Infotainment touchscreens have transformed our driving experience, providing crystal-clear navigation, effortless media switching, and straightforward access to our preferred music and podcasts. Properly designed, the right screen enables access to crucial features with a single touch.
A prime example in a high-volume production car is Skoda's system, which effectively combines touchscreen functionality with essential manual controls like climate settings, a robust steering wheel, and a customisable instrument cluster.
Yet, “featuritis”—the feature overload—frequently leads to usability problems, and the false impression that the touchscreen itself is at fault, rather than the decision to overburden the interface's capabilities.
Three issues stand out:
1. Climate Controls: Moving climate controls to the touchscreen can pose safety and usability issues, a subject I've previously addressed at length. Nevertheless, with deliberate design, this integration can be achieved effectively, with the Polestar 2 being the best example I've experienced.
2. Stalks and Mirror Controls: Replacing these with touchscreen menus reduces immediate access and affects automation, usability, and safety. I recall a daunting moment needing to adjust the mirrors with a Tesla Model 3 while merging on the Autobahn.
3. No Instrument Cluster: Centralizing all driver information within the cockpit, as pioneered by the Tesla Model 3, is a deeply flawed approach in my opinion. I advocate for retaining the traditional instrument cluster in front of the driver for essential driving data, while dedicating the central touchscreen exclusively to infotainment purposes, thereby avoiding overlapping functionalities. Even a compact instrument cluster can be immensely beneficial, with ID.4 and Mach-E being the best examples I have experienced.
Crafting the Future: Product Strategy in HMI
No single interface satisfies all requirements, highlighting the complexities of designing an ideal multimodal system. The Mercedes MBUX system, as it was originally introduced in the A-Class, set a high standard by integrating a touchscreen, physical buttons, a trackpad, an excellent steering wheel, and arguably the best voice system available at the time. However, even for a brand like Mercedes, such comprehensive implementations come with high costs.
The reality is that every product entails compromises and making informed trade-offs requires deep knowledge. The foundation of outstanding HMI design lies in a strategic approach grounded in the immutable principles of human factors and ergonomics. Implementing these principles can lead to more efficient development processes, cost-effectiveness, and finding the right balance to ensure the system is safe, easy to use, and enjoyable for users.
Trends may come and go, usability always wins. Simple but not easy!