[James_G0540i]

Things are about to get interesting...

A German driver blamed his touch screen for distracting him and causing an accident. A German court agreed.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/i...fafbda8c9a9c51

There could be implications here for us with iDrive 7's. I wouldn't be surprised if a future i-Step S/W version disables the centre control touch screen while the car is moving, at least for those of us whose Governments are "nanny states".

[LexxM3]

I don't know the details of the case, but in principle, touch controls that require complex visual mental parsing and lack unique haptic feedback are absolutely a monumental step backwards in driver (or any other critical human) interfaces. That said, iDrive 7 is not as bad as it can be. CarPlay is almost as bad as it can be, however.

I've come to think of the automation assist features as compensation for the massive increase in distractions in our cars. In that context, it's about break even ... if you don't use CarPlay.

[Caramel]

Originally Posted by James_G0530d

Things are about to get interesting...

A German driver blamed his touch screen for distracting him and causing an accident. A German court agreed.

Not quite. The German court agreed that the accident was caused by the driver being distracted.

The court put the blame for being distracted on the driver and fined him for being distracted by operating an electronic device while driving a car.

The German law that bans texting while driving actually forbids "operating an electronic device while driving a vehicle" and the court now found that using a Tesla touchscreen does indeed count as "operating an electronic device while driving a vehicle". This means that you can be fined for operating a Tesla touchscreen even if you don't cause an accident by doing so.

[sjak92]

Originally Posted by James_G0530d

Things are about to get interesting...

A German driver blamed his touch screen for distracting him and causing an accident. A German court agreed.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/i...fafbda8c9a9c51

There could be implications here for us with iDrive 7's. I wouldn't be surprised if a future i-Step S/W version disables the centre control touch screen while the car is moving, at least for those of us whose Governments are "nanny states".

No difference to me, haven't used the touch screen on my G05 a single time and the same thing applied to my G30 (think that was also touch?!?).

far less intuitive that i drive controller and leaves smudges which I hate. I do use "Hey BMW" very often however

[James_G0540i]

Originally Posted by sjak92

No difference to me, haven't used the touch screen on my G05 a single time and the same thing applied to my G30 (think that was also touch?!?).

far less intuitive that i drive controller and leaves smudges which I hate. I do use "Hey BMW" very often however

Same here

The only time I do touch it is to swipe to the "next page", which isn' t too often.

For me, you have to lean slightly forward to reach the center screen, while the iDrive wheel next to the gear changer is in easy reach while comfortably seated back.

[floridaman100]

I would never use the touch screen for anything. It is a useless feature IMO. The Idrive controller works great and I don't have to get smudges on a screen which I cannot stand.

[X5 45e]

Originally Posted by LexxM3

I don't know the details of the case, but in principle, touch controls that require complex visual mental parsing and lack unique haptic feedback are absolutely a monumental step backwards in driver (or any other critical human) interfaces. That said, iDrive 7 is not as bad as it can be. CarPlay is almost as bad as it can be, however.

I've come to think of the automation assist features as compensation for the massive increase in distractions in our cars. In that context, it's about break even ... if you don't use CarPlay.

I completely agree. The touch screen is a distraction and voice control as an alternative works but still not perfect and physical buttons stil have my preference.

I rarely use the touch screen. Sometimes to enter a destination but only when I am not moving.

And indeed CarPlay works better with touch screen than with the Idrive controller. But I still use the controller.

The main reason I connect my phone in CarPlay mode is to be able to use the button on the steering wheel to activate Siri to read my text messages. I'd this was made available in Idrive mode again I would switch back to Idrive connection. I navigate in Idrive anyway and the phone and music app I prefer in Idrive too. Second reason is that lots of songs are missing in my playlists if I connect in Idrive but they are fine in CarPlay. Don't know why.

It wouldn't be bad that, as suggested, touch screens are disabled when moving. Maybe even phones should be. If I see a car acting strange on the highway 95% is using a smartphone. Some thinking would be necessary to enable phone use for passengers.

[thereef510]

same as you all. I hate smudges on my screen. I find that carplay ironically frustrates me to the point of wanting to touch the screen. iDrive is so well designed you don't need to touch the screen at all. I only ever touch the screen to pinch/zoom in and out of maps sometimes.

having said that, the systems are now so complex that even using the touch controller requires you to take your eyes off the road or is a mental distraction. So nowadays I'm tryign to develop the reflex to put the car into assitant driving mode before I do any sort of complicated task.

[Pictor]

Originally Posted by sjak92

No difference to me, haven't used the touch screen on my G05 a single time and the same thing applied to my G30 (think that was also touch?!?).

Originally Posted by floridaman100

I would never use the touch screen for anything. It is a useless feature IMO. The Idrive controller works great and I don't have to get smudges on a screen which I cannot stand.

This.

Touch screens are great on the dealer floor and on rear entertainment systems but as a human interface for the driver of a vehicle, it's a POS. As long as I can continue to navigate iDrive with the control wheel and it's touch pad then I really don't care for the touch interface on the display. I can use the control wheel to write out a word without taking my eyes off the road but I cannot navigate the display without looking because it lacks haptic feedback. This is also a problem with Tesla's, VAG's new electric offering including the Taycan, e-Tron(s), and pretty much every Japanese design I've driven in for the last 15 years.

[thereef510]

lol go look at the prototype for the new S class that's coming out. the entire interior is ipads everywhere yikes

[BXdriver]

...are simply to go back in time regarding safety IMO. I can only compare our earlier X5 with the current car we drive - a Volvo XC60 which is supposed to be one of the safest cars around. Here, almost EVERYTHING is controlled by the huge (yet nice) touch display in the middle.

Initially I was a huge fan of this and was thinking "wow, great idea".
Now my mind has changed completely - and the touch screen is a huge part of the reason why we have ordered another BMW/X5.

The BMW iDrive is simply superb, no talking. In my case - it also saves my back. No reason to bend forward to press the touch screen - just sit relaxed in the seat, arm supported and turn/click the iDrive wheel. In a way - sooo old fashion, but yet so perfect. Kind of a reason alone to choose BMW IMO how crazy it may sound. Talking from real experience.

Only had the Volvo some Months. Very comfortable drive, super-economic regarding fuel and happy in this way but already encountered some "near scary" situations when trying to adjust something, being it navigation, music or functions on the touch screen while driving. It just shouldn't be like this in a so-called super-safe Volvo. (My uneducated guess is that even Volvo will go away from the full touch display in the future!).

REALLY looking forward to coming back to BMW's iDrive wheel!

All best
BXdriver

[MystroX5]

Originally Posted by thereef510

lol go look at the prototype for the new S class that's coming out. the entire interior is ipads everywhere yikes

It looks horrific with the screen jetting up all out on it own. MB design is all over the place and not focused at all as a design theme. The new GLS 63AMG now has a outdated interior by the laws of MB.

[thereef510]

Originally Posted by MystroX5

It looks horrific with the screen jetting up all out on it own. MB design is all over the place and not focused at all as a design theme.

I don't even like how it looks now. It looks like one giant ipad. there's no flowing design. They just stuck a giant screen on there as if they want to market all of their vehicles to 12 year olds. It looks so tacky to me. And now the refined class leading S class is going the way of tesla. unfortunate

[Paladin1]

Maybe they could put a popup screen on the dash, just so, y'know, they have enough....