As the
Tesla Model S has amply demonstrated, while in-car touchscreens can certainly turn a few heads, they aren't always the safest, or most practical solution. Apple seems to have a few ideas about how to change that, however, and one of its recently revealed patent applications details a new and improved touchscreen system that it says could cut down significantly on driver distractions. Apparently, Apple envisions a whole host of measures that would prevent the driver from operating the system while driving, or let only the passenger use the touchscreen while the vehicle is moving. To do that, the system would make use of a range of sensors tied to various parts of the vehicle, and apparently even take into account the angle at which the person's finger is approaching the screen. What's more, the application also suggests that the system could be applied to both vehicles with built-in touchscreens or cars that accommodate a detachable, presumably Apple-made handheld device. Or all of this could wind up in the same bin as Apple's
world-changing RF network. Take your pick.
[Via
Autoblog]
posted Mar 30th 2009 10:04AM
Uh oh, another Engadget Apple post. UNLEASH THE TROLLS!!!!!
Is that why your comment was first?
{DOUCHE}
one step closer to an icar
n thats one more step closer to overpriced cars!... agian... **sighs**
can you switch based on country your in, ie drive on the right or left?. or they will have to make 2 different models? or will it auto sense with gps which area you are in. then if there is no gps signal will it work at all.
i think i need a job as a proffesional pessamist.
what world is this drawing from where a woman is driving instead of the man?
because we wouldn't need this system AT ALL if only men drove!!!!
Same reason why Helen Keller can't drive, ya know?
It's the world in which the guy can giving the driving woman an iEatHerOut.
Nice to Apple spreading out. I look forward to see what, if anything, they can bring to the table.
Yeah, I can't wait to have to park my car to change radio station!
Wow, thanks Apple for protecting us against ourselves.
Yeah, currently there's tactile buttons and whatnot in all the cars I've ever used, and when I know where they are, I don't have to look to operate them. I'm not really seeing the progress of getting a touchscreen I can't use while driving installed...
Solution to the problem that isn't there?
wouldnt you just remember where the 'buttons' are on the touchscreen?
im sure after a while you could glance at the screen and then make the right points
Oh, it's not that difficult. To advance a track, just turn right twice and brake. To turn the volume up, accelerate to 90mph. To....
You get the idea.
Lol! Is this as a result of the harsh recession, Gosh has apple's (steve jobs) creative juice spilled? Or is the competition out there too tough for apple?
Apples next ultimate device is a car radio with anti-touch while driving sensors. Cool!
And we would like to introduce to you our Unibody iCar! Due to the excess of complaints, we will feature a non-glass (ie window) version.
Looks like Apple needs better designers for their patent filings.
The drawing in this one is even worse:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/23/apple-patent-application-reveals-grandiose-rf-module-plans/
my pioneer avic-n2 already does something similar to this. The gyro can tell if you're moving and if the GPS detects speeds of 5mph or higher it disables address input features.
Good reason not to buy one.
Is that Bil Gates on the right?
I'd say it's the Fallout man
I think if GM and Apple teamed up...it would certainly benefit the appeal of GM's future vehicles, no? GM is going to need to completely overhaul its image anyways, and there's no other computer company with a better image than Apple at the moment. Everyone already has their iPods in their cars anyways...
Seriously if I want to be eating a sandwich and entering a destination and having sex and talking to my mom and taking a dump and a shower simultaneously while driving, who are the car makers (or Apple) to stop me? Suddenly I feel like joining a political party. I'm one of many who had to install a hardware hack in his car to ELIMINATE the "OK" screen and un-cripple the destination entry while driving. it's absolute bullshit that you want to further safe-guard that.
Although I have a funny feeling many people feel the same way I do: it should be OK for me to do it, but most other people probably aren't too safe.
I want to be you, he who can do so many things at one time.
Are you going to stop me?
By the way, talking to your mum while having sex.. embarrassing?
:D I was trying to issue a joke about the stupidity of the human race (and I was trying to include myself). Sometimes they flop, though :(
The safest in-car touchscreen is the one you don't have to touch, or look at. You should only speak commands and it should talk back to you... they shouldn't be wasting R&D on anything less. "Hello Kitt, play music please"
Plug your ears kids!! Daddy can't turn off the gangster rap until the next stop light.
Does this involve anything more than an iPhone and some velcro?
I hate apple for this, trying to get a patent on EVERYTHING.
damn you, apple! Why would you want to protect your intellectual property, and maybe try to recoup the millions you put into R&D each year? Jerks.
Seems like an answer to Microsoft Sync, in the Ford vehicles. It works reasonably well, but as all voice activated systems, there are limitations. (for instance, the one I rode in constantly searched for Oak Wood Avenue, when we were looking for Oakwood Ave. In the same zipcode, so it was an issue)
Microsoft has patents on Sync, so if Apple went into the voice-activated in-car systems, there'd be lawsuits all over the place.
It may be fixing a problem that's not a problem yet, but it WILL be a problem. Every major phone manufacturer either has or is building a touch-based model. These touchie-phones are great most of the time, but there are instances where you can't or shouldn't be tied to looking at the screen. 50 mph in the drivers seat is one of those instances.
in response to the reply above, sure they have every right to file a patent but sometimes I believe they are trying to excessively trying to patent concepts not products. Its one thing to protect your product but its another to make up as many ideas as possible and make sure no one else can use it.
Why not just use freaking buttons? You know, good old fashioned buttons, which can be different shapes so you don't have to look at them, have a nice tactile response, and that you won't accidentally push. Plus, given that a car usually has a lot of space to play with, you can fill the dashboard with buttons if you really want to.
I still don't understand why the car doesn't sense that there is a passenger in the passenger seat (Maybe using the airbag/seat belt sensors), and allow touch screen input.
I love my Prius, but the lack of this feature is just shortsighted. I'm ok with not being able to access all the features as a driver, while the car is in motion, but EVERYTHING is there to allow the passenger to access the system.
Reading Engadget one may get the impression that Apple is the only company in the world that files the patents. Another impression would be that their patents are plain crap. "Direction of a finger" ? Really? How about checking people pupils, pulse, change in the center of gravity (maps of pressure on the sit)? Am I that smart or is Apple that ridiculous? Or perhaps it is Engadget that is so ridiculous publishing this trivial stuff?
Sounds like drivers will just be getting into awkward positions so that "the angle at which the person's finger is approaching the screen" is that of a passenger.
Or putting a piece of tape over the passenger-side sensor, so it always thinks there is a hand coming from that side.
Really, this would strongly discourage me from buying their navigation units. I'm perfectly happy clicking an "OK" button that absolves the GPS maker of any wrongdoing should I be an idiot while driving down the road. Making it impossible for me to control my car because the MANUFACTURER thinks it is a bad plan is just a recognition that they designed their system too poorly to be handled while driving, not a way to actually make it safer.
My AVIC N-4 did this, and that is why I did the bypass. I find this big brother stuff more focused on attorney driven "CoverYourA$$" stuff, versus true safety, For example, the AVIC was rendered almost unusable by these 'safety' concerns, like, I can't add a way point unless the vehicle was parked WITH the safety brake on.
I did the bypass, NOT so I could watch DVD's while driving to work, shaving, and texting and emailing, I did it so I could get the functionality I felt I paid for and I felt I could safely operate while the vehicle was in motion.
I don't need big brother telling what I can do safely. I do of course need and appreciate big brother telling YOU what YOU can did, as YOU having the same functions as me scares the crap out of me.
Yup- a carful of sensors for people too stupid to figure out how to drive safely. iDiots.
You know I have a car with built in radio/navigation that won't let you use the touchscreen while driving. It annoys the crap out of me...And guess what...it turns out that it isn't too dificult to bypass such a system. Some just have grounding wire that needs to be cut/rerouted or it's hooked up to the breaks that needs to be disabled.
The thing is...if you don't want people to use it...don't put it in there. Because it makes it useless not to be able to use while driving.
I also have a car that had no restriction on touchscreen (2001 acuraTL). I guess they didn't think of that at that time. I never had a problem using the touchscreen on that one either while driving. I'll be satisfied if they'll let the passenger use it and not the driver. People needs to be able to change direction and music as they please.
women are allowed to drive? orly?
Which will never be used by Apple, because its all about the iCrap now, and as such otehr companies would could use implement this in an innovative way, yah know...innovation...something Apple doesn't do, will have to stick with something else. Screw you Apple.
If they want people to not use it (people tend to DRIVE in cars), they should just file for an improved method of removing and then covering up the existence of said device screen.
Otherwise, the more logical explanation is they want to make sure people don't get distracted to staring at the screen. Tactile feedback would probably help.
Good Idea
i agree also
Hi there,
I found your blog http://www.engadget.com/ very interesting.My name is Dennis Peterson,a community member at Patents dot Com(a comprehensive free patent search engine).Will like to talk(through email) to you,is this the right time to talk about or should we talk during weekends ?
Regards,
Dennis Peterson
E-dennisptrson@gmail.com