I know, I know – you’ve seen this. (But if you haven’t, it’s an interesting read.) J.J. Martin, for WSJ, talks with designer Marc Newson. Specifically on cars:
My design pet-peeve is: the automotive industry. There were moments when cars somehow encapsulated everything that was good about progress. But right now we’re at the bottom of a trough.
Hold that thought. Now combine it with Alexandria Sage’s piece for Reuters, titled Many U.S. drivers ignoring new tech features in cars: survey
Carmakers are adding everything from remote car unlocking to self-parking systems in their newest models as they try to make vehicles more connected to the Internet and more automated.
But the 2015 Drive Report from market research company JD Power found that 20 percent of new car owners had still not used approximately half of the technology features available in their vehicles after three months of purchase – the period after which drivers are less likely to adopt new features, researchers say. […]
“Customers say, ‘I have a competing technology that’s easier to use, or I’ve already paid for it – so why do I need it again?'” said Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction at JD Power.
Here you have a situation where:
- Many mobile devices (cars) are poorly-designed, and
- Overloaded by technology (that is poorly communicated), and
- A context where people use smartphones and find them helpful.
… if only there was a company well-positioned and willing to think different about what consumers really value out of the entire car experience.
I highly recommend reading both pieces.