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Apple Designing Car Interfaces?
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I dunno. Back when the new 7-series and 5-series were released I kinda disliked them. But the styling has grown on me (well, maybe not on the 7-series...). The new BMW's are very very good looking, and I think that BMW M6 is one of the best looking cars on the road these days.
I like what he designs. Besides, people are quick to forget that he designed the models that were universally praised, like E39 5-series.
Have you EVER seen anyone "hack" in to a car? Seriously? Why do you get the idea that you are just using this as an excuse to (again) bitch and moan?
Z4M and Z4M coupe look amazing. Its mercedes-benz's that look horrile... Apart from the CLS and CL.. The new CL has the best looking front ever... Its soooo cool.
Interesting question, I would imagine that it is a combination of texture, scale, color and sound--three of the five senses, taste and smell wouldn't be too useful in an automotive interface. The electronics not with standing, the traditional car is already very iPod like, in that the steering wheel--used to navigate--is very much like the Click Wheel on the iPod. Maybe that's were the inspiration for the Click Wheel came from. The steering wheel is pretty damn universal, as an idea. The big nob on the Jaguar's console is a bit horsey, it would seem that there is a more elegant way of executing that idea. It's interesting. The corner stone of Apple's interface design has always been elegance. Can that perceived elegance be applied to the automotive environment and will it still work as elegantly?
The next question is this idea that we need a start button. While kind of cool it doesn't it seem a bit retrograde and superfluous?
The 5 took a little getting used to, but I have never liked the 7- besides, the 7 series is for old people. In the meantime, I will be happy if BMW would simplify the iDrive and put in an AUX input for my iPod which doesn't cost $350! I'll worry about integrating the iPod (actually, soon to be iPhone) later....
Ugh!
I love Apple and I love innovation, but can't a car just be a friggin car?!?
I suppose this is fine for the car-as-appliance set.
But as an automotive enthusiast and DRIVING ENTHUSIAST, death to this crap! I personally mourn the death of the clutch and proper manual with all this floppy paddle semi-automatic crap. The iPod gear selector is non-intuitive, I don't need a computer that parallel parks my car or tells me I need to brake or beeps when I cross over a lane or presses the brakes when the car ahead of me brakes. Enough!
Maybe we should eliminate the steering wheel and steer with an iPod click wheel. Or just gesture right to turn right, gesture left to turn left, pinch fingers to brake, and stick out our tongues to beep. Lots of Italians will be having traffic accidents.
I love Apple and I love innovation, but can't a car just be a friggin car?!?
I suppose this is fine for the car-as-appliance set.
But as an automotive enthusiast and DRIVING ENTHUSIAST, death to this crap! I personally mourn the death of the clutch and proper manual with all this floppy paddle semi-automatic crap. The iPod gear selector is non-intuitive, I don't need a computer that parallel parks my car or tells me I need to brake or beeps when I cross over a lane or presses the brakes when the car ahead of me brakes. Enough!
Maybe we should eliminate the steering wheel and steer with an iPod click wheel. Or just gesture right to turn right, gesture left to turn left, pinch fingers to brake, and stick out our tongues to beep. Lots of Italians will be having traffic accidents.
[sarcasm]
Probably cause some of us assumed the car that would feature this tech wouldn't be force induced.[/sarcasm]
Couldn't agree more--Though iTunes / iPod is so much nicer than a flippin' CD changer.
My dream car, as of this model year, is no longer available with a manual transmission; but is available with a CD player?!? Automotive consumers are too conservative... and lazy. On the other hand, just imagine if car makers were just half as quick as Apple to throw out old technology.
Because, most of the people reading this forum don't understand the significance... besides that's why there are computers in the cars in the first place, to manage air-fuel and timing faster than any knuckle head human.
My name is on Autoblog... That is soo cool. Im so proud
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/31/jaguar-design-chief-says-xf-is-apple-flavored/
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/31/jaguar-design-chief-says-xf-is-apple-flavored/
Jaguar has really improved their reliability in recent years. The current XJ, while nearly 4 years old, is great to drive. Riveted and bonded aluminum exoskeleton? Lightweight? Innovative design for the automotive industry.
Also, Honda/Acura doesn't need any input from Apple. Their ergonomics are top rate, and their user interfaces for their navigation systems are very intuitive (and they come with a voice detection system that actually works). Toyota/Lexus is a similar story. My Honda Accord has been more reliable than my Macbook.
Let's not mess with a good thing.
The 1 series that will finally debut in the United States next year is beautiful! The 'spects on the 135i are awesome.
The current "M"-series E60 and E64 are amazing automobiles. People forget that Bangle had his hand in designing the E46 which in my opinion (especially with 'face-lifted' models) are classic looking modern day automobiles.
... My Honda Accord has been more reliable than my Macbook.
Tell me about it! My fully optioned Performance Package (ZHP) 330i has been MUCH more reliable than my Macbook!
The new Jaguars finally look like proper Jags and not just re-badged Fords. It's a step in the right direction, for sure, even if Jaguar missed a few cues.
I totally agree that the Z4 (coupe and convertible) are where Bangle's design works the best. Across the line, though, my eyes are getting more accustomed to the Bangled BMWs. Still, it was enough to drive me to a different marque when I sold my Z3M earlier this year. I worry, too, that the current crop of BMWs is going to look comically dated in a few more years when the styling mores move on. BMWs have never aged well in general and the current flavors will probably fare even worse than usual in that regard.
I totally agree that the Z4 (coupe and convertible) are where Bangle's design works the best. Across the line, though, my eyes are getting more accustomed to the Bangled BMWs. Still, it was enough to drive me to a different marque when I sold my Z3M earlier this year. I worry, too, that the current crop of BMWs is going to look comically dated in a few more years when the styling mores move on. BMWs have never aged well in general and the current flavors will probably fare even worse than usual in that regard.
I think calling the 135i coupe awesome is an understatement... Published 0-60 figures are 5.3secs i think, in reality its probably a bit faster then that.... consider that the fat oaf new m3 is 4.8 maybe a bit slower....
Oh yeh and 1 series coupe has a what seems like an amazing chasis and its light and has brilliant weight distribution apparently...
BMW are definatly the worlds most sorted car manufacturer...
It's great to see performance cars starting to follow Lotus' lead by "adding lightness" instead of just succumbing to the mindless horsepower wars. Now if only Porsche would get on board I'd be completely happy.
FOUND IT.... http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Jaguar-XJ-Series/224229/
few moths old...February 07
One of the cabin’s most radical ideas are ‘proximity switches’. Also due to appear on a future version of the iPod, proximity switches do not require physical contact between the driver and the electrical switching mechanism. Sources say much of the XJ’s switchgear is nothing more than symbols etched onto glass sheets suspended clear of the dashboard architecture. Touching the symbol activates the switch, and the glass sheets are elegantly back-lit at night, so interior lighting can be activated by the occupant simply moving his hand in the vicinity of the lighting units.
CONTROL SURFACES.. Its soo simple...
few moths old...February 07
One of the cabin’s most radical ideas are ‘proximity switches’. Also due to appear on a future version of the iPod, proximity switches do not require physical contact between the driver and the electrical switching mechanism. Sources say much of the XJ’s switchgear is nothing more than symbols etched onto glass sheets suspended clear of the dashboard architecture. Touching the symbol activates the switch, and the glass sheets are elegantly back-lit at night, so interior lighting can be activated by the occupant simply moving his hand in the vicinity of the lighting units.
CONTROL SURFACES.. Its soo simple...
I have come to the conclusion that Apple provided designs and information on the proximity sensor for the Jaguar... The iphone uses proximity sensors for when the screen switches off when it moves to your ear and jaguar use proximity sensor for the glovebox opening and lighting...
whats interesting is the part about future ipods using proximity sensors...The iphone had been announced when this article was written so maybe wednesday will show us an ipod which uses proximity sensor alot
whats interesting is the part about future ipods using proximity sensors...The iphone had been announced when this article was written so maybe wednesday will show us an ipod which uses proximity sensor alot
Straight-line numbers impress, but when I drove a 335i I was confused by the lack of an LSD. 300hp should come with a limited slip, and that brilliant car needs it if it is to use all of that power in the twisties. Electronic nannies aren't a very good substitute, as much of the power is simply being wasted via application of the brakes and thus heat dissipation. Lazy design.
Here here! I'm baffled by the lack of LSDs in cars with sporting pretentions (I believe it took Lotus a year to get an LSD in the Elise, WTF?).
Currently my lusted after cars that I can get if I stretch are a Cayman S and Corvette Z06. If I go low profile, I'm aiming for a Mini Cooper S or one of those new 135i's.
I drove my boss's Z3 (granted a couple of years old, and not an M-coupe) and I was shocked at how wobbly it was in corners... Almost reminded me of a Lincoln Town Car in slaloms. Definitely too loose for my tastes.
Autocross is what eventually drove me to get rid of my Z3 M Roadster. All that power is addictive but ultimately not very useful if you can't apply it to the road. The Z3 chassis is not all that great, it's based on the older 3 series and didn't handle well at all. The torque was addictive - I swear you could lay down and take a nap on the torque curve BMW wrings out of those inline 6 engines, it comes on strong at about three RPM and pulls all the way up to redline. Heady stuff, that. Cornering was like driving a plow, though, and the car always felt like it weighed about 400lbs more than it ought to. I'd take a Miata over a Z3 any day of the week. It's a lot easier to make a Miata faster than it is to make a Z3 nimble.
After a few years of getting my ass handed to me in autocross by Miatas and Civics I decided it was time for a change. I traded it in on a 911 earlier this year and haven't looked back. The 911 feels less torquey and, strangely, less fast in a straight line (actual numbers be damned) but it's such a dream to have a car that actually tells me what the front wheels are doing and responds properly in the corners. US Market 911s don't come with LSDs either, though, so go figure!
EDIT: and, to stay remotely on-topic, no freakin' iPod interface either!