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Google Android Auto and Apple CarPlay both connect mobile phones to in-car touchscreens, but using apps while driving brings risks
I don't often see a YouTube video that truly worries me, but one from the LA Auto show in November still gives me shivers. It was meant to be reassuring and delightful, because it was showing how Google and Apple want to integrate their mobile phone systems - so your phone, basically - into car dashboards.
The video is about eight minutes, with Dom Esposito trying out a Hyundai Sonata at the show that works with both Google's Android Auto and Apple's CarPlay. "We're going to put these two head-to-head to see which one offers the best in-car mobile experience," promises Esposito. And so the terror starts. He sits in the(left-hand) driver's seat and shows how you plug your phone into a cable, which projects a version of the phone screen onto a dashboard display, which makes it "a little bit safer and easier to use it [your mobile] while you're on the road"
No, Dom. No, it doesn't. The Android Auto interface is like Android - stuffed full of more things on the screen than you actually need to interact with, and offering confusion at every turn. CarPlay(pictured) is better, because it tries to make you use voice control and a minimum of distraction. But safer? I'm not feeling it. The first concern comes just 1'40" in the video, where the perfectly sensible Google Now-style cards(showing your expected time to destination and the weather) are interrupted at the top of the screen by a notification - look, someone's sent you a WhatsApp message. The reaction of the typical smartphone user(many of whom can be found in the comments of the piece) is: "Great, a notification! " The reaction of anyone who has ever thought about high-speed car impacts is: "Um, that looks a little dangerous"
It's not perilous - yet. Tap on the notification and it's read to you. You can then dictate a reply. But by 2'20", Esposito is showing off the phone interface, with a dialpad so you can call people. At this point, alarm bells should ring. It's hardly news that distractions cause accidents. Research from 2008, looking at nearly a quarter of a million road accidents in the UK that year, found that distractions such as talking on your mobile, eating, changing the radio station, shaving (shaving?) or applying makeup, or rubbernecking at other crashes caused 80% of accidents. And more than 2,500 people died in road accidents in the UK that year. Distraction kills
Watching Esposito poking and scrolling and prodding the Android Auto interface to switch between navigation, phone calls, and music, doesn't seem like it's tackling the root of that problem. How about Apple's CarPlay? This appears at 4'30 in the video, and offers a very simplified dashboard - big icons (and not many of them). The main method of using the phone is via the voice system Siri, though you can reach the contacts, and also scroll through your music - not much of an improvement on Android Auto in the distraction stakes - though the big touch targets and insistence that you dictate, rather than look at, messages, seems a good step. Again, though, there's a pop-up notification when a new message comes in, which looks like a great way to get distracted. Like Android, the messages are read to you by voice; they don't appear onscreen
I know how distracting it is trying to change the radio stations, or get the heating levels right in a car; and we read about enough crashes where people were on the phone, or replying to a text. Just as worrying are the commenters on the video, who sing the praises of Android Auto because it has more things you can do at any time on each screen. That really misses the point of good interface design, which must be sensitive to context; offering lots of choices at a time when you want very few is bad, not good design. I'd have been happier if Esposito had shown off interfaces that offered the very minimum - maps, voice - only interactions. It's not a problem if you walk along a street buried in your smartphone. In a car, it can be lethal
it can be lethal
walk along a street buried in your smartphone
had shown off interfaces that offered the very minimum
I'd have been happier
offering lots of choices at a time
must be sensitive to context
misses the point of good interface design
who sing the praise of Android Auto
just as worrying are the commentors on the video
where people were on the phone
get the heating levels right in a car
how distracting it is trying to change the radio stations
don't appear onscreen
the messages are read to you by voice
a great way to get distracted
is a pop-up notification when a new message comes in
seems a good step
insistence that you dictate
not much of an improvement on Android Auto in the distraction stakes
scroll through your music
can reach the contacts
the main method of using the phone is via the voice system Siri
offers a very simplified dashboard
This appears at 4'30 in the video
doesn't seem like it's tackling the root of the problem
to switch between navigation, phone calls and music
poking and scrolling and prodding the Android Auto interface
distraction kills
applying makeup, or rubbernecking at other crashes caused 80% of accidents
such as talking on your mobile
looking at nearly a quarter of a million road accidents in the UK that year
that distractions cause accidents
alarm bells should ring
is showing off the phone interface
dictate a reply
tap on the notification and it's read to you
it's not perilous - yet
has ever thought about high-speed car impacts
many of whom can be found in the comments of the piece
are interrupted at the top of the screen by a notification
showing your expected time to destination
perfectly sensible Google
The first concern comes just 1'40" in the video
I'm not feeling it
a minimum of distration
offering confusion at every turn
stuffed full of more things on the screen than you actually need to interact with
while you're on the road
which projects a version of the phone screen onto a dashboard display
how you plug your phone into a cable
sits in the driver's seat
the terror starts
to see which one offers the best in-car mobile experience
trying out a Hyunday Sonanta at the show
to integrate their mobile phone systems into car dashboards
was meant to be reassuring and delightful
still gives me shivers
that truly worries me
brings risks