PROUD SPONSORS
OF THIS PAGE
AUTOLOCKSMITHING
Smart Dashboards are the future
Smart Dashboards might be “smart”
– but are motorists smart enough to
use them without being distracted
from the road? A Smart Dashboard is a
large, computer-style screen typically
mounted behind the steering wheel
and so replacing the mechanical
speedometer, odometer and fuel gauge,
etc.
‘alternatively, the interface
controls the integrated
satellite navigation
system, telephone, sound
settings and radio’
But a Smart Dashboard is capable of
more. Audi, for example, courtesy of the
Consumer Electronics Show , has revealed
a mock-up of a concept that will launch
soon. Operation comes via a circular dial
behind the gear stick flanked by a handful
of buttons such as “back” The system can
.
also interpret multi-touch gestures such
as zoom and scroll (like a smartphone).
This combination of controls enables
the motorist to select his/her preference
of music by artist, album and genre.
Alternatively, the interface controls the
integrated satellite navigation system,
telephone, sound settings and radio all via a few buttons and a twelve-inch
screen behind the steering wheel. The
motorist can also choose whether the
screen presents a more traditional image
of a large speedometer, or focus more
heavily on the satellite navigation. Other
companies have – or soon will have similar systems.
Critics claim Smart Dashboards can
distract motorists. Manufacturers
minimise potential risk by ensuring
their user interfaces are intuitive and
straightforward. But it is ultimately
motorists’ responsibility to look through
the windscreen rather than stare at the
dashboard or fiddle with buttons. That has
always been the case, even when cars were
fairly basic. Decades ago, for example,
it might have been claimed that having
cassette players in vehicles was dangerous.
But most drivers were sensible enough
only to operate them at safe moments such
as while waiting at red lights. Nowadays,
millions of drivers have satellite navigation
mounted to their windscreens. These
systems speak, have moving images of
maps and require motorists to control
them via touch or voice commands so
could be considered distracting. But
again, most people are sensible enough
to operate them at appropriate moments.
Smart Dashboards are the future and only
as distracting as people permit.
NORTHERN IRELAND POLICE SERVICE
FIRST TO ADOPT LATEST TOOL
AGAINST VEHICLE & PLANT THEFT
The Police Service of Northern
Ireland (PSNI) has become
the first police service in