This has descended to an argument about maps. It’s actually about touchscreens vs buttons which covers much more ground than just maps. While I consider dedicated buttons safer than a screen for often used functions, a hybrid of a front facing screen and steering wheel controls would fall somewhere inbetween
Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
221–230 of 386 posts
Re: Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
#222File under 'no fucking shit'.
Re: Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
#223Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Why the government preventing me from choosing the control I like the best For the same reason you can't drive while on the phone or drunk. If it's less safe than buttons, it's putting others in unnecessary danger.
I am sure you are not going to agree or like my response to this argument then. It should be incumbent upon the driver to learn how to operate their car safely. If our ultimate goals are to maximize highway safety, we should be punishing reckless driving. It shouldn't matter if it's caused by alcohol, sleep deprivation, prescription medication, text messaging, or Touch Screens. If lawmakers want to stick it to danger…
You're right. I'm not.
I'm not even convinced you're arguing in good faith any more, because frankly I can't imagine how a rational and empathetic individual could have reasoned themselves into these opinions.
I'm not going to argue with you any more, because you're either a troll, or someone to who can't be reasoned out of their opinions simply because they didn't reason themselves into them.
Re: Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
#224Now that it's 2023 I can say this without reprisal: no shit Sherlock! /s
This is the automotive analog to the removal of headphone jack on smartphones. Except I was never all that bothered with the removal. I've been using BT headphones almost exclusively before AirPods. I guess I'm not sure what my point is; maybe that even if it's objectively worse other factors dominate in consumer purchase decisions.
Thankfully, some automakers are beginning to dial back a bit on all-touch interfaces. I'm cautiously optimistic that within the decade most will find the right balance.
Re: Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
#225There was that story about the U.S. Navy removing touch screens from their destroyers after their horrible usability was implicated in some very embarrassing collisions. That was in 2019. If that doesn't change anything, it's not a question of car manufacturers just not being aware touch screens are more error prone. As I think most people know, the main reason they use touch screens is because it's cheaper to develo…
> a lot of times they just give you a bigger touch screen, as though it were a status symbol for some people.
The big screen in the Tesla is very useful for the map. In the olden times, I used pretty large map books, and the screens are about the page size of those books. I use it to search for locations, get a list of results, select one, choose a navigation path, etc. When the car isn't moving, it is quite useful as a configurator UI for the various settings available in the vehicle itself. I certainly wouldn't want those pages of options to be all represented as buttons.
> As I think most people know, the main reason they use touch screens is because it's cheaper to develop than physical buttons: you don't have to redesign the dashboard and wiring in order to change the UI.
It allows for new features to be delivered quite easily in an existing car as the software improves. It also allows for more buttons as cars have more capabilities than could fit on a single physical panel.
All that said, I vastly prefer physical buttons, and mostly use the buttons on the steering wheel to control things when driving. I think a better design for the instrument panel would feature small screens on physical buttons, so that you could program the switches or dials to control different functions and display their purpose. This could allow for the most frequently adjusted features to retain physical controls.
If we take the steering wheel as an inspiration, that small set of physical controls can be applied to many functions, but it uses the screen behind the steering wheel as a mode indicator.
The other modality is voice, but it suffers from a bit of the command line problem, in that it isn't immediately obvious to the user what commands are allowed.
Re: Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
#226Earlier quoted context omitted.
All too often, that just adds to the cognitive load of figuring out how to do what needs to be done right now.
I meant pre-programmable of course.
Ah - point taken. I have spent too much time dealing with modal consumer goods where usability is sacrificed for the purpose of minimizing the number of buttons.
Re: Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
#227I would love to see some EU legislation about car dashboards. As an occasional driver of many different brands and types of vehicles, I continue to be amazed at the usability crimes being committed in the name of 'looking cool' (stated reason) as well as 'cost savings' (most likely the real reason). Any function that needs to be invoked or setting that needs to be changed by a reasonable person while driving should h…
> also the B-brand, which has seen it fit to replace most of the controls in some of its cars with a single multi-function stalk (iDrive, I think?) that isn't good for anything, except as a reason to return your car for a refund This is exaggerated and inaccurate. I have a recent BMW and it has numerous physical controls for climate, radio and various settings like auto-hold or disable engine auto-stop/start. The mul…
The 2023 3-series ditches physical controls except for the volume knob.
Re: Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
#228Now that it's 2023 I can say this without reprisal: no shit Sherlock! /s This is the automotive analog to the removal of headphone jack on smartphones. Except I was never all that bothered with the removal. I've been using BT headphones almost exclusively before AirPods. I guess I'm not sure what my point is; maybe that even if it's objectively worse other factors dominate in consumer purchase decisions. Thankfully,…
Sometimes, you need to do a formal study to convince legislators that obvious problems are worth acting on.
Re: Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
#229Now that it's 2023 I can say this without reprisal: no shit Sherlock! /s This is the automotive analog to the removal of headphone jack on smartphones. Except I was never all that bothered with the removal. I've been using BT headphones almost exclusively before AirPods. I guess I'm not sure what my point is; maybe that even if it's objectively worse other factors dominate in consumer purchase decisions. Thankfully,…
> This is the automotive analog to the removal of headphone jack on smartphones
The big issue with cars removing buttons is that buttons are useful tactile affordances - they are operational controls that tend to have a single, clear and discoverable purpose, and can be located and operated by touch/feel without having to look at them, which is particularly advantageous when operating a vehicle.
Re: Study finds that buttons in cars are safer and quicker to use than touchscreens
#230Earlier quoted context omitted.
In the Tesla FSD video[0] the driver spent a lot of time swiping back and forth on the map. If that touchscreen were an iPad, that behaviour would be illegal in the UK. I don't know what the road law is in the US, and if they sell the same Tesla model in the UK. [0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34268454
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Here in SoCal Tesla’s are second only to Nissans on the aggressively dangerous driver scale in my experience.
In the past few years no other brand demographic comes close with the possible exception of lifted full size trucks and Chargers, but they are a ways back.