Touch Screen Controls are a Danger

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Actually I think that you've just said that the high spec cars end up with more 'candy'.

Example. BMW 7 Series was being hyped as having the clever key with the display pad. makes a great talking point and brochure imagse - but not really that useful. The manufacturers are perhaps finding it hard to invent new candy for the high spec cars.
Mine is in the drawer with all the other spare keys.

Some stuff is useful and works, some less of each.

I still believe that there's tons more useful automation to come and lots of this can be set and left, for example air con in my car - I set it up via the menu with some cool features such as indirect cooling/heating and automatic recirculating air when pollution or nasty smells are detected and just leave it alone. This is way less distracting than fiddling with knobs and dials.
 
I'm as big a sucker for a shiny big touchscreen as the next man but I can't be doing with this nonsense in a car.

The dashboard controls and dials of a P6 Rover 3500 (which I owned back in the day) are as clear and as ergonomic as you could wish for!

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BTW, I had our kitchen refitted last year. Two ovens and a hob - not as single button or knob between them - just black glass.

Looks superb when fingerprints removed and a complete pain in the fundament when setting temperatures and timers - especially with damp or greasy fingers. Gah!

Give me a microwave with a mechanical timer, which pings, any time...
 
I still believe that there's tons more useful automation to come and lots of this can be set and left, for example air con in my car - I set it up via the menu with some cool features such as indirect cooling/heating and automatic recirculating air when pollution or nasty smells are detected and just leave it alone. This is way less distracting than fiddling with knobs and dials.
I completely agree: some automation technology is well thought out and and well deployed - the sophisticated "climate control" HVAC systems in many cars is a great example.

The issues come when technology is used inappropriately, and I (and it appears many others) view the delegation of control functions that you're likely to need while driving to a touch-screen interface to be inappropriate.

Having spent my working career in a technology design and implementation arena, I've lost count of the times I've had a "really neat feature" pitched to me that is really nothing more than a solution looking for a problem, and has been devised for no reason other than it could be.
 
I’m surprised how few people use Park Assist, it’s a great example of automation and change in user interface, ie to park you press a button to accept a prompt rather than steer.

A great innovation which works beautifully, is easy to initiate, and consistently out performs the average driver. I can’t put my finger on why, I can only conclude that it’s a combination of not knowing the feature exists, and an inherent mistrust in a “robot” doing what a human has previously done.
 
Don't forget the UK is at a disadvantage compared to other countries when it comes to operating touch screens, idrives etc. Drivers in most countries are using their right hand to operate these functions.
Same as touch pad controls in the centre consoles. Seem very gimmicky to me.
 
I’m surprised how few people use Park Assist, it’s a great example of automation and change in user interface, ie to park you press a button to accept a prompt rather than steer.

A great innovation which works beautifully, is easy to initiate, and consistently out performs the average driver. I can’t put my finger on why, I can only conclude that it’s a combination of not knowing the feature exists, and an inherent mistrust in a “robot” doing what a human has previously done.
I use it whenever I have to reverse park the SL. With the low seating position, it is very difficult to judge where the corners of car are. We've had it in one car or another since 2009 so not that new anymore.
 
I completely agree: some automation technology is well thought out and and well deployed - the sophisticated "climate control" HVAC systems in many cars is a great example.

The issues come when technology is used inappropriately, and I (and it appears many others) view the delegation of control functions that you're likely to need while driving to a touch-screen interface to be inappropriate.

Having spent my working career in a technology design and implementation arena, I've lost count of the times I've had a "really neat feature" pitched to me that is really nothing more than a solution looking for a problem, and has been devised for no reason other than it could be.
Yep - I had a spell building breweries and our engineers were forever trying to use (design in) process measuring equipment that could take a reading every fraction of a second. Was expensive and unneeded - brewing is a slow process.....Technology for the sake of technology.:rolleyes:
 
I use it whenever I have to reverse park the SL. With the low seating position, it is very difficult to judge where the corners of car are. We've had it in one car or another since 2009 so not that new anymore.
That’s what I find strange, even though it’s been around for a decade it seems rarely used. I wish my GT had it for that reason, and more importantly birds eye and front cameras, it’s a nightmare to judge it’s extremities during low speed manoeuvring.
 
Interesting outcome in Germany.

Reference the wipers then I have them set to Automatic so have no issues at all, they adjust speed dependant upon how heavy it rains. I now never need to touch this setting.

Prior to using “auto”, I used the wiper button on the indicator stalk (same as my previous Merc and most cars). This also miraculously allows you to squirt screen wash lol! Just like most other cars

I always liked on my W115 , when the dip switch moved from the floor button to the stalk , they made the floor button activate the screenwash and wipers . The feature was gone by the facelift , by which time the stalk did it all .
 
I use it whenever I have to reverse park the SL. With the low seating position, it is very difficult to judge where the corners of car are. We've had it in one car or another since 2009 so not that new anymore.

While I’ve never had a car with auto park , nor owned one with a reversing camera , I feel the need for such gadgets arises out of the shape and visibility of newer vehicles .

If you ever get to drive a Pagoda or a Fintail , you will find that , by design , you have excellent visibility of exactly where all four corners of the car are ; the tail fins easily visible through the large , wrap around rear screens ; ditto the raised headlamp nacelles at the front ; and the star , which is on top of the grille , not some way back up the bonnet , tells you quite accurately how far you are from that wall .

With newer cars , where the bodywork is rounded off , Windows give less of a view out , pillars are thicker and interior appointments like headrests get in the way , it is nigh impossible to see out .

When I got my S203 , I wasn’t long deciding the C stood for Claustrophobia Class , due to everything being so closed in ; when I got another W201 alongside it the contrast in interior space and outward visibility , with the simple yet genius asymmetrical door mirrors which let you see just what you needed , showed that this car was the product of proper and intelligent engineering rather than building in gimmicks .

It is a bit like contrasting NASA , who spent millions developing the paper mate pen , which worked in zero gravity , with the Russians who gave their cosmonauts pencils !
 
The other likely development is , as cars become more intelligent, is that cameras in the car will be able to recognise and read speed limit signs , even temporary ones , and set CC accordingly .

Systems already recognise pedestrians and other road users , follow lane markings etc , so it isn’t much of a stretch.

Cameras in the car have been able to recognise and read speed limit signs for quite a long time now (since 2008 in the Vauxhall Insignia apparently and then MB a year later in the S Class so probably facelifted W221s) and obviously the recent development of adjusting DT as BD states.

If a Merc has "Traffic Sign Assist", it can do the first part.

I’m surprised how few people use Park Assist, it’s a great example of automation and change in user interface, ie to park you press a button to accept a prompt rather than steer.

A great innovation which works beautifully, is easy to initiate, and consistently out performs the average driver. I can’t put my finger on why, I can only conclude that it’s a combination of not knowing the feature exists, and an inherent mistrust in a “robot” doing what a human has previously done.

I didn't realise my car had it actually as I almost never have to park in a perpendicular space but I must try it when I do.

However, I've seen it in action before and watched a Golf bump into the car behind in a fairly tight space.

So I am not hugely confident on the idea!
 
It is a bit like contrasting NASA , who spent millions developing the paper mate pen , which worked in zero gravity , with the Russians who gave their cosmonauts pencils !


According to this article NASA initially used pencils ..... and paid rather a high price for them.
 
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That’s what I find strange, even though it’s been around for a decade it seems rarely used. I wish my GT had it for that reason, and more importantly birds eye and front cameras, it’s a nightmare to judge it’s extremities during low speed manoeuvring.
I have my first reversing camera (in the SL) and it is a big help. Been is a few cars with 360 cameras and they are brilliant.
 
I have my first reversing camera (in the SL) and it is a big help. Been is a few cars with 360 cameras and they are brilliant.
Yes 360 is brilliant and has been around for ages, but wasn’t even an option in the GT. Front camera has been added for 2020. It’s worthwhile on any big car, but the proportions of the GT would make it a no brainer.
 
Touchscreens in cars are a backward step in terms of safety. In all probability, they're slower to use than an old switch, button of rotary control. Too many designers who need to be kept occupied and the usual issue of 'updates' to cars, the need to come up with something new in order to encourage people to change or because a competitor has it.

I struggle to see how anybody can even attempt to argue that a driver taking his/her/it's (no presumptions here) eyes off the road to look at a touch screen in order to work through menus, touch/slide / pinch etc etc is not a distraction. Some will say that you need to look for a switch but the reality is you generally don't, if you use it regularly you know where it is and can operate it by feel. You can't operate a touch screen purely by feel. Well, you can but you're unlikely to get the result you hope for.

For those that remember the old Jag dash, with the row of switches under the instruments in the centre, many originally complained that you had to take your eyes off the road to see which was which but the reality is a regular driver would know that it was the 2nd switch in from the right etc etc. Easy.

Car clocks: A couple of mine are analogue and can be changed simply by pressing the small knob in the centre of the face, one does it electrically, one has to be turned manually. Both easy. One updates itself automatically. Easy. Two, however, have to be adjusted by going into the menu, then sub menus and then resetting hours and minutes separately. Naturally, the access to the menus is different in both cases; I usually find it quicker to read the handbook, just to adjust the clock. Progress?
 

According to this article NASA initially used pencils ..... and paid rather a high price for them.
Perhaps PaperMate is a spin off , because they certainly used to advertise that NASA used THEIR pens , which have a pump action generated from pressure of the tip onto the writing material .

I still have my Rotring mechanical pencil since I got it for Uni , almost 50 years ago , and my Rotring fountain pen ( which I’m sure won’t work in space 😊 ) .
 
I sometimes find technology in cars overwhelming these days. My sons who are more tech-savvy than me have no issues. When my phone rings in the car by the time I’ve worked out which button to press the caller has already hung up. I complained to MB that my stop/start wasn’t working correctly but that was pilot error.
I’ve nearly crashed switching between the cruise control and speed limiter, still not sure which button works which function. Sometimes when I press the speed limiter function it reverts to my previous limit, which if it was 40 mph and I’m travelling at 70 I need a neck brace to cope with the deceleration.
Race start I’ve never used and no interest in it.
I prefer simple on or off buttons.
Perhaps I’m just an old fart who’s showing early signs of dementia. Followed my sat nav last week and got lost, what’s that all about ffs. o_O
 

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