vipermann1

Last weekend, I test drive both a 750LI and MB S550.

Both cars have the stupid "I-Drive" or "Command" joystick/mouse which you have to move.

Being that both cars are higher in price compared to the LS, why don't the German auto makers install touch screen Navigation systems?

Why so cheap?

Do they understand that using a stick/mouse is not easy. Touch screen is the way to go?

You they don't use touch screen because of cost?

What's your opinion?

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

You'll get both sides debating on this. There are pros and cons to the touch-screen Nav, such as ease of use, but fingerprints and driving hazards while reaching for the screen.

It isn't about being cheap. It may actually be more expensive to create a Nav screen and a joystick/rotary device. It's a matter of philosophy...

encore888

VW was developing a touchscreen system which also incorporated tactile feedback...but I don't know if this is in the same 'far off' realm as hydrogen vehicles, etc.

IMO, touchscreen is the way to go.

RX_330

May be be a little hard to have to touch the screen at the height and depth it's at on both the BMW and MB compared the Lexus.

diablo1

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by tactile feedback, but they already have portable navs where the screen gives you a little "bump" to your fingers any time you press a button on the screen... so that you know you've pressed it. I tried it out at Best Buy and thought it was pretty cool.

picus

Don't most people do almost everything by voice command now anyway? I know I do.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Alpine has had that for a few years now. I have that on my Alpine touch screen monitor headunit. Alpine calls it "Pulse Touch" where you get a pulse feeback that mimmicks a button being pressed. It works okay. Smaller buttons give less feeback so those do't really feel realistic, but larger buttons seem to go an acceptable job of recreating the button feel.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

That could very well be a possibility. For example. Acura uses both touch screen and joystick on their nav system. The TL is touch, but the RL is not. If you look at where the nav screen is on the RL it would be a little difficult to reach. I personally like when companies put the screen as high up and back as possible. For me it just makes it easier to see without turning my head too much away from the road. I kind of like that line of sight position.

RX_330

The EU now requires that nav screens be put within a certain degree from the drivers view for that very reason.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

I think MB/BMW's philosophy is that the driver shouldn't have to 'reach out' to touch the screen to do stuff. This kind of makes sense. Touch screens are fun geek technology, but many 'non-techies' still have trouble with it.

Granted, if a 'user' can't handle a touch screen they probably can't handle iDrive, MMI, or COMAND.

Voice commands over time may become the 'easiest'.

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

Do you happen to know what the degree is? Tha is good. I've always liked them that way. There are still diffrences between manufacturers so it would be interesting to see what the allowable off axis specs are.

RX_330

I'm not sure. I don't even have solid evidence of the new regulations. Let me go find out.


Edit/Add: Eh, that site is so huge. This might take a while. I remember a while ago in some auto magazine like Motor Trend or something. They had a short article on the S-Classes new Night Vision and showing off the new stuff. It mentioned the EU and the regulations. I think it was in 2005 when they started to debut the S-Class.

GlobeCLK

iTrader: (5)

Yeah. I think touching a screen that spells out the letters in big blocks is much easier than scrolling through them with a roller or a joystick. Touchscreen is much more intuitive honestly.

"Don't fix something that ain't broke" has a paired phrase: "Don't invent something that works like it's broken" (i-Drive)

r4z0r3ck

ive been saying it but someone needs to combine the 2 technologies together. It would be practical to have a touchscreen to input letters and numbers, but a scroll wheel type thing for the menus. Having an ipod, i like the scroll option when scrolling through menus, songs, decreasing and increase stuff. So yah theres my 2 cents.

UberNoob

doesnt matter all that much nowadays since voice command is getting better and better

the new S apparently has kick *** voice recognition