Automobile Mag hands out Funky Ergonomics Awards
The scholars over at Automobile magazine have handed out their "Funky Ergonomics Awards" this year. As expected, BMW's iDrive and 7 Series interior (shown above) remains their favorite pincushion. Rightly so. Their list includes convenience keys that are downright inconvenient, window switches that are out of reach, touchscreens that are dangerously slow to respond, all center-of-the-dashboard mounted instrument clusters, complicated navigation systems, reverse-action manu-matic transmissions, and dimly lit interiors.
While we generally agree with their list, our own ergonomic pet peeves include spinning seat adjusters mounted inaccessibly outboard (yeah, by the doors), cruise control stalks hidden out-of-sight by the wheel itself, and manual modes for old-fashioned "slushbox" automatic trannies. Oh yeah, the list goes on and on...
[Source: Automobile]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Seoultrain 6:17PM (6/09/2008)
Nice to see they included the backwards "Press forward for upshift, rearwards for downshift" manumatics. The lever should also go towards the driver (left) for manual mode, not away. Truly, only Mazda and BMW have it right. VW, with their "everything to everyone" DSG has it all wrong.
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Mr X 6:25PM (6/09/2008)
sounds like somebody is regurgitating what they've read...
Aprime 6:29PM (6/09/2008)
The only people that give a damn about this a regular manual drivers.
I always thought it was right, being a gamer and all... And I've only learned how to drive a manual lately.
If you're going to complain about manumatics you might as well shut up and get a manual car (baaaaaaaw but my wife doesn't know how to- WELL TEACH HER AND MAKE HER LIKE IT).
Flashpoint 7:50PM (6/09/2008)
BMW 7 series - Poorly designed.
Mercedes S550 - Well Designed.
Luxury car makers should know by now that seat controls belong on the door with the window controls and the door locks. BMW screwed the seat controls up so bad, it was as if they were designed by a Leftie. That's the main reason I bought an S550 rather than the 750li. the 750 DRIVES WAY BETTER than the S550, but it just wasn't comfortable to drive it.
Seoultrain 8:24PM (6/09/2008)
Mr. X, I guess my post didn't really add much to the discussion, but I have been complaining about backwards manumatics since driving my dad's 2001 Passat.
Aprime, you could go further and say that the only people who care about manumatic ability are regular manual drivers. Obviously that wouldn't be true. Every time you make a generalization, you're excluding a group of people. And for something like shift direction, it doesn't require a complicated solution. For the record, I drive an automatic Mazda3.
Looking at VW's GTI as an example, many people who usually buy manuals forgo the manual because of the DSG. Now, these drivers, being used to manuals, are looking for control and intuitive ergonomics for the car to receive the drivers' inputs. So when they want to shift manually, they have 2 choices: a completely backwards manual mode or dinky, small plastic buttons on the steering wheel. Neither are very good options.
Basically, why have a manumatic at all if it's poorly designed and will disgust the only people who care (and will use it)?
paul34 10:15PM (6/09/2008)
When I want to upshift, I just move the shifter into the appropriate gate. Downshift? Move the shifter, blip, and I'm on my way.
Easy. No complicated electronics necessary.
Smeagle 2:19AM (6/10/2008)
What's the percentage of people who have used a sequential race transmission as opposed to the percentage who have played a racing sim? Notwithstanding the fact that there should of course be a convention for these things, I think I'm not alone is suggesting that what the article discribes as "backwards" I tend to find intuitive.
Aprime 3:35AM (6/10/2008)
No, I appreciate manumatics, but it simply seems logical that to upshift you push it up (therefore, forward) and to downshift you push it down.
No?
It's not designed to fully mimic manuals, for crying out-loud, it just gives posers like me the feeling that I'm controlling the car more than I actually am.
MosquitoControl 11:34AM (6/10/2008)
"I always thought it was right, being a gamer and all... And I've only learned how to drive a manual lately."
I don't get what you mean.
Unless you mean FPS, where to scroll up in your weapons you hit mousewheel down, and vice versa.
That never made any sense to me, at all, and is something I instantly reverse. I don't really recall the first games that involved mousewheels doing this, so I'm really confused on the whole thing.
srDRIVEN 6:20PM (6/09/2008)
Anyone seen the Saturn Astra interior?! that puppy should make the cut for poor ergo. on all levels.
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Aprime 6:54PM (6/09/2008)
It's not poor ergonomics, it's just buttons that you don't understand at first.
And if you're still trying to figure things out a day or two after you own the car, you've got issues (whether it's you being old and forgeting things or whatever else you can think of).
srDRIVEN 7:12PM (6/09/2008)
i simply can't agree with you Aprime; i'm 23, i drove one daily for over a week, and the layout is useless (nothing that a 2 day learning curve will remedy). have you been in one? the keyhole is in a terrible spot. the info screen is not well placed, colored, or legible. the placement of controls is awkward. there is a pretty much useless 0-9 key pad like a phone for no reason. it's difficult to find a comfortable driving position (due in part to placement of levers and knobs; a common complaint in this discussion). so it's more than just buttons, and the key issue, specifically, is one you are forced to remember every time you get in.
Aprime 8:24PM (6/09/2008)
I can understand that the car isn't for you, but I'm fine with everything you claim is wrong with it. I've toyed around with it and found everything to be a breeze to setup. Certainly, it could be a lot better, but that will be remedied with the next version which has been caught field testing numerous times.
Torrent 2:57AM (6/10/2008)
I agree the Astra's dash is weird-looking, but at least it works, and doesn't literally fall apart like past Saturns, right?
I just think it's something to get used to. When you get into an Astra, the design will grow on you I guess. It did for me.
geo.stewart 6:25PM (6/09/2008)
VW's seat reclining knob. high end GLI with Recaro seats and the best they can do is worse than a simple lever. a knob that has about 5% of recline for every complete rotation of the screw/ dial. as well as placement. scrape knuckles and takes forever.
fuggeddaboutit
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Disgruntled Goat 6:34PM (6/09/2008)
How ironic that BMW keeps falling in quality surveys and gets pinata'ed by the ergonomics police yet continues to sell sell sell. I know it's a cliche but have we truely reached the point where products don't matter and image is everything?
Apple is another example: They release a phone on a crappy network with features many other phones already have and it's front page banner news with people lined up around the block to get one. Why? Image.
On the one hand you have to admire the marketers for having the skill to create something from nothing but then you feel sad that human beings are so easily manipulated.
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meshies 6:36PM (6/09/2008)
Design has alot to do with it...
Aprime 6:55PM (6/09/2008)
Because Bimmers look good?
lol.
fobunited 10:30PM (6/09/2008)
I'm sure many people buy BMWs because of image... but have you driven one?
A lot of people who judge BMW's ergonomics only test it out, therefore not really giving it a fair shot. New technology takes time to get used to; there is a learning curve.
BMW's iDrive, often slammed by automotive journalists, is fairly intuitive and easy to use once you get used to it.
Sure there is a flair to driving a BMW, but there are also a huge population of people who don't care whether they're SEEN driving a BMW, but love DRIVING a BMW.
There are some great cars in my stable, including an E63, 997 Turbo, and an S550. They are great, beautiful cars, but ergonomically, there are more buttons in those cars than on a keyboard, which I believe ultimately takes away from the driving experience.
Everytime I get into my 335 and DRIVE, I have a grin on my face.
Disgruntled Goat 1:59PM (6/10/2008)
"I'm sure many people buy BMWs because of image... but have you driven one?"
I've not only driven one, I owned a 5 series I bought new in 2000 for 6 years. They're great cars for impressing neighbors and strangers alike but it's probably the worst money you'll ever spend. Mine was always broken too but at least the warranty covered that, plus I got to drive a lot of cool cars as loaners while mine spent days up on the rack waiting for some unobtainable part from Bavaria.
If I had been the slightest bit smart I would have bought a car that cost half as much and invested the other half. If I had done that I'd have almost $60,000 in the bank right now instead of eating an average of $420 in depreciation every month so I could idle in traffic behind the wheel of a cool (yet unreliable) car. Live and learn I guess.