5 ms·

It doesn’t matter what you “shouldn’t” do when it comes to mass-market consumer devices. It only matters what people will do, especially when you share a road w

It doesn’t matter what you “shouldn’t” do when it comes to mass-market consumer devices. It only matters what people will do, especially when you share a road with them. And when it comes to vehicle interfaces, you should assume 80% of drivers will adjust them during a drive, no matter how inconvenient and dangerous is. Any system that doesn’t recognize this reality — and try to minimize the harm if it — is just going to get people killed.

Phillipharryt 7y ago
How you do design for this consumer who is controlling while driving without encouraging the activity by making it easier?
- ehnto 7y ago
  Remove the ability to control the screen while driving.
  - Phillipharryt 7y ago
    Well that's not really designing for those users then. Your original comment said there's no way to interface with a screen safely while driving, but the other user said designers need to design for those dangerous users. I was wondering how you could do that in a safe manner (I don't think you can personally, and agree with the no-control-while-moving idea).
    - dragonwriter 7y ago
      > but the other user said designers need to design for those dangerous users. The other user said you had to design for what people will do; disabling all access and removing the choice to interact is exactly doing that. Disabling hands-on interaction above a certain speed but allowing voice controls might be another option.
    - ehnto 7y ago
      The best I can come up with is transparently overlaying small information cues on the glass of the windshield, and using sound cues. I think in general the systems available to a cars HUD should be pretty limited and the controls should be on the wheel.
ehnto 7y ago
I totally agree, which is why I think any screen is a bad idea. That ship has sailed though and we have millions of cars with screens, so it's still worthwhile to keep repeating that it's ridiculous to use the screen in motion, even if that's what it was designed for.
mc32 7y ago
They can make most things non responsive while the car is in motion. This would inconvenience the shotgun passenger but typically the driver calls the shots on the radio (in-car entertainment system) anyhow.
- SargeZT 7y ago
  Unless a law is passed restricting manufacturers from allowing responsive interfaces while driving then any disabling of them will be a significant market disadvantage. No sane car company would do it.
  - galangalalgol 7y ago
    At least ford and Toyota already do to some extent.
  - vel0city 7y ago
    Some manufacturers have had restricted interfaces in cars for a while now. On Ford's SYNC system I have not been able to type in an address if the car is moving. Android Auto similarly limits inputs to voice inputs on any kind of text entry while the car is in motion.

Phillipharryt 7y ago

How you do design for this consumer who is controlling while driving without encouraging the activity by making it easier?

ehnto 7y ago
Remove the ability to control the screen while driving.
- Phillipharryt 7y ago
  Well that's not really designing for those users then. Your original comment said there's no way to interface with a screen safely while driving, but the other user said designers need to design for those dangerous users. I was wondering how you could do that in a safe manner (I don't think you can personally, and agree with the no-control-while-moving idea).
  - dragonwriter 7y ago
    > but the other user said designers need to design for those dangerous users. The other user said you had to design for what people will do; disabling all access and removing the choice to interact is exactly doing that. Disabling hands-on interaction above a certain speed but allowing voice controls might be another option.
  - ehnto 7y ago
    The best I can come up with is transparently overlaying small information cues on the glass of the windshield, and using sound cues. I think in general the systems available to a cars HUD should be pretty limited and the controls should be on the wheel.

ehnto 7y ago

I totally agree, which is why I think any screen is a bad idea. That ship has sailed though and we have millions of cars with screens, so it's still worthwhile to keep repeating that it's ridiculous to use the screen in motion, even if that's what it was designed for.

mc32 7y ago

They can make most things non responsive while the car is in motion. This would inconvenience the shotgun passenger but typically the driver calls the shots on the radio (in-car entertainment system) anyhow.

SargeZT 7y ago
Unless a law is passed restricting manufacturers from allowing responsive interfaces while driving then any disabling of them will be a significant market disadvantage. No sane car company would do it.
- galangalalgol 7y ago
  At least ford and Toyota already do to some extent.
- vel0city 7y ago
  Some manufacturers have had restricted interfaces in cars for a while now. On Ford's SYNC system I have not been able to type in an address if the car is moving. Android Auto similarly limits inputs to voice inputs on any kind of text entry while the car is in motion.