Category: Articles & Commentaries

Discussions on topics of interest to drivers concerning things they may not understand about their vehicles as well as articles on the future of the auto industry.

Touch or No Touch: Touch Screens Aren’t for Everything!

Touch Screens Aren’t for Everything

The 38th Automotive News World Congress, held as part of last week’s (Jan. 2014) Detroit Auto Show, featured a number of industry executives, including AutoNation boss Mike Jackson. AutoNation is the largest auto retailer in the U.S. with 210 stores coast to coast.

After talking growth and inventory levels, he took some time to discuss in-vehicle technology (at about the 1:40 mark at the link provided).

He said that customers want to “bring their life” into the car, which is to say their smart phone and all its functionality. That’s not news. What is news is what this automotive insider with a bit of experience has to say about touch screens.

Jackson cites Tesla, which uses its center stack (center mounted) touch screen in the Model S to control nearly everything, eliminating nearly all buttons and knobs. No manufacturer has so thoroughly embraced the touch screen. He flat out says “I don’t think that’s the future,” meaning that having to move one’s attention to a screen to find the right spot to touch for just the right amount of time is an unnecessary distraction. And we would add potentially dangerous.

Thanks for the Support

We’ve made this very point before, several times, and it’s truly great to hear someone with some actual clout in the industry back us up. Touch implies the use of only a finger, but the reality is that a touch screen takes more eye attention than a knob or button.

It is true that space for new features is a real issue, but so is keeping a driver’s eyes on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has set voluntary guidelines for touch-screen systems that call for a drivers’ attention be drawn for no more than two seconds at a time, which is still an eternity at 60 miles per hour.

There simply has to be a role for knobs and buttons and rocker switches, etc. Well placed, they can be accessed with just a glance or even by feel.

This of course assumes that solid, error-free voice recognition remains a distant objective.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2014/01/touch-or-no-touch-those-screens-arent-for-everything/

Autosystem Cited in Plane Crash is a Cautionary Tale for Car Makers

A Cautionary Tale

Two items caught our attention in the last few days (Dec., 2013). The first was a report on the crash in July, 2013 of Asiana Airlines flight 214 in San Francisco, which laid blame on pilot confusion on the workings of the autothrottle system.

The second was an article from Automotive News on X-(drive-)by-wire, or electronic control of every automotive driving system. It is connected to the first story because what follows X-by-wire is autonomous control; cars that drive themselves.

The Automotive News article laments the fact that back-up systems remain in place, due primarily to drivers being unwilling to put full faith and trust in the electronic systems. The push to move to X-by-wire is to save weight and thus fuel. The back-up systems keep the weight in place.

Whether it is a plane flying itself or a car driving itself, there is simply no room for error, or confusion. The San Francisco plane crash proves this to be true.

This started out as a straightforward piece on the coming driverless car, but question after question come to mind and are nearly overwhelming:

  • Given the experience of each and every one of us with electronic “glitches”, will we ever be able to truly trust an electronically controlled car?
  • If a highly trained pilot can be confused by an autosystem, do average drivers stand a chance with upcoming automotive systems?
  • Will a car allow a driver to take control at any time: that is, will a car be allowed to override a driver’s action?
  • What system will be used by the car to communicate with its driver and occupants?
  • Will cars from competing manufacturers be able to talk to each other?
  • Will a centralized control system akin to air traffic control ultimately be needed?

And on and on and on, leaving this whole discussion feeling entirely incomplete.

In regards to back-up systems, it should be remembered that other airplane accidents have resulted in the addition of redundant and back-up systems.

We mean only to advise caution going forward. This entire site is devoted to how drivers are presented with new systems and information. Going forward, it is difficult to see, first, how electronics can be fully trusted and second, how autonomous systems can be introduced without a good deal of driver education.

How has driver education worked so far?

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2013/12/autosystem-cited-in-plane-crash-is-a-cautionary-tale-for-car-makers/

The Futility of a Convertible Top Trouble Light

Convertible Top Trouble Light

This past summer (2013), I was fortunate to pick up a pre-owned convertible with a power soft top. The experience has resulted in, first a new power top warning light being introduced to the website and second, a refresher course on the lack of utility that most of today’s automotive warning lights offer drivers.

Convertible Top IndicatorThe power top on my car is quirky and well past its warranty, but being a hands-on guy, I am generally able to deal with any issues that crop up. It sometimes stops near the end of the opening process. The top has gotten confused during the closing process, dropping the rear portion of the top before the storage cover is closed. It may start to open and decide not to! These issues usually require only a moment’s rest and a restart, although in the second case, a manual lift of the rear portion of the top is required.

But the resulting warning light is what I would like to discuss.

The Warning Light?

What does it tell me that I don’t already know? Nothing! The top is not fully closed? No kidding! It is not fully open? Really? How could I have guessed!

Further, the instrument panel features a small rectangular message center that will actually spell out – wait for it – “Soft top not fully closed.” Oh thank you…

This, of course, was a golden opportunity for the manufacturer to perhaps offer a diagnosis, such as to suggest that an actuator is weak and should be replaced, or a power supply is malfunctioning, etc. But instead, the message center reflects the useless warning light and tells me the obvious.

I do not envy the task of creating warning lights, chimes, buzzers and messages that provide necessary information as well keep a company’s liability at bay. Given this website, I have spent some time thinking about these issues. But if the industry is to remain saddled to the warning light paradigm, it seems to me that at minimum, a good deal more thought could go into the information being revealed in message centers.

In the case of a power top, what failed? Why? Was there user error? Is there an actual mechanical, electrical or hydraulic problem needing attention? With other warning lights, answers to those types of questions and more could be offered. For instance, can the car be driven??? Clearly each system and system light would need specialized attention and specialized messaging, which adds to costs. But as it stands, drivers are left with little choice but spend time at a service center, regardless of actual need or of seriousness of a problem.

All these lights and chimes and buzzers are more closely related to the boy who cried wolf than anything useful in the daily life of the driving public. The end result is that a truly serious warning could be and often is ignored.

For the record, the problems with the top are resolved. If you’re working on yours, this video might be helpful.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2013/10/the-futility-of-a-convertible-top-trouble-light/

Think You Locked Your Keys in the Trunk? Maybe Not…

Locked Your Keys in the Trunk?

In the world of Push Button or Keyless Start cars, three calls are commonly received by service departments and roadside assistance operators: lock outs, dead key fob batteries and keys “locked” in the trunk or behind the rear hatch.

Key Detected IndicatorOf the three, the lock out is most likely to require an actual visit from roadside assistance. The second, a dead fob battery, has a backup plan that you can find here at DashboardSymbols.com or in your owner’s manual – if you can get into the car.

The third, keys locked in the trunk or storage area, is usually a conceptual problem that is a result of the nature of “locked” when it comes to modern push button ignition systems.

And of course the length of the explanation highlights one of the many problems associated with advanced technology. Perceived as user-friendly, the details can be more than confusing.

So first, assuming, and yes we hate to use that word, that the battery in the fob is strong, closing the trunk with the fob inside does not lock your keys inside. Just as a driver can approach the car with the key fob in a pocket or purse and open a door with just a touch, there is also a touch spot or pad for the trunk.

The difference is, of course, that a door has a handle to pull while a trunk does not. Thus a sense of panic can easily arise in a driver who has not routinely opened the trunk using the touch pad. Feel for it – it will generally be a raised or depressed, rubberized bit above the license plate. It is not visible unless you bend over and look for it.

This takes us to the nature of “locked” on push button systems. A driver steps from his or her car and presses the lock button on the fob. The locks engage. However, he or she can approach the vehicle at any time and open it with just a touch, all because the vehicle is in constant communication with that key fob. The same is true for the trunk, even with the fob inside the trunk.

So is the vehicle locked?

Well yes – and no! If the driver is within range, anyone can walk up to vehicle and open it. However, most vehicles make it possible to lock all the doors from the inside, which overrides the touch system.

This can result in a lockout, if the interior lock switch is engaged when exiting the car – and leaving the keys inside. This is roadside assistance time, unless you are fortunate enough to have OnStar, or an equivalent service.

So just to confuse things further, many manufacturers have included a trunk lockout switch, usually located in the glove box. This allows a driver to lock the trunk with the switch, then manually lock the glove box and hand the key fob to a valet while keeping valuables protected. If that switch is engaged and the keys are in a closed trunk, its roadside assistance time again!

Truly though, in the vast majority of situations, if you have dropped the keys into the trunk and closed it, relax. If you have a push-button start system, simply touch the pad above the license plate or on the lift handle of your rear hatch and the trunk lid or hatch will pop open.

The video below will help as well.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

 

 

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2013/09/think-you-locked-your-keys-in-the-trunk-maybe-not/

Technology vs Distraction: Technology Charges On

Technology vs Distraction

Two recent articles, one in the New York Times and another from Automotive News, have been on our minds of late. Both discuss the issues of the driver distractions caused by new technologies, primarily touch screens. We noticed that there are potential solutions in the mix.

One of the plusses that accompanies the knobs and levers now being replaced by touch screens is the very sense of touch that is conversely missing from ‘touch’ screens. A driver can reach for a knob with a single glance and know with its movement that an adjustment has been made. Unfortunately, auto makers are simply running out of real estate in the dashboard for new features, and a touch screen can accommodate the additions. The electronics can also receive software updates.

As we noted in an earlier article, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has set voluntary guidelines for touch-screen systems that call for a drivers’ attention be drawn for no more than two seconds at a time and 12 seconds total, which can be an eternity at 60 miles per hour. Solutions are few and far between, but Cadillac is using touch sensitive areas for some functions on its screens that vibrate a bit when manipulated to combat the attention problem. It is a step in the right direction.

Former transportation secretary Ray LaHood was the subject of the New York Times article, which had him railing at the distraction problems being introduced by new technologies. He went so far as to suggest that new, connected devices that steal attention from the task of driving “can be as alluring as alcohol”. And of course, car companies advertise them as fashionable – who doesn’t want to know where the nearest Italian restaurant is when your significant other asks?

He also complained that one potential solution, voice-recognition systems, simply do not yet meet his standard for safety. They can produce errors that can then cause their set of distractions! Add in wind, occupant noise and simple driving noises and there becomes a mountain of problems to overcome.

We still think that instrument panel Warning Lights provide their own unique set of distractions, not to mention Dead Key FOBs so please keep our site bookmarked.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2013/08/technology-vs-distraction-technology-charges-on/

Great Start: GM Will Make Door Unlock, Remote Start Standard

New Standard Services from GM

General Motors announced on June 5th, 2013 that GM Will Make Door Unlock, Remote Start standard (read, free!) for five years through the OnStar RemoteLink Mobile App. The services will be available for OnStar-equipped 2014 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models “even if the owner declines to pay for other OnStar services.” Thirty-six 2014 model year GM vehicles are compatible with the app.

Bravo. We can only continue to encourage an expansion of the program, making it permanent and moving it down the chain to older vehicles equipped with OnStar. GM’s own statistics bear this out.

Mary Chan, president GM Global Connected Consumer stated “GM owners request remote door unlock assistance through OnStar more than 60,000 times each month, so it makes sense for us to offer RemoteLink Key Fob Services to enable customers to lock, unlock or start their vehicle from anywhere they have a wireless or cellular connection.”

Sixty thousand times a month! The company did not say but given the number of calls going into roadside assistance centers and service departments for owners of vehicles that do not have the luxury of OnStar, we will bluntly assume that a very, very large percentage are due to dead key fobs.

Safety First

These are safety issues for motorists who could very well be stranded in potentially dangerous situations, caught off guard by a dead key fob. The service should be free and permanent for ALL OnStar customers, period. And other manufacturers should at least offer instructions on mobile platforms to help them get in and start their cars – particularly those manufacturers foolish enough to hide the lock cylinder for the sake of aesthetics. Ford is the latest addition to this list.

Interestingly, GM says that “remote start is the most popular remote service by current users of the RemoteLink Mobile App”. If the company’s commercials are any indicator, the feature is fun to play with. And while clearly many GM owners use the service for convenience, our experience suggests a very large percentage are useful or necessary starts due to dead key fobs.

This is a GREAT start. But GM, take a step further to the front and make this free for all OnStar equipped vehicles. Forever. You’ll still have lots of stuff to sell.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2013/06/great-start-gm-will-make-door-unlock-remote-start-standard/

Two Second Rule: Distraction Guidelines Seek to Limit Eyes on Text

Limit Eyes on Text

In order to keep a driver’s eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recommended disabling several operations in a vehicle unless the vehicle is stopped and in park. It is also recommending a limit to the amount of time a driver must take their eyes off the road to perform a single task to 2 seconds and six screen touches in 12 seconds to perform a task. These could include changing the radio station, adjusting temperature or answering a phone call using a car’s built-in hands-free software.

The recommendations are the result of findings from a new NHTSA naturalistic driving study, which showed that visual-manual tasks associated with hand-held phones and other portable devices increased the risk of getting into a crash by a factor of three.

The operations recommended to be disabled, unless stopped and in park, would include manual text entry for the purposes of text messaging and internet browsing; video-based entertainment and communications; and the display of certain types of text, including text messages, web pages, social media content.

Yes, everyday electronics in use while driving trumps random and occasional instrument panel distraction. Our concern is that the issue will remain under the radar until someone is injured or worse, much like the stop light that is only installed after repeated accidents at the same street corner. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Compliance Timeline

Automakers will have three years to retool electronic navigation and entertainment systems in order to comply as the final guidelines are phased in. And NHTSA Administrator David L. Strickland said the agency will consider including the distraction guidelines in its New Car Assessment Program, which is the basis of the government’s five-star safety light vehicle ratings system.

Truly the growing everyday use of electronics while driving are a proven danger and the agency should be applauded for the solid data backing up the guidelines. However, the elephant in the room remains the impact on a driver that a warning light has when it pops on while driving. Or worse, multiple lights. Or worse yet, an associated text message on the information displays embedded in today’s instrument panels. How about the growing use by manufacturers of fuel economy and battery life readouts? The impact on and time used by driver’s in these case should be considered as well.

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the  use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2013/04/two-second-rule-distraction-guidelines-seek-to-limit-eyes-on-text/