The automotive industry’s rush to replace conventional controls with touchscreen interfaces is at risk of alienating customers, compromising safety and drawing the ire of regulatory bodies, says software company VNC Automotive*, not without self-interest. Connectivity pioneer VNC, a company with its technology installed in more than 35 million vehicles worldwide, questions whether today’s touch-based interfaces are really the best solution. Worst case – are they creating dire safety issue?
“Car manufacturers are locked in a race,” says Tom Blackie, CEO, VNC Automotive. “Not the kind that demands ever-increasing power outputs or shrinking zero-to-sixty times, however. Instead, the results of this contest are measured in inches.”
Here’s the argument from VNC: “With each new model launch, vehicle manufacturers push a little further. First, in-car satnav was controlled by a TV-style remote control that was just as likely to get lost in a dusty crevice…Then the multimedia controller took over, a twisty-turny wheel dubbed, say, iDrive or Commander… As the touchscreen arrived, “it appeared the industry had finally settled on a winner, even if the user interface at first seemed to have been modeled on an ATM.”
Henceforth, the race is on expanding the digital real estate, making it more conspicuous. Tablet-sized screens perched atop the dashboard were joined by digital instrument clusters.
“But in 2012, a Californian newcomer (Tesla is our guess here? – Autocrat) launched an electric vehicle and usability seemed to take a back seat. Gone was the physical switchgear – apart from the window switches, there were only two buttons in the whole car – with everything controlled by a giant screen in the middle of the dashboard. That meant that even the most basic interaction required delving into a menu, from changing the radio station to turning on the headlights,” said VNC.
“Having a giant touchscreen interface is really about saving hardware costs by implementing everything in software,” says Blackie. “Recently, though, there’s been growing disquiet as years of ergonomic study and usability experience are abandoned in the rush to cram everything onto a single screen.”
VNC backs up these claims with data. “A recent study by the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory and road safety charity IAM Roadsmart found that drivers took their eyes off the road for as long as 20 seconds when asked to play a track from Spotify using a touchscreen interface, long enough to travel a distance of 630 meters at 70mph – more than a third of a mile. During that time, many drivers struggled to maintain their lane position, while some failed to respond to a simulated emergency event. Overall, reaction times increased by up to 57% when interacting with these devices; driving while over the alcohol limit by comparison only increases reaction times by 12%.” (AutoInformed.com has published extensively on deadly distracted driving, search our website for more information.)
*VNC Automotive
VNC Automotive is experienced in car connectivity and telematics software. Its technology is currently in use in more than 35 million vehicles, across 20 of the world’s largest automotive OEMs, including VW Group, Toyota, Honda, PSA. VNC Automotive also develops and supplies software to equipment suppliers, such as Bosch, Panasonic, Clarion, Pioneer, as well as device sellers Sony, HTC, LG, and Huawei. Covering everything from In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) connectivity and telematics concepts, through to embedded production-grade deployments, its platform-agnostic software supports all popular vehicle connectivity standards including Cobalt Link+, Android Auto and CarPlay.
“BMW gave the world Gesture Control, allowing us to live out our Harry Potter wizarding dreams by waving a hand in the air to adjust the volume or skip a track. Voice control systems have become more widespread, although they remain some way behind the likes of Siri and Google Assistant, the latter often cited by OEMs as a key factor in their adoption of Android Automotive. Head-up displays have progressed from a simple speed read-out reflected in a tiny transparent panel that unfurls itself into the driver’s eyeline to a fully-fledged augmented reality display projected on to the windscreen. For everything else, it’s likely the omnipresent touchscreen will continue, although it’s clear manufacturers will have to rethink their approach to usability,” said VNC.
Software – Automakers Out of Touch with Drivers and Safety
“Car manufacturers are locked in a race,” says Tom Blackie, CEO, VNC Automotive. “Not the kind that demands ever-increasing power outputs or shrinking zero-to-sixty times, however. Instead, the results of this contest are measured in inches.”
Here’s the argument from VNC: “With each new model launch, vehicle manufacturers push a little further. First, in-car satnav was controlled by a TV-style remote control that was just as likely to get lost in a dusty crevice…Then the multimedia controller took over, a twisty-turny wheel dubbed, say, iDrive or Commander… As the touchscreen arrived, “it appeared the industry had finally settled on a winner, even if the user interface at first seemed to have been modeled on an ATM.”
Henceforth, the race is on expanding the digital real estate, making it more conspicuous. Tablet-sized screens perched atop the dashboard were joined by digital instrument clusters.
“But in 2012, a Californian newcomer (Tesla is our guess here? – Autocrat) launched an electric vehicle and usability seemed to take a back seat. Gone was the physical switchgear – apart from the window switches, there were only two buttons in the whole car – with everything controlled by a giant screen in the middle of the dashboard. That meant that even the most basic interaction required delving into a menu, from changing the radio station to turning on the headlights,” said VNC.
“Having a giant touchscreen interface is really about saving hardware costs by implementing everything in software,” says Blackie. “Recently, though, there’s been growing disquiet as years of ergonomic study and usability experience are abandoned in the rush to cram everything onto a single screen.”
VNC backs up these claims with data. “A recent study by the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory and road safety charity IAM Roadsmart found that drivers took their eyes off the road for as long as 20 seconds when asked to play a track from Spotify using a touchscreen interface, long enough to travel a distance of 630 meters at 70mph – more than a third of a mile. During that time, many drivers struggled to maintain their lane position, while some failed to respond to a simulated emergency event. Overall, reaction times increased by up to 57% when interacting with these devices; driving while over the alcohol limit by comparison only increases reaction times by 12%.” (AutoInformed.com has published extensively on deadly distracted driving, search our website for more information.)
*VNC Automotive
VNC Automotive is experienced in car connectivity and telematics software. Its technology is currently in use in more than 35 million vehicles, across 20 of the world’s largest automotive OEMs, including VW Group, Toyota, Honda, PSA. VNC Automotive also develops and supplies software to equipment suppliers, such as Bosch, Panasonic, Clarion, Pioneer, as well as device sellers Sony, HTC, LG, and Huawei. Covering everything from In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) connectivity and telematics concepts, through to embedded production-grade deployments, its platform-agnostic software supports all popular vehicle connectivity standards including Cobalt Link+, Android Auto and CarPlay.
“BMW gave the world Gesture Control, allowing us to live out our Harry Potter wizarding dreams by waving a hand in the air to adjust the volume or skip a track. Voice control systems have become more widespread, although they remain some way behind the likes of Siri and Google Assistant, the latter often cited by OEMs as a key factor in their adoption of Android Automotive. Head-up displays have progressed from a simple speed read-out reflected in a tiny transparent panel that unfurls itself into the driver’s eyeline to a fully-fledged augmented reality display projected on to the windscreen. For everything else, it’s likely the omnipresent touchscreen will continue, although it’s clear manufacturers will have to rethink their approach to usability,” said VNC.