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Putting aside the fact that this presenter is a little dorky and was clearly learning his way through the system in real-time (i.e. rather than truly guiding someone on its merits), I’m a little ambivalent here…
Pros:
– The increasing number of capabilities/features and customizations in a modern BMW require a software solution; we can’t button our way out of this (lest we end up with a Boeing dashboard)
– Overall, the interface looks clean/sharp, well-organized, and quick to respond
– Climate control is “docked” and always available
– Apparently there are some hardware button shortcuts (e.g. the seat comfort), so maybe that’s an approach we’ll see more of that helps bridge this UX challenge
– Although not mentioned in this video, bear in mind that audio inputs will be available as well and (assuming they work reliably) may facilitate a number of hands-free functions
– Presumably (hopefully?) ongoing OTA updates will continue to improve the interface and make it more efficient
Cons:
– I would still prefer to have tactile buttons for the most common functions (like climate control). Is there even a volume knob anymore? I may have missed it
– Primary driving gauges still look oddly angular and unintuitive. Why not at least offer a digital facsimile of traditional BMW red gauges (circular, clockwise, minimalist)?
– I’m guessing that large virtual buttons were chosen to make it easier to read and “click”, but this comes at the expense of screen real estate. Even on this girthy screen, having to swipe horizontally to change the passenger climate control settings would be annoying and short-sighted. Hopefully they find a more intuitive layout
– The rectangular form factor of the mondo screen(s) may suit the futuristic iX just fine, but I agree it will look odd in M cars. I hope they’re considering alternative hardware enclosures, but I’m skeptical…
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