Any - Touch screens such as Tesla

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Wed 17 Jan 2018 10:41
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - Adrian Kendrick
I for one do not consider touch screens in vehicles to be safe to use, you cannot operate them without taking your eyes off the road ahead and obviously your attention is diverted for several seconds. Many cars have sat nav touch screens which cannot be operated whilst moving for just this reason, however, I have a sat nav like this but I still can and have to operate the radio by touch screen and of course newer cars like Tesla everything appears to be operated from the touch screen alone.

I wonder why In general aircraft tend to use buttons and switches to control systems even though they use huge display screens fo information, with a manual switch you feel and see the setting and in many case these can be operated by feel without averting vision from the view ahead, I also understand that some people with callussed fingers due to work can have problems activating touch screens?
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Wed 17 Jan 2018 13:05
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - movilogo

Personally I am not a fan of touch screens, however...

  • Tesla cars are autonomous - so drivers are expected not to stare at roads continuously (otherwise why would one buy Tesla?)
  • it is cheaper to build than buttons - so more profit for makers (as long as they can make people believe touchscreen is latest fad)
  • It makes customization much easier (for both consumer and manufacturer)

I am not sure if comparing with aircraft is valid here. All commercial aircrafts have back up systems while cars don't. Also, a pilot has lot more training than average car driver.

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Wed 17 Jan 2018 15:12
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - Brit_in_Germany

Depending on the car and the function in question, there may be a control also on the steering wheel. Also, there is voice control.

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Wed 17 Jan 2018 15:16
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - expat
it is cheaper to build than buttons - so more profit for makers (as long as they can make people believe touchscreen is latest fad)

It may be cheaper to build however it is unlikely to be cheaper to repair. If a button fails then it may be possible to replace that. Even if the manufacturer wants to sell you a complete assembly there will probably be some back street guy who can solder in a new button. No hope of that with a touch screen. It will be a case of replacing the whole screen and that won't be cheap or simple.

I certainly do not want a vehicle where I have to take my eyes off the road to switch on the windscreen demister or to change a radio station.

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Wed 17 Jan 2018 16:06
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - John F

I agree with the OP. It is absurd that performing a task by touching such a screen is considered to be safe and legally permissible, but not if it's the screen of a cradled mobile phone in a similar position.

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Wed 17 Jan 2018 17:27
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - FP

"It is absurd that performing a task by touching such a screen is considered to be safe and legally permissible, but not if it's the screen of a cradled mobile phone in a similar position."

Not so. It's the use of hand-held phones that is illegal. But allowing or encouraging any distraction while driving means you are open to the charge of not being in proper control of a motor vehicle.

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Thu 18 Jan 2018 06:14
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - Finguz

Personally I am not a fan of touch screens, however...

  • Tesla cars are autonomous - so drivers are expected not to stare at roads continuously (otherwise why would one buy Tesla?)

youtu.be/DDKuE-3WOJk?t=1m56s

That isn't the fastest model either.

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Wed 17 Jan 2018 17:17
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - Avant

I agree - I hate touchscreens. Amazingly Volvo, who make such a noise about how safe their cars are, have everything controlled by touchscreen in theie newest models: if that includes the heating and AC controls, as on Peugeots and Citroens, then it's potentially dangerous.

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Wed 17 Jan 2018 18:11
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - kiss (keep it simple)

What impresses me most about touch screens is not their ergonomics (or lack of) but their ability to survive extremes of temperature. Most products of that type specify operating temperatures between 0 and 40 Celsius, with "storage" over a somewhat larger range, Yet they seem to function way outside those temperatures. How hot does the interior get in Texas or Dubai? How cold in Siberia? I am sure we would have heard by now if this was an issue.

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Thu 18 Jan 2018 12:49
Any - Touch screens such as Tesla - movilogo

Manufacturers introduce features based on market demand and they sometimes do take risks.

Different people have different needs. Some people hate Auto Emergency Brake but I'd not buy a car without it now (when I change next time). My current car has some touch operated functions (sat nav, radio etc.) but usually it has buttons to for most of those.

My car has phone accept/reject buttons in steering. However, I find it dificult to use because it rotates with the steering. If I'm making a turn and phone rings, it is cumbersome to find and press phone buttons. However, Accept/Reject buttons also appear on touch screen on exactly same fixed location. So, I always use touch screen for phone Accept/Reject.

While I do prefer buttons I hate steering buttons as they rotate with steering. For same reason I hate steering mounted pedal shifters. I much prefer using knudging the gear shifter up/down to change gears (mostly leave it in auto mode). There are some buttons in my steering which I never used.

In an ideal world, I would prefer to have buttons/stalks for mandatory operations and 3-4 butons which I can customize to my own taste (like program shortcuts in computers).

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