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I can’t be the only one who thinks we’re going a bit too far with the attention grab of vehicle infotainment. CarPlay is a fantastic system because it keeps yo

by whh 3mo ago

I can’t be the only one who thinks we’re going a bit too far with the attention grab of vehicle infotainment. CarPlay is a fantastic system because it keeps you off your phone. But some of these new infotainment systems, and the complete lack of physical controls, are starting to feel extremely unsafe.

moolcool 3mo ago
I admire the restraint the CarPlay designers have in adding features. E.g. in music apps, you can't click-through to an artist page from a song page. Annoying on the surface, but it actually naturally restricts your mucking about in menus. I bet any money that that one choice has saved lives.
- xp84 3mo ago
  Your thesis is right but in this example this is instead one of the “Alan Dye” hidden UI instances where the functionality is intentionally hidden (I presume in the name of aesthetic minimalism rather than safety, because this is what Apple design does outside CarPlay too). At least in Apple Music, I think you tap on the artist name in the now playing screen, and I think you get a menu to go to album or artist from there. If I’m wrong, somebody correct me and I’ll delete, I’m away from my car today and can’t verify.
  - samcolson42 3mo ago
    This interaction works in Apple Music on the phone, but not in CarPlay.
  - hbn 3mo ago
    You can verify from my comment history that I love talking shit about Mr Dye as much as the next guy, but no. Car Play limitations are certainly not an Alan Dye decision. Everything in CarPlay is stripped down cause it's not safe to be navigating menus and doing deep interactions while driving. The passenger can use the phone if you want to be able to scroll through an artist's catalog, rearrange playlists, etc. CarPlay's UI is a quick way to access your current library.
    - xp84 3mo ago
      I didn’t mean it like that. I’m fine with most of the “omissions” on CarPlay (though CarPlay isn’t perfect and has regressed - the Maps UI changes in the past 5-7 years with the disappearing controls and the menus that require a tap, move 6 inches, and tap again, are garbage). I only meant that you can jump to an artist, it’s just hidden, so it’s not one of those things that’s truly being omitted for safety’s sake. That one’s there, but just undiscoverable (because Alan Dye is a clown).
swiftcoder 3mo ago
Luckily the pendulum is about to swing back the other way for most brands, as they have to reintroduce physical controls to comply with the updated EU safety regulations
- AceJohnny2 3mo ago
  I've been hearing that for years, and I'm still waiting. Incidentally, my 2020 Ford Escape has buttons, which was a strong selector. I hear it's because it was designed for the European market (as the Ford Kuga)
  - swiftcoder 3mo ago
    The NCAP rules only came into effect this year. 2026 and later models should all have a decent set of physical controls
xattt 3mo ago
> CarPlay is a fantastic system because it keeps you off your phone. Tinfoil hat time: CarPlay was created as a 4D regulatory chess move, because it enables users to continue interacting with their phones in a legislative environment where said action is otherwise illegal. It would be hard to argue that it’s illegal to use the phone in a way that’s nearly identical to the way you interact with your vehicle controls.
davidee 3mo ago
Completely agree with you. That said, Car Play isn't a panacea for keeping me off my phone though, because some manufacturers have the ability to LIMIT what Car Play can show you. Example - we have two vehicles for our 3 person household. One is a 7 year old Kia EV, the other a nearly new Ford. Ford has somehow limited apps like Music and Podcasts to show or give access to only a tiny subset of playlists and songs when the car is moving - exactly when you absolutely shouldn't pick up your phone. So you pick up your phone because that thing that works in one car, doesn't work in the other - and it's the newer car and car play implementation that's more limiting.

by whh 3mo ago

moolcool 3mo ago

I admire the restraint the CarPlay designers have in adding features. E.g. in music apps, you can't click-through to an artist page from a song page. Annoying on the surface, but it actually naturally restricts your mucking about in menus. I bet any money that that one choice has saved lives.

xp84 3mo ago
Your thesis is right but in this example this is instead one of the “Alan Dye” hidden UI instances where the functionality is intentionally hidden (I presume in the name of aesthetic minimalism rather than safety, because this is what Apple design does outside CarPlay too). At least in Apple Music, I think you tap on the artist name in the now playing screen, and I think you get a menu to go to album or artist from there. If I’m wrong, somebody correct me and I’ll delete, I’m away from my car today and can’t verify.
- samcolson42 3mo ago
  This interaction works in Apple Music on the phone, but not in CarPlay.
- hbn 3mo ago
  You can verify from my comment history that I love talking shit about Mr Dye as much as the next guy, but no. Car Play limitations are certainly not an Alan Dye decision. Everything in CarPlay is stripped down cause it's not safe to be navigating menus and doing deep interactions while driving. The passenger can use the phone if you want to be able to scroll through an artist's catalog, rearrange playlists, etc. CarPlay's UI is a quick way to access your current library.
  - xp84 3mo ago
    I didn’t mean it like that. I’m fine with most of the “omissions” on CarPlay (though CarPlay isn’t perfect and has regressed - the Maps UI changes in the past 5-7 years with the disappearing controls and the menus that require a tap, move 6 inches, and tap again, are garbage). I only meant that you can jump to an artist, it’s just hidden, so it’s not one of those things that’s truly being omitted for safety’s sake. That one’s there, but just undiscoverable (because Alan Dye is a clown).

swiftcoder 3mo ago

Luckily the pendulum is about to swing back the other way for most brands, as they have to reintroduce physical controls to comply with the updated EU safety regulations

AceJohnny2 3mo ago
I've been hearing that for years, and I'm still waiting. Incidentally, my 2020 Ford Escape has buttons, which was a strong selector. I hear it's because it was designed for the European market (as the Ford Kuga)
- swiftcoder 3mo ago
  The NCAP rules only came into effect this year. 2026 and later models should all have a decent set of physical controls

xattt 3mo ago

> CarPlay is a fantastic system because it keeps you off your phone. Tinfoil hat time: CarPlay was created as a 4D regulatory chess move, because it enables users to continue interacting with their phones in a legislative environment where said action is otherwise illegal. It would be hard to argue that it’s illegal to use the phone in a way that’s nearly identical to the way you interact with your vehicle controls.

davidee 3mo ago

Completely agree with you. That said, Car Play isn't a panacea for keeping me off my phone though, because some manufacturers have the ability to LIMIT what Car Play can show you. Example - we have two vehicles for our 3 person household. One is a 7 year old Kia EV, the other a nearly new Ford. Ford has somehow limited apps like Music and Podcasts to show or give access to only a tiny subset of playlists and songs when the car is moving - exactly when you absolutely shouldn't pick up your phone. So you pick up your phone because that thing that works in one car, doesn't work in the other - and it's the newer car and car play implementation that's more limiting.