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Mercedes-Benz commits to bringing back physical buttons

drive.com.au

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Re: Mercedes-Benz commits to bringing back physical buttons

#221

Post by roughly »

ajross wrote: post #181
aenis wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"So, that's attractive as a slogan but it's 100% incorrect in practice. Non-road UI features like backup cameras and blind spot warning alarms save lives. Period." The "on the road" extends to mirrors (or screens that have replaced it) - I assumed that was obvious.

So screens can replace "mirrors" and not "buttons"? Seems like excuse-making to me. I repeat: I'd prefer to see more analysis and less sloganeering, especially where you "assume that was obvious".

No, screens cannot replace mirrors, but we’re doing it anyway.

Re: Mercedes-Benz commits to bringing back physical buttons

#222

Post by mechanicalpulse »

Barbing wrote: post #192
mechanicalpulse wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> a little clumsily s/a little/very/; > What do you think the best implementation would look like? We already had one! Dashboard indicator lamps have been an international standard (ISO 2575) since 1982. > But it's also dangerous for a driver to run out of fuel on the highway if we didn't catch their attention. Yes, it is. But the key word is "if". The product folks involved in making these UI/UX decisions were more…

I wanted to acknowledge the user likely has above average faculties. “why would anyone use Dropbox,” “you can already build such a system yourself quite trivially by getting an FTP account, mounting it locally with curlftpfs, and then using SVN or CVS on the mounted filesystem”. Zero times I’ve run out of gas. Don’t we pass someone walking with a gas can on the highway every year though? Dangerous, slightly safer if…

> Don’t we pass someone walking with a gas can on the highway every year though?

No. I see something like that every year on television, but not in the real world. If you've seen something like that every year, let me ask you a question: was the gas can empty or full? Gait while lugging five gallons of gas looks very different than gait while slinging around an empty can. Then, ask yourself whether or not you (or anyone you know) carries around a spare gas can in their vehicle.

Re: Mercedes-Benz commits to bringing back physical buttons

#223

Post by heckintime »

aenis wrote: post #47

'He also explained that "I'm a big believer in screens, because I really believe if you want to connect, you have to make the magic work behind the screen." ' I am a big believer in keeping "product people" away from UI design for dangerous machinery. The eyes and the attention of the driver should be on the road. All the audio visual noise from the car is just plain dangerous. I don't want my car to draw my attentio…

I like having a HUD to display speed and warnings like a car merging in front of me while I'm using cruise control. I am not a fan of large screens where I have to take my eyes off the road to control (ex. Tesla).

Re: Mercedes-Benz commits to bringing back physical buttons

#225

Post by tadfisher »

Forgeties79 wrote: post #214
m_fayer wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Might sound hyperbolic but this is clearly the softly smiling fascist menace of the corporate regime. A gentle friendly assumption that we are all eager to partake in “euphemism for platform-serfdom”. Our desire to “connect/share/express/etc” is simply taken for granted. And what if you just don’t want to? We’re sorry, but that’s simply not an option.

All I hear is you hate connecting with people.

Perhaps we should avoid connecting with other drivers, whilst driving.

Re: Mercedes-Benz commits to bringing back physical buttons

#226

Post by mschuster91 »

cmrdporcupine wrote: post #138
aenis wrote: post #47

'He also explained that "I'm a big believer in screens, because I really believe if you want to connect, you have to make the magic work behind the screen." ' I am a big believer in keeping "product people" away from UI design for dangerous machinery. The eyes and the attention of the driver should be on the road. All the audio visual noise from the car is just plain dangerous. I don't want my car to draw my attentio…

Truth. Volvo's latest EX30 (and also the Polestar 4 I was in last week...) require you to use the touchscreen to just open the glovebox . How does that even make sense from a cost POV? They put in unnecessary servo motors for that? What made them think consumers wanted this? The EX30 is supposed to be their cost reduced rock bottom price car, and they wasted money on that? Screw you, Geely. Google Maps pops up questi…

> How does that even make sense from a cost POV? They put in unnecessary servo motors for that? What made them think consumers wanted this?

China. That's the elephant in the room.

Cars aren't designed for the Western markets any more. We tried that and lost marketshare against the Chinese on their domestic market (the only one in the world that still has growth potential), and the primary reason market research determined was that Chinese manufacturers cram their cars full of gimmicks.

So, we design our cars for Chinese bling-bling demands now because it's too uneconomical to have distinct supply chains and we get all the BS that you can't sell a car in China without.

Re: Mercedes-Benz commits to bringing back physical buttons

#228

Post by symisc_devel »

_the_inflator wrote: post #31
nokeya wrote: post #6

I’m quite suspicious that they do that not because they understood or learned something, but because China requires physical buttons starting next year. And they simply don’t want to lose one of their biggest markets.

Despite China, IT development is a complete disaster in Germany. All car so called German car manufacturers UX/UI is horrible to say the least. Dieter Rams is the only UX/UI designer, who became famous - outside of Germany. Hartmut Esslinger kind of popularized DR, what an irony, that two Germans made history, but of course not in Germany and even in Germany DR wasn't well known. Braun was a brand and statement, but…

BMW's latest infotainment despite being intimidating for first time users is quite decent and intuitive compared to the horrors I saw from other German car makers.

Re: Mercedes-Benz commits to bringing back physical buttons

#229

Post by array_key_first »

shcheklein wrote: post #12

If they have custromer feedback and focus groups like they mention how did it happen in the first place? Some overoptimistic head-of-something? Really curious. I own previous -2021 mb and had to drive the upgrade (touch buttons) once as a replacement car. UX is terrible. Period. I even checked then in the dealership what they did to S-class and mybachs - and yes, same crappy wheel, etc. Anyways, I was mostly surprise…

It could be the Pepsi sip test problem. Pepsi does well in sip testing, better than coke, but most people report liking coke better. Why? Pepsi is slightly sweeter, which means it tastes better for the first sip or two. But, in the long run, coke wins out because it's a bit less sweet and therefore more tolerable for a whole drink.

It's possible they tested touch screens with people using prototypes and whatnot but did not do their due diligence to test it long-term. On first impression, touch screens seem cool, futuristic, and flashy. It's really only when you try to daily drive the car that you realize they're annoying and a regression from physical buttons.

But, they present very well on sales room floors and car shows.

Re: Mercedes-Benz commits to bringing back physical buttons

#230

Post by NetMageSCW »

donkyrf wrote: post #180
BrentOzar wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The cup holder situation, on the other hand… (992.1 owner)

I've had to give up drinking trenta-sized Starbucks entirely.

I found an add-on cup holder (similar to one I had for my NSX which had none from the factory) that clips behind the inner center console panel and the cup sits on (or near, depending on diameter) the floor. Unfortunately it is expensive for being a 3D printed part that needs better QC (had to sand the changeable cup part) (the NSX one was aluminum) but it works very well.

A better design would be to have a smaller diameter clip-in piece so you can size down when you have a smaller item.

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