Taking the distractions out of the car

Opinion

One sure way to upset buyers [Ed: and makers] of German prestige cars is to pour derision on the single-point control that provides the interface between driver and comfort features including HVAC, audio and satellite navigation.

Trying to be as objective as possible, however, these single-point interface devices are frequently trying to do too much with too little. Such systems have been developed over the past 10 years and they're constantly being refined with each new generation entering the market.

A sophist's delight, these controllers frequently drill down through multiple screens of information to change a setting and are reminiscent of early combat systems on Collins Class submarines for ease of use. They are a diversion and distraction for drivers attempting to change a setting which might require one button-push from a conventional control system.

To deflect the criticism from those who find the automotive systems slow and dangerous, the car companies are beginning to introduce redundant systems that are closer to conventional switchgear in application. In one example, BMW now provides memory presets that can store radio station frequencies or satellite navigation destinations. As long as you remember which preset does what, it's preferable to the iDrive controller, in this writer’s view.

It would be easy to attribute the criticism of such interfaces to lazy journalists, but as we discovered from the launch of the Lexus LX 570 (more here), owners of highly sophisticated prestige vehicles can go months at a time without needing to use some feature -- and are then stumped when they try to recall how it was done when the car was handed over to them by the dealer.

With the latest Honda Accord Euro, we now see this blight infecting a Japanese car. 20 minutes is at least 19 minutes and 45 seconds too long, parked by the side of the road flicking through an owner's manual to work out how to disable overspeed alerts.

And as it turned out, that function wasn't even operable through the single-point controller anyway! The Honda has a separate 'INFO' button which is also the remotely located (on the steering wheel hub) up-arrow button for the trip computer.

One of the principal reasons for introducing these single-point interface systems is that they 'clean up' the dash. There are fewer buttons, knobs and dials if many or most of the comfort and convenience feature functions can be operated through the one knob. But in adding redundant systems, the car companies are acknowledging that channelling control of comfort and convenience features through one point has become a Pyrrhic victory. In effect, there are just as many controls and switches as before -- with one extra big one added.

So here's the Carsales Network's take on this -- we're ideas people, after all. Since most high-end cars have some sort of onboard wireless communications system these days, why not develop cars with a password-protected telematics system linked to a website?

On this website, you can customise the car's settings to your own personal preference. You could even change the password for access to the car's telematics system and then upload the new password to the car. It could potentially add another level of security over and above the standard engine immobiliser also.

At the very least, a USB connection in the car could allow easier configuration of the vehicle's comfort and convenience functions by laptop. Mechanics have been using such systems for diagnostic purposes over many years now.

And all of this is presuming we're still many years away from a capable voice-recognition system that can handle a multitude of tasks in lieu of the joystick controller.

There must be a way to dispense with that single-point controller and its complex web of screens altogether (or narrow its focus to just satellite navigation) and leave conventional buttons and knobs to fulfil the everyday functions, such as adjusting temperature settings or audio volume.

Most of the more sophisticated settings, such as programming the 'follow-me-home' headlight delay, changing screen colours or enabling/disabling audible alarms for overspeed warnings will only need to be adjusted once, assuming you're the vehicle's owner. Those sophisticated functions can be handled from your laptop in the home office or from a PDA in the car itself, if need be.

And you know why running a vehicle interface system from a website would work better? It's because web designers know how to create interfaces that are intuitively easy to use and don't need a big, thick manual to understand. For the most part, automotive designers don't.

Maybe that's why Volkswagen, for one, is working with Apple on potential interfaces for future vehicle systems...

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