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I’m not a driver and so maybe my estimation is wrong here, but the mocked-up interface in the article looks like a disaster for driver distraction: a live map i

I’m not a driver and so maybe my estimation is wrong here, but the mocked-up interface in the article looks like a disaster for driver distraction: a live map in the middle of the HUD, notification elements in the dashboard, and a touchscreen with actual apps on it (including the Books app?) within reach of the driver. Smartphones have already increased distracted driving; it’s concerning to see both automotive and tech companies seemingly encourage the trend.

spdustin 3y ago
The Books app is for audiobooks, FYI.
lokar 3y ago
Manufacturers are already doing maps in the instrument cluster like you see in the story.
orev 3y ago
That’s the way car HUDs already look, whether using CarPlay or the built-in one.
- foogazi 3y ago
  I had not seen one with the map right there behind the wheel
sircastor 3y ago
It's not - a lot of vehicles already have live map data on the cluster. That is to say, Apple isn't doing anything new here, they're just unifying it under their own system. The Books app you see here is actually Apple's AudioBooks.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
garciansmith 3y ago
It's not Apple, but rather just what all manufacturers seem to be doing. And yes, it is extremely distracting. There is so much noise, so much to take you away from driving. In that one picture at the top of the article, you have of course the distracting colorful app icons (but people are used to those I guess) but also so much needless information. An icon of a garage door? Your schedule for the next couple days (you should not be looking at that while driving!)? Two clocks because you need to see alternate time zones? I can't even stand music apps displaying album art: just one more distraction to take you away from what you should be doing, driving, changing with every new song. But hey, I purposefully sought to purchase a (manual) car a couple years ago that did not have a center screen, so clearly my opinion is in the minority.
archy_ 3y ago
I think the live map looks quite nice (the amount of times I've had to glance over at my phone to see the GPS make me long for something like this), but the calendar and two analog clocks look decidedly less enticing. We need simpler interfaces that are easy to read what we need at a glance, not a bunch of distractions. The problem with this, of course, is that it runs counter to the continuous consumption much of this industry has been built upon. Apple could probably pull it off if they wanted, given their ability to curb stomp companies into compliance, but they would have to actually want to do it and resist the constant stream of investors asking "why not increase upselling opportunities in the CarPlay UI?" Much the same way that vinyl records are back in vogue, I wouldn't be surprised if someday some luxury car brands started advertising physical controls for minimal distractions someday, given the direction the entire automotive industry seems to be headed. Hopefully my old Toyota will keep on chugging until we see a physical resurgence, I can't stand the way automakers are trying to shove everything onto a single screen to cut costs. Also, that's audiobooks, not iBooks.
ben_jones 3y ago
Before Apple/Android CarPlay/auto drivers would get the equivalent of a refrigerator magnet and stick their phone to the center dash. By comparison a larger resolution and UI restrictions on controls and apps make this outcome safer. A lot of apps and gestures on a phone don’t work in auto mode.
- sircastor 3y ago
  Alex Lindsay commented that he loved the big touch screens in cars because they are a perfect place for a suction cup mount for his phone.
  - Gud 3y ago
    There is a big warning over the touch screen on my rental car not to put suction cup mounts on it, with a fee of $1500 in case you break it.

spdustin 3y ago

The Books app is for audiobooks, FYI.

lokar 3y ago

Manufacturers are already doing maps in the instrument cluster like you see in the story.

orev 3y ago

That’s the way car HUDs already look, whether using CarPlay or the built-in one.

foogazi 3y ago
I had not seen one with the map right there behind the wheel

sircastor 3y ago

It's not - a lot of vehicles already have live map data on the cluster. That is to say, Apple isn't doing anything new here, they're just unifying it under their own system. The Books app you see here is actually Apple's AudioBooks.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

garciansmith 3y ago

It's not Apple, but rather just what all manufacturers seem to be doing. And yes, it is extremely distracting. There is so much noise, so much to take you away from driving. In that one picture at the top of the article, you have of course the distracting colorful app icons (but people are used to those I guess) but also so much needless information. An icon of a garage door? Your schedule for the next couple days (you should not be looking at that while driving!)? Two clocks because you need to see alternate time zones? I can't even stand music apps displaying album art: just one more distraction to take you away from what you should be doing, driving, changing with every new song. But hey, I purposefully sought to purchase a (manual) car a couple years ago that did not have a center screen, so clearly my opinion is in the minority.

archy_ 3y ago

I think the live map looks quite nice (the amount of times I've had to glance over at my phone to see the GPS make me long for something like this), but the calendar and two analog clocks look decidedly less enticing. We need simpler interfaces that are easy to read what we need at a glance, not a bunch of distractions. The problem with this, of course, is that it runs counter to the continuous consumption much of this industry has been built upon. Apple could probably pull it off if they wanted, given their ability to curb stomp companies into compliance, but they would have to actually want to do it and resist the constant stream of investors asking "why not increase upselling opportunities in the CarPlay UI?" Much the same way that vinyl records are back in vogue, I wouldn't be surprised if someday some luxury car brands started advertising physical controls for minimal distractions someday, given the direction the entire automotive industry seems to be headed. Hopefully my old Toyota will keep on chugging until we see a physical resurgence, I can't stand the way automakers are trying to shove everything onto a single screen to cut costs. Also, that's audiobooks, not iBooks.

ben_jones 3y ago

Before Apple/Android CarPlay/auto drivers would get the equivalent of a refrigerator magnet and stick their phone to the center dash. By comparison a larger resolution and UI restrictions on controls and apps make this outcome safer. A lot of apps and gestures on a phone don’t work in auto mode.

sircastor 3y ago
Alex Lindsay commented that he loved the big touch screens in cars because they are a perfect place for a suction cup mount for his phone.
- Gud 3y ago
  There is a big warning over the touch screen on my rental car not to put suction cup mounts on it, with a fee of $1500 in case you break it.