Touch Screens in cars versus Analogue Controls

[speleomike]

Hi all

I won't buy a car where the air conditioning and fans controls are in a touch screen. Maybe even for the radio station controls also. It's about time that this problem is getting some research.

Eventually one automotive manufacturer has got it right. Honda bucks industry trend by removing touchscreen controls (https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-geneva-motor-show/honda-bucks-industry-trend-removing-touchscreen-controls)

There is now some research that suggests that our driving ability is severely impaired by trying to use touch screen controls, without that tactile feedback, requiring us to take our eyes away from observing the road and controlling the car.

Just search on Google for "apple car play worst than cannabis" or "apple car play worst than alcohol".
Apple Carplay and Android Auto could be worse for reaction times than cannabis or alcohol, says study (https://www.driving.co.uk/news/apple-carplay-android-auto-worse-reaction-times-cannabis-alcohol-says-study/)
Infotainment systems are worse than cannabis or alcohol for driving performance | Traffic Technology Today (https://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news/planning/infotainment-systems-are-worse-than-cannabis-or-alcohol-for-driving-performance.html)

I adjust the fan often, a passing car on a dirt road requires a quick flip to interior recirculation, or I just need more fan on the face or less. As for the radio, I often need to turn it down during ads or flip to another channel. I just know where to find the button, and do it - no concentration involved and NO shift of vision away from the road. Oh, and voice control I think is very distracting. It really does take concentration.

What do others think?
Do you think younger drivers might perform better than older drivers at using a touch screen or is it just a bad user interface for all?
Is voice control just as distracting as a touch screen?

Mike

[BradC]

Just a bad user interface for all?

it’s not about tactile feedback, it’s about motor memory. Fixed controls promote motor memory. Your limbs just know where to go when you want control “x”. Touchscreens, and particularly those with multiple levels of controls where you have to navigate to find a control completely neutralise that, so you need to divert conscious thought interacting with them.

One of the things we do is control room design, and extensive usability studies on “man machine interfaces”. Critical interfaces for work requiring high and uninterrupted concentration absolutely required motor memory to minimise distraction. You don’t get that from programmable interfaces. Is like trying to touch type on an iPad. No physical cues to facilitate digital navigation without optical assistance. That requires concentration.

In case it isn’t obvious I’m anti-touchscreen in critical applications and I consider driving a car a critical application.

edit: it is about tactile feedback where it is used as cues to facilitate motor memory.

[loanrangie]

I like touchscreens on my stereo but purposely got a stereo that has a volume knob, i have the SWC but just like having that knob - must be a man thing [bighmmm].

[speleomike]

Ah :-)

Thanks Brad, the term "motor memory" was unknown to me and Googling that brings up all the good guff. It's absolutely correct, it describes all those things that I can do physically without having to direct my full attention to it. From abseiling to mowing the lawn on the ride-on to using a clutch.

Mike

[Tombie]

Interesting topic!

I don’t mind touch screens. But I do like the stereo to have a volume knob to enable quick changes.

I think the D4 has the right mix of both.

[gromit]

I switch from a Series Land Rover to a modern vehicle with touch screen on a regular basis.

The only good thing about the screen is the GPS display and the reversing camera. I find it takes the focus away from looking where you are going when you use it but to be honest I don't use most of the features offered.
The biggest concern if you run a vehicle for some years (ours are usually 10 years in the family) is when it karks it or plays up. I think for my current daily driver it's about $3K for a replacement screen.
It died on me a while back while I was driving....there I am thinking what have I lost access to ?? No radio controls, no heating controls, no GPS but the car would keep going hopefully. Then got a message 'updating system' and after a while it came good fortunately

How long before you plug your phone in and IT becomes the touchscreen ? Then after a few years you'll find your car is obsolete because you can't get a phone any longer that's compatible

Colin

[Homestar]

Volume controls for the radio on almost all modern cars are buttons on the steering wheel as well as what the touch screen does, so very easy to operate. Thankfully the fan controls are old school still - yes I do prefer that.

The 101 has a gate valve to control hot water flow to the heater - nice and easy to operate as well and almost infinity adjustable. [emoji106]