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I can’t say I’m surprised by this. The last real large scale UI paradigm shift was the iPhone’s multitouch display. UX is going to follow UI capabilities and fo

by netfl0 6y ago

I can’t say I’m surprised by this. The last real large scale UI paradigm shift was the iPhone’s multitouch display. UX is going to follow UI capabilities and form factors. In the automotive space I’d argue there has been a UX regression as they went pure touch screen for some models.

julianlam 6y ago
I've been thinking for years that automobile manufacturers entered an industry (software) that they had little knowledge of, and it showed, with janky, slow interfaces and last-generation mapping software. However, they've invested in this in the past decade, and if there's going to be a UX resurgence, it's going to be in the automobile sector, as their teams are maturing more and more.
- mattmanser 6y ago
  I've used a fair amount of different cars as I'm part of a city car club. I can't say I see this at all. Even their tactile controls are generally a mess. Controls as basic as window wipers or headlights seem to be different for ever car for no discernible advantage. A different 'start' mechanism for every car is actually quite a nightmare. I once spent 20 minutes in a car park trying to figure out how to get the damn thing to start, even their own instructions didn't say how!
  - toast0 6y ago
    > A different 'start' mechanism for every car is actually quite a nightmare. I've driven a bunch of cars, over the years. I haven't seen too many different mechanisms. What have you seen on modern cars that's different than make sure it's in park or neutral (or clutch pedal depressed) and turn the key, or for keyless make sure it's in park or neutral (or clutch in), press the brake and push the button? And if the key battery is low, press the button with the key. I've driven some older vehicles where you turned the key to enable ignition, but had a separate starter button, and some vehicles with ignition locks that didn't work, so you could turn the ignition without a key. And some cars with keys go off -> accessories -> ignition -> starter vs accessories <- off -> ignition -> starter. If the key retention in the switch/lock is broken, sometimes it's tricky to make sure you pull the key out in off instead of accessories.
    - robocat 6y ago
      You’ve missed the variety of handbrake mechanisms. For example, I was in a Mercedes the other day: 1. It had a fob that worked as a key, but it didn’t look like a key and the key slot didn’t look like where the fob should go. 2. You set the handbrake using the left foot, but release it with a pull handle with your right hand! Both were unintuitive, and would catch out some people (I am generally well above average in working out how to use execrable user interfaces). The worst UI is often to release the door to fill fuel. More than once I’ve needed to ask for help on unfamiliar cars, and multiple people also not knowing how.
save_ferris 6y ago
That trend is starting to change. Mazda and Honda are starting to phase out touchscreens in some cases[0]. Tangentially related, the US Navy is also phasing out touchscreen controls after they were determined to be a factor in the USS McCain collision in 2017[1]. 0: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-geneva-motor-show/honda-bucks-industry-trend-removing-touchscreen-controls https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-geneva-motor-... 1: https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/11/navy-ditches-touchscreens-for-knobs-and-dials-after-fatal-crash/ https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/11/navy-ditches-touchscreens-...
- netfl0 6y ago
  Yes I have been following those stories and it is very promising, it’s nice to see folks who are able to course correct.
  - noir_lord 6y ago
    After they hit a container ship.
    - jtsiskin 6y ago
      Course correct, after failing to course correct
- Judgmentality 6y ago
  It depends on the manufacturer. Both VW and Mercedes are doubling down on their touch-screen only interfaces. The new Golf, which is (historically) one of the top 10 best selling cars in the world, is entirely touchscreen for everything (and the early reviews are not positive about it). The Mercedes infotainment system which is also entirely touch-based is largely praised, although it is much more expensive and well-done.
  - save_ferris 6y ago
    If the safety and consumer satisfaction data backs up the companies that have decided to ditch the screens, I expect to see others follow suit. As others in this thread have pointed out, few automakers have really seemed up to the challenge of developing a touchscreen experience that is truly seamless. Anecdotally, I bought a used 2019 Corolla recently and the "maintenance needed" alert that beeped and flashed while I was driving down the highway scared the crap out of me. It turned out that it was merely reminding me to get my oil changed, I couldn't believe it. It was so much less polished of an experience than I was used to with the 'Yota.
Gupie 6y ago
What do you think of the SpaceX UI?
- netfl0 6y ago
  I had a negative gut reaction. It was mostly autonomous, if there was a problem or high stress situation, this quote is concerning: Hurley and Behnken worked with SpaceX to "refine the way that you interface with the touchscreen and the way your touch is actually registered on the display in order to be able to fly it cleanly and not make mistakes touching it," Hurley said. Scary imo.
redis_mlc 6y ago
There might be an expectation by smartphone users that vehicle displays look like their phone. In the aviation world, owners are spending $50,000 upgrading their trainer Cessnas and Pipers to do exactly that. I'm still good with a paper sectional chart.
PostThisTooFast 6y ago
There are regressions all over the place; from asinine "flat" design where almost nothing is demarcated as a control, to INVISIBLE UI that suddenly appears if you happen to roll over it. Have you used Windows 10? How about the default E-mail client? Or Office365? To these disgraceful is too kind. The defective and incompetent UI these present is an insufferable affront to customers of all expertise levels.

by netfl0 6y ago

julianlam 6y ago

I've been thinking for years that automobile manufacturers entered an industry (software) that they had little knowledge of, and it showed, with janky, slow interfaces and last-generation mapping software. However, they've invested in this in the past decade, and if there's going to be a UX resurgence, it's going to be in the automobile sector, as their teams are maturing more and more.

mattmanser 6y ago
I've used a fair amount of different cars as I'm part of a city car club. I can't say I see this at all. Even their tactile controls are generally a mess. Controls as basic as window wipers or headlights seem to be different for ever car for no discernible advantage. A different 'start' mechanism for every car is actually quite a nightmare. I once spent 20 minutes in a car park trying to figure out how to get the damn thing to start, even their own instructions didn't say how!
- toast0 6y ago
  > A different 'start' mechanism for every car is actually quite a nightmare. I've driven a bunch of cars, over the years. I haven't seen too many different mechanisms. What have you seen on modern cars that's different than make sure it's in park or neutral (or clutch pedal depressed) and turn the key, or for keyless make sure it's in park or neutral (or clutch in), press the brake and push the button? And if the key battery is low, press the button with the key. I've driven some older vehicles where you turned the key to enable ignition, but had a separate starter button, and some vehicles with ignition locks that didn't work, so you could turn the ignition without a key. And some cars with keys go off -> accessories -> ignition -> starter vs accessories <- off -> ignition -> starter. If the key retention in the switch/lock is broken, sometimes it's tricky to make sure you pull the key out in off instead of accessories.
  - robocat 6y ago
    You’ve missed the variety of handbrake mechanisms. For example, I was in a Mercedes the other day: 1. It had a fob that worked as a key, but it didn’t look like a key and the key slot didn’t look like where the fob should go. 2. You set the handbrake using the left foot, but release it with a pull handle with your right hand! Both were unintuitive, and would catch out some people (I am generally well above average in working out how to use execrable user interfaces). The worst UI is often to release the door to fill fuel. More than once I’ve needed to ask for help on unfamiliar cars, and multiple people also not knowing how.

save_ferris 6y ago

That trend is starting to change. Mazda and Honda are starting to phase out touchscreens in some cases[0]. Tangentially related, the US Navy is also phasing out touchscreen controls after they were determined to be a factor in the USS McCain collision in 2017[1]. 0: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-geneva-motor-show/honda-bucks-industry-trend-removing-touchscreen-controls https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-geneva-motor-... 1: https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/11/navy-ditches-touchscreens-for-knobs-and-dials-after-fatal-crash/ https://techcrunch.com/2019/08/11/navy-ditches-touchscreens-...

netfl0 6y ago
Yes I have been following those stories and it is very promising, it’s nice to see folks who are able to course correct.
- noir_lord 6y ago
  After they hit a container ship.
  - jtsiskin 6y ago
    Course correct, after failing to course correct
Judgmentality 6y ago
It depends on the manufacturer. Both VW and Mercedes are doubling down on their touch-screen only interfaces. The new Golf, which is (historically) one of the top 10 best selling cars in the world, is entirely touchscreen for everything (and the early reviews are not positive about it). The Mercedes infotainment system which is also entirely touch-based is largely praised, although it is much more expensive and well-done.
- save_ferris 6y ago
  If the safety and consumer satisfaction data backs up the companies that have decided to ditch the screens, I expect to see others follow suit. As others in this thread have pointed out, few automakers have really seemed up to the challenge of developing a touchscreen experience that is truly seamless. Anecdotally, I bought a used 2019 Corolla recently and the "maintenance needed" alert that beeped and flashed while I was driving down the highway scared the crap out of me. It turned out that it was merely reminding me to get my oil changed, I couldn't believe it. It was so much less polished of an experience than I was used to with the 'Yota.

Gupie 6y ago

What do you think of the SpaceX UI?

netfl0 6y ago
I had a negative gut reaction. It was mostly autonomous, if there was a problem or high stress situation, this quote is concerning: Hurley and Behnken worked with SpaceX to "refine the way that you interface with the touchscreen and the way your touch is actually registered on the display in order to be able to fly it cleanly and not make mistakes touching it," Hurley said. Scary imo.

redis_mlc 6y ago

There might be an expectation by smartphone users that vehicle displays look like their phone. In the aviation world, owners are spending $50,000 upgrading their trainer Cessnas and Pipers to do exactly that. I'm still good with a paper sectional chart.

PostThisTooFast 6y ago

There are regressions all over the place; from asinine "flat" design where almost nothing is demarcated as a control, to INVISIBLE UI that suddenly appears if you happen to roll over it. Have you used Windows 10? How about the default E-mail client? Or Office365? To these disgraceful is too kind. The defective and incompetent UI these present is an insufferable affront to customers of all expertise levels.