Modern cars are no longer just ordinary vehicles. Each model that rolls off the factory assembly line is equipped with many technological innovations.
Thanks to extensive innovations, the interior has super comfortable seats, a pleasant steering wheel and an excellent audio system. Elements such as multimedia and climate control, digital displays and security systems are an integral part of modern cars. But how do you strike a balance between innovation and comfort?
The importance of ergonomics
To emphasize the importance of good cabin ergonomics, the creators of the Swedish magazine Vi Bilagare conducted a study in which they determined how much time is required for identical tasks in different machines. More than a dozen cars took part in the test. Most were new models that have many controls on touchscreens, but one car built in 2005 was used for comparison. The results were shocking. It was possible to activate some functions in the old machine much faster – even by 35 seconds. So the drivers of the new models were distracted from the road for that many seconds longer.
Car manufacturers choose different solutions to this problem. Some move the controls to the media screen, minimizing the number of physical buttons. A striking example is Volkswagen, whose ID series electric car controls almost all functions on the screen.
Meanwhile, others are working on improving voice control, believing it would be the fastest and safest way to drive a car. Guntars Puls, the editor of Profi Latvija magazine and a judge of the Car of the Year competition, believes that voice control could be introduced significantly more widely, but its right time has not yet come. “I suspect it will be a long time before voice control becomes commonplace. First, it is difficult for people to change their habits. Second, current solutions are not as effective as, for example, Apple’s Siri. Thirdly, voice control should understand not only big languages,” says Guntar.
While some manufacturers risk experiments and introduce technologies that do not always turn out to be good, some companies choose a more cautious approach and look for ways to optimally combine well-known management tools with the latest technology. One such example is Opel. In its latest models, all frequently used functions such as cabin heating and air conditioning are controlled by physical buttons. Less frequently needed functions are integrated into the screen.
Pioneers
Asked about market leaders and laggards in terms of cabin ergonomics, Guntars Puls says that by 2017-2019 Volkswagen could boast of an almost perfect balance between touch screen and buttons back in 2010, but now that’s no longer the case. The latest models of the Volkswagen ID series have rather clumsy controls, and even if the manufacturer’s intentions were good, they have not brought the expected improvements.
Guntars mentions Mercedes-Benz as a positive example. “They’ve moved a lot of functions to the screens, but they’ve kept the control relatively comfortable. It should also be taken into account that in the case of Mercedes-Benz it was not easy at all, because cars of this level have incomparably more secondary functions than small cars,” says Guntars.
Experts often mention Opel as another successful example. The updated multimedia system, introduced in 2022 along with improved cabin ergonomics, significantly improves both function control and comfort. “Whatever the advances in screens and other touch surfaces, I still appreciate the fact that everything connected to heating can be regulated with physical buttons – climate control, heated seats, steering wheel and windows. To access less frequently used functions, just press the “home” button on the screen. In this sense, the Opel variant could be called optimal,” says Guntars.
Formula for success
But what is the formula for success? How should the controls be placed so that everything is easily accessible and the driver’s gaze is taken away from the road as little as possible?
Guntars Puls, who has driven hundreds of machines, believes that the search in the field of ergonomics will continue in all directions – voice control, gesture control will develop, touch surface technologies will progress. Also, it is expected that there will be opportunities that we do not even know about at the moment, especially related to self-driving.
But it is very important that these solutions are thoroughly polished before they go into production, so that people can enjoy real progress and not fake progress. “Intuitive and simple – in my opinion, this is convenient management. And judging by the current offering, the ideal balance is somewhere in the middle between physical and digital tools. I predict that it will remain so, at least in the next few years,” sums up Guntars.
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2023-10-11 11:47:34
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