h a l f b a k e r yA few slices short of a loaf.
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In response to my previous post - "wouldn't it be nice if all indicator switches were on the same side?" - I have given this some more thought, and have a solution:
Most cars have ECU's, and some even have drive by wire. So why not have soft switches in the same way that a computer keyboard has
soft keys?
For example, if Benz insist on having indicator controls on one side, but VW want to have the indicator controls on the other side, then the customer can have the final say, by setting them up how he or she wants them.
In previous discussions, we determined that the USA was quite standardised in this matter, and Europe seemed not so bad (except for Benz). Thailand, on the other hand is a mixture.
And I don't care what anyone says, it is a nuisance (also, a distraction) to change from one car to another when these things are different. My wife had trouble visualising which way to push the control with respect to which side will indicate. Of course, the way to remember is that the indicator control must be pushed in the same direction as the steering wheel. But this shows the possible confusion that can result.
Not to be confused with
http://www.halfbake...dea/Nipple_20Switch
The other soft switch. [Worldgineer, Oct 15 2004]
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As long as the user only gets to choose from pre-
determined set-ups, so they don't forget something. |
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How about just having bluetooth controls feed back to a single relay, and just having hook-and-loop patches arround the car so you could place them wherever you wanted? |
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Bluetooth might be useful - just hack into the car in front and ...... well, you get the idea. |
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I want to program my car so that turning the wheel right makes me go left, and pressing the accelerator acts like a brake. This way, if someone tries to steal my car, they'll have an awful time trying to drive it. |
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Make all the other switches on the dashboard soft too, with a little LCD display that you can program to show what the do for you. I would like to have the temperature control high up on the dashboard, but I wouldn't care if the switch for radio balance were somewhere close to under my seats. Currently its the other way round. |
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Some models of car have keys that store personal settings (radio settings, seat position, mirrors etc) for each driver. |
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If this was made an open standard (settings stored on a key ring dongle or similar) it'd mesh with this idea quite nicely. |
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They could be context-sensitive.
When the ignition's off, all the
controls (apart from the ignition
switch, obviously) operate the
stereo. When you're in a
four-wheel skid at 80mph,
screaming, most of the controls
operate the brakes. |
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Because when you are skidding, brakes are what you need more of... |
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(Slightly on-topic) Some Buick Reatta's had an electronic display with touch panel controls (radio, climate control, etc.). The controls may not have been user configurable, but as I recall (from the passenger seat only), different controls appeared on the screen at different times. |
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//Make all the other switches on the dashboard soft too//
I like this idea as well. It might be instructive for motor vehicle manufacturers to survey how the users set up their controls. For example, the Honda CRV which has right hand drive, has the stereo volume control furthest from the driver, but the balance control closest to the driver. Obviously mass produced for the left hand drive market? But both the controls are already soft controls (the balance changes to fade, treble, bass and so on by pressing it).
But I'm not in favour of this multi-function idea for one switch. |
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