Apple CarPlay And Android Auto - Unsafe

[Horse]

https://jalopnik.com/gm-drops-apple-car ... 1851093013


GM Says It's Dropping Apple CarPlay And Android Auto Because They're Unsafe

The company thinks that the phone mirroring programs are so buggy that they still cause people to use their phones while driving

GM is still dealing with the fallout of its decision to drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of developing its own in-house system. In the last eight months, the company has had to deal with skeptical dealers while still maintaining its in-house system will be “compelling.” Since neither of those options have really changed public opinion so far, GM is now claiming that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto actually cause safety issues.

Speaking to Motor Trend, GM’s head of product for infotainment, Tim Babbit, explained that GM’s decision and the logic behind the safety concerns. Simply put, GM and Babbit think Apple CarPlay and Android Auto encourage cell phone use behind the wheel.

According to Babbitt, CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t perfect programs. They have stability issues that manifest themselves as bad connections, poor rendering, slow responses, and dropped connections. And when CarPlay and Android Auto have issues, drivers pick up their phones again, taking their eyes off the road and totally defeating the purpose of these phone-mirroring programs. Solving those issues can sometimes be beyond the control of the automaker. You can start to see GM’s frustration.

[Rockburner]

1) and how is a non-connective system any better?

2) how much are they being charged for the licences, and has some exec decided that "internal" development will be cheaper?

3) has anyone yet realised that touch screen without haptic feedback are utterly shite, and positively dangerous for use in a driving environment?

[ChrisW]

They've been developing their own system which they want to sell as a subscription service:

https://www.reuters.com/technology/gm-p ... 023-03-31/

"We do believe there are subscription revenue opportunities for us," Kummer said. GM Chief Executive Mary Barra is aiming for $20 billion to $25 billion in annual revenue from subscriptions by 2030.

[Horse]

1) and how is a non-connective system any better?

Whatever the full article says. Which, IIRC, is that a less flaky set-up means less faff with the phone?

2) how much are they being charged for the licences, and has some exec decided that "internal" development will be cheaper?

No idea

3) has anyone yet realised that touch screen without haptic feedback are utterly shite, and positively dangerous for use in a driving environment?

Yes, and some manufacturers are moving away from them.

[Mr. Dazzle]

So far as I know, if you buy a new Ferrari they don't have their own Sat Nav because "everyone's got a smart phone innit?". Ferrari also don't need to make their moolah on subscriptions like GM, they have their enormous margins on car prices for that

Smells like a commercial rather that safety decision TBH.

[KungFooBob]

It's impossible to enter a destination while driving a normal road on my touchscreen.

Even with semi-auto drive on so you can pay it full attention, it's still very difficult, any slight bump ends with you pressing the wrong letter.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I've never even tried. Voice activation FTW!

[KungFooBob]

I've never even tried. Voice activation FTW!

It's shit in my 2019. Not that I'd use it if it wasn't. I feel really self conscious talking to the car, even when there's no one with me.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I can see why the big giant iPad model can/would be distracting...but seriously, once you've got good voice activation its bloody brilliant. It means everything is big/clear enough to spot at a glance. For example mine is usually zoomed out enough to see my whole commute, but I can see see which of the 6 million different ways I could go has traffic on.

The only buttons I need to press with any regularity are volume, radio station, cruise control and answer phone, all of which are right there on the steering wheel.

Everything else I do with the (excellent) voice activation. Even checking the tyre pressures

It's the missing link that all of these big iPad dashboards need.

[Horse]

good voice activation

2017 model

"Play radio berkshire"

"I cannot work the air conditioning"

[Mr. Dazzle]

Maybe it just really wants you to know it can't work the air conditioning?

[Horse]

Maybe it just really wants you to know it can't work the air conditioning?

I don't think it cares enough about my needs. It never writes, never sends flowers ...

[Mr. Dazzle]

Can't say I blame it. You're always "take me here", you never ask the car where IT wants to go.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Re: slipping fingers and jabbing the wrong button ...

SpaceX's Dragon capsules uses an almost entirely touch screen interface. They have a little "home bar" which provides a known anchor point for your fingers.

Ask anyone who plays piano or guitar and anchoring your fingers in one place.

[The Spin Doctor]

3) has anyone yet realised that touch screen without haptic feedback are utterly shite, and positively dangerous for use in a driving environment?

Yes, and some manufacturers are moving away from them.

Astonishing. I wrote about how useless a 1999 console was in a VW Passat because all the heater / radio / CD controls were identical to touch, and impossible to differentiate.

Almost a quarter of a century ago.

[Horse]

Can't say I blame it. You're always "take me here", you never ask the car where IT wants to go.

It has been suggested that a key test for autonomous vehicles have achieved full autonomy is when they say "Nah, fuggit, don't want to go there. I'm off to the seaside. "

[KungFooBob]

I'm sat in my car right now waiting for the wife and testing the voice recognition. I managed to get a post code set after it refused to find my house with me telling it the address.

Now I want to cancel the nav, not matter what I say it just keeps saying 'fan off'.

I think it's not allowed to say fuck off.

[Mr. Dazzle]

The key is to have the accent of a soft palmed office wanker from Southern England.

[gremlin]

The key is to have the accent of a soft palmed office wanker from Southern England.

:waves:

[gremlin]

The issue of operating systems being good/bad/safe/dangerous is secondary to the issue that you should really have the common sense to put the operation of your vehicle above that of listening to your favourite playlist.