly only use the screen for info and back up camera. There's a big wheel in between the seats to move about the menus. I test drove one recently and it is very nice and intuitive.

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