1 min read

"People seem to misinterpret complexity

"People seem to misinterpret complexity as sophistication"
-- Niklaus Wirth

A great quote that is rather apt begins a couple articles (1,2) in the New York Times on the new BMW 7 series model that features the iDrive interface. While aiming to simplify the cockpit controls, it sounds like the least intuitive thing imaginable. This gigantic knob, a small stick, and a couple buttons control things like shifting, climate controls, cruise control, the radio, and releasing the parking brake. Some options, buried in multiple submenus require the driver to read from a screen, selecting the proper options all while driving a large, heavy car at speed. If this is the future of the "ultimate driving experience," I can't see anyone wanting to be a part of it.

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