I recently drove a car whose whole control and entertainment system was a gigantic iPad-like thing mounted to the dash. It caused me to have a realisation about the #Ui and #UX of touch screens. There is no way to touch a touchscreen without it treating that touch as intentional. What I mean […] - ThreadSky

paco.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy • 8 days ago

I recently drove a car whose whole control and entertainment system was a gigantic iPad-like thing mounted to the dash. It caused me to have a realisation about the #Ui and #UX of touch screens.

There is no way to touch a touchscreen without it treating that touch as intentional. What I mean […]

Comments

cstross.wandering.shop.ap.brid.gy•7 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco https://fediscience.org/@dpfyhrie It's not a patch on the Psion Series 5 keyboard, but alas, the last attempt to sell an Android with that keyboard was killed by the supply chain upset of 2021-22—Planet Computers' Chinese ODM went bust during production. I got one: it's amazing but a dead end […]

vees.epistolary.org.ap.brid.gy•8 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco There's not *no* way to do it. iPhone Voiceover is actually a good example of multi-touch with audio and haptic feedback that includes intention to click.

paco.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy•8 days ago

https://epistolary.org/@vees I’m not sure you understand what I mean by intentionality.

That audio-described interface still assumes every touch is intentional. Accidentally touch part of the screen and it’s going to start describing what you accidentally touched.

I’m after […] https://infosec.exchange/@paco/114031242813503983

vees.epistolary.org.ap.brid.gy•8 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco That's semantics. I don't disagree with you. What I'm saying is that if touching a volume control in your car is knowing where it is and touching more is activating it, Voiceover shows a model of how touch with haptics could be better.

paco.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy•8 days ago

https://epistolary.org/@vees it would be cool if touch screens could create temporary textures. I think haptics are something jiggling behind the screen that I can feel jiggling. Wouldn’t it be neat if the screens were a little flexible somehow and could raise up textures, but also lower them or change them […]

xoagray.phoenix.masto.host.ap.brid.gy•8 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco I'm with you on this, I think the idea of a car interface that relies solely on touch is ludicrous. Anything that forces a driver to look away from the road is just a horrible idea.
I also miss having phones with keyboards. I'd love something with a slider again, but I get that there's […]

paco.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy•8 days ago

https://phoenix.masto.host/@xoagray I need to post a video of my son’s Ford Fusion. Not only does it have a touch screen, but the screens slowly fade in when you press a button. Like it forces you to keep watching it waiting for it to display the button you want to press next. It is so stupid I want to scream.

xoagray.phoenix.masto.host.ap.brid.gy•8 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco Ugh, that's literally doing it in the worst way possible.

Ryanteck.fosstodon.org.ap.brid.gy•8 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco The genius part of that raised spacebar too?

It was also the fingerprint reader.

Loved my Keyone.

rbairwell.mastodon.org.uk.ap.brid.gy•7 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco Regarding the cars, Toyota were happy to show everyone visiting their "showcase" place in Tokyo in 2001ish that touchscreens were a bad idea for vehicle usability+safety and the research they had already put into it.. It is now 2025...

Setok.attractive.space.ap.brid.gy•7 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco it is possible to get closer to this, even with touch. Think: MacBook touch pad. Due to haptics and pressure sensor, it feels like you are pressing on something mechanical to ‘click’, but it doesn’t actually move (I constantly find this amazing). We could do something similar in cars. You […]

darwinwoodka.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy•7 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco

I hate those things so much.

teotwaki.mastodon.online.ap.brid.gy•7 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco Not just the space bar! The D key on a blackberry keyboard had a little pip as well, so you could blind type. The D key was also the centre of the numpad, so having the pip there was useful for dialling numbers one handed.

markhurst.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy•7 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco In "Customers Included" I wrote about the MyFord Touch, a disastrous touchscreen design, for the very reasons you note:
https://creativegood.com/blog/23/why-car-companies-ignore-customers.html

kayohtie.blimps.xyz•8 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco I'd rather a full-time keyboard like the Blackberry-height one than a multi-tasking thing. I can always open an emoji picker or hit a button that lets me quick search emoji and return a single row of results with an option to expand for more. But the full click of a keyboard I miss.

andypiper.macaw.social.ap.brid.gy•7 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco indeed, and this is part of the reason why the Euro NCAP (safety testing body) will prioritise physical controls over touch screens. https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/5/24091043/euro-ncap-safety-rating-europe-2026-touchscreen-buttons-dials

the-gneech.meow.social.ap.brid.gy•8 days ago

https://infosec.exchange/@paco See also: why I hate car touchscreens

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