These days a car comes packed with more tech than ever before. Nav systems, iPod connectivity, Bluetooth, safety systems etc. These systems provide various uses to the driver and passengers of the vehicle but how many of them are needed. At this point a car has become more than just a machine to transport people from point A to B, they have more tech than my living room.
So how much of this technology do we actually need? I know many of these technologies are meant to save you from an accident, but isn't that your job? I think people rely too heavily on the car to do things for them. With the amount of traction control systems, stability control, ABS and so many others. People don't really have to think about how fast they're going and when to brake. They feel invincible. They allow the car to do most of the thinking. This especially comes out in winter driving where people drive like they normally do and let the systems keep them on track, it's easy to spot these drivers because they're the ones in the ditch on the side of the highway.
It's not only those technologies that worsen drivers but also tech that allows you to send and receive text messages and make phone calls from you car. This causes distracted drivers. You might say it's better than just texting or calling without using these features, and you might be right but that doesn't mean you're paying anymore attention. The problem is a lot of these cars I'm looking at you ford use touch screens to operate many controls which means you have to take your eyes off the road no matter what you're trying to do. What was wrong with simple buttons and knobs? As I mentioned before, the purpose of a car isn't to have a social event with all your friends, it's to get you to where you're going. Save the conversation until then, please.
Features like navigation can make life easier and touch screens may seem all high tech but you can't be looking at a touch screen while driving, and it just doesn't work if you have to access normal things like volume, next song and climate control settings through it. Trying to go all high tech with a central control system really only works if buttons are included. After all you're driving a car, not using an iPhone. I think the problem with the systems that are done through the screen is that they attract buyers to dealerships where they use it for 10 minutes decide its great and buy one. They later realize in day to day use it's more cumbersome than it's worth. Putting in both solves this problem.
I realize most cars have some sort of voice controls as well but talking to your car all the time isn't exactly practical, especially if there are other passengers. Also for simple things like changing temperature or radio station probably takes longer than it's worth to use this feature.
So this is to any car manufacturers listening. We want buttons, not just everything through a touch screen. There are too many menus to go through which means you have to take attention of the road longer and there is no tactile feedback with these screens.
To drivers on the road do not rely on all the technologies in your car to prevent you from crashing and keep your eyes on the road not on all the devices in your car. Yes these systems can help and can save you but that doesn't mean paying attention and driving cautiously is obsolete.
So how much of this technology do we actually need? I know many of these technologies are meant to save you from an accident, but isn't that your job? I think people rely too heavily on the car to do things for them. With the amount of traction control systems, stability control, ABS and so many others. People don't really have to think about how fast they're going and when to brake. They feel invincible. They allow the car to do most of the thinking. This especially comes out in winter driving where people drive like they normally do and let the systems keep them on track, it's easy to spot these drivers because they're the ones in the ditch on the side of the highway.
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| Ford's My touch system uses the touch screen for most everything |
Features like navigation can make life easier and touch screens may seem all high tech but you can't be looking at a touch screen while driving, and it just doesn't work if you have to access normal things like volume, next song and climate control settings through it. Trying to go all high tech with a central control system really only works if buttons are included. After all you're driving a car, not using an iPhone. I think the problem with the systems that are done through the screen is that they attract buyers to dealerships where they use it for 10 minutes decide its great and buy one. They later realize in day to day use it's more cumbersome than it's worth. Putting in both solves this problem.
I realize most cars have some sort of voice controls as well but talking to your car all the time isn't exactly practical, especially if there are other passengers. Also for simple things like changing temperature or radio station probably takes longer than it's worth to use this feature.
So this is to any car manufacturers listening. We want buttons, not just everything through a touch screen. There are too many menus to go through which means you have to take attention of the road longer and there is no tactile feedback with these screens.
To drivers on the road do not rely on all the technologies in your car to prevent you from crashing and keep your eyes on the road not on all the devices in your car. Yes these systems can help and can save you but that doesn't mean paying attention and driving cautiously is obsolete.
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