Car Infotainment Systems Should Take Some Tips From This Concept UI [Video]

A little over a year ago, a concept user interface for car dashboards surfaced on YouTube. The UI uses multitouch gestures to control various in-car functions from media to temperature.

The concept is an idea by Mattaeus Krenn, who has even set up a dedicated website explaining how his revolutionary system would work. The reason for creating the idea? To simplify controls in your car dashboards in order to reduce distraction.

Take a look at the video and some more details and pictures below the break. The UI is quite interesting.

According to Mattaeus...

How touch screen controls in cars should really work 

The Problem: Several automotive companies have begun replacing traditional controls in their cars with touch screens. Unfortunately, their eagerness to set new trends in hardware, is not matched by their ambition to create innovative software experiences for these new input mechanisms. Instead of embracing new constraints and opportunities, they merely replicate old button layouts and shapes on these new, flat, glowing surfaces. 

So even controls for air condition and infotainment - which are commonly used while driving - now lack any tactile feedback and require the driver’s dexterity and attention when operated. Considering that distracted driving is the number one cause for car accidents, this is not a step in the right direction.

My Proposal: I propose a new mode that can be invoked at any time: It clears the entire screen of those tiny, intangible control elements and makes way for big, forgiving gestures that can be performed anywhere. In place of the lost tactile feedback, the interface leverages the driver’s muscle memory to ensure their ability to control crucial features without taking their eyes off the road. 

Here's a demo video...



Additional pictures:

For more details on this interesting concept, visit Mattaeus' website.

Source: Mattaeus Krenn