The Old Coot cheers the change.
By Merlin Lessler
It’s been 20+ years in the coming, but knobs,
sliders, switches and other physical controls are making a comeback in
automobile design. If you’re less than 30 years old, you’ll wonder what I’m
talking about. Let me explain. You could once control most functions behind the
wheel, blindfolded. Want more heat? Reach over to the slider switch and move it
to the right. Need the fan to blow
harder? Turn the knob next to the slider switch. You didn’t have to see it. You
could feel it. No touch screen to distract you from keeping your eyes on the
road.
Those screens cause more accidents than cell phones.
That’s my take anyhow. It’s the same thing with household appliances. Printed
circuit boards and touch screens dominate the landscape. I can’t even change
the clock on our Samsung range without downloading an App and connecting to the
brain (artificial intelligence) inside the unit. I won’t get into our washing
machine. Another nightmare that decides I can’t change water temperature in a
preset mode. I’m too stupid to be allowed that freedom. A/I has pushed my wants
aside.
Get in a strange car? Good luck finding out how to
control things. Every smart screen is different and uses symbols that are old
coot, un-friendly. I can’t even get it right on an elevator when I try to press
the “shut the door” button. Car manuals are now used more than ever. I guess
you can read it while driving. Not any more dangerous than reaching over and
drilling down through a menu on a touch screen. A screen that is getting bigger
and bigger and probably will eventually replace the windshield entirely.
Pushing us further into a virtual world.
All is not lost. Some auto manufacturers have
figured out that touch screens aren’t cutting edge anymore. Tesla and VW are
leading the pack, and starting to add knobs and switches for commonly used
functions. They had to hire designers that didn’t grow up playing video games
and using touch screens. They hired some old coots to guide them to a new/old
future. A safer one!
Comments? Send to mlessler7@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment