SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Honda bucks industry trend by removing touchscreen controls:
Honda has done what no other car maker is doing, and returned to analogue controls for some functions on the new Honda Jazz.
While most manufacturers are moving to touchscreen controls, identifying smartphone use as their inspiration - most recently seen in Audi's latest A3 - Honda has decided to reintroduce heating and air conditioning controls via a dial rather than touchscreen, as in the previous-generation Jazz.
Jazz project leader Takeki Tanaka explained: "The reason is quite simple - we wanted to minimise driver disruption for operation, in particular, for the heater and air conditioning.
<no-sarcasm>
It seems to me that neither physical controls nor voice controlled operation are fundamentally incompatible with cars being both smart and connected.
</no-sarcasm>
(Score: 4, Interesting) by DannyB on Wednesday April 01 2020, @05:37PM (2 children)
Two large physical knobs.
First knob selects which value you wish to change. Second knob changes it.
As you turn the first knob, you can feel the detents as you pass each setting. A small screen (for deaf drivers) and an audible voice (for blind drivers) both announce which setting you have landed on. It could be anything from radio volume to windshield wiper speed or interior light brightness.
Then turn the second knob to increase / decrease, or for some settings simply change the on / off status.
Now imagine that when turning the first knob, you cannot turn it to the next detent until the voice has completely announced which setting is currently selected to be changed.
I just entered a tunnel, it's going to take quite a few seconds to get the headlights turned on.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 01 2020, @06:50PM (1 child)
> ...it's going to take quite a few seconds to get the headlights turned on.
With my '09 Toyota, the lights come on automagically -- I think the sensor is on the dash, just below the windshield. While I can turn on the lights by rotating the left stalk, there isn't much point, when it's daylight I get DRLs, and when it's dark I get normal lights (high/low are push/pull on the stalk--still manual).
More generally, what you describe is a "mode" control. Cars and other devices that need to be "realtime" should have a control for each major/safety-related function, "mode-less". No getting stuck in some unwanted mode. Nice overview here, https://www.nngroup.com/articles/modes/ [nngroup.com]
And just to get everyone's juices going, this is why I like emacs--a key-chord for every function (although there are some global modes...)
(Score: 2) by Reziac on Thursday April 02 2020, @03:33AM
First time I encountered one of those damn all-function stalks, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to turn on the headlights.
"Lights and wipers on the dash, as the gods intended" joined my criteria for that new-used vehicle I was then seeking...
And there is no Alkibiades to come back and save us from ourselves.