This time, Tesla's goal is the steering wheel.
According to a new patent application we read, Tesla is developing a user interface based on the new steering wheel. The new user interface will have a series of new functions, including abandoning the gear lever, introducing a touch screen on the steering wheel and adding tactile feedback.
In order to shift gears on Tesla cars, you must use the gear lever behind the steering wheel, which is what we usually call "Huai Dang", and this "retro" design that is incompatible with Tesla's own modernity is actually not common in passenger cars other than trucks. Now, what Tesla has to do is to completely abandon the use of the shift lever.
According to the drawings in the available patent documents, Tesla has applied for a new patent for this new user interface based on the steering wheel. Each side of this user interface will be equipped with a touch screen, and there is a touch screen below to clearly identify the gear. By touching different gears on this touch screen, the user can shift gears without changing the physical position of the gear lever.
For this change, Tesla explained in the patent document as follows: On the new user interface of this steering wheel, users can switch different gears through different positions on the touch screen, and the RFID detection and NFC activation functions can be customized or installed according to users' needs.
The following pictures clearly show the composition and appearance of this new steering wheel:
The results of the interaction between the user and the touch screen on the steering wheel will also be visually presented on the central control screen, helping the user to determine whether his operation is correct or not, and further improving the safety of the operation process.
By interacting with the brand-new user interface on the steering wheel, users can select, update and/or browse control menus. In addition, based on gestures that can be performed on and recognized by the user interface, the user can also receive feedback on the selection of a control set or menu. The system can provide users with corresponding functions by directly sensing the interaction behavior imposed by users on the interface or by sensing the interaction behavior that users are about to impose on the interface. For example, in the process of approaching the sensor, the user interface can sense that the user's finger is approaching the control manipulation function on the user interface, thus providing feedback to the user through the user interface. Of course, the accuracy of calculation and feedback mechanism are one of the core elements for this function to play its role accurately and quickly. ?
At the same time, Tesla also specifically described the touch feedback function that will be launched, and provided some possible functions that touch gestures can bring through drawings, such as sliding left and right, sliding up and down, tapping and pressing, and so on. For example, when the user presses the interactive area for a long time, the voice control function will be activated, and the touch feedback of the interactive area will change from guiding vibration to a single and clear vibration signal representing the beginning of voice recording until the user releases his finger and the interactive process ends. At the same time, there will be a pop-up window in the lower left corner of the central control panel, indicating that the voice control function has been started, and the system will also make a sound corresponding to the voice control function, indicating that the function is working. ?
Of course, when Tesla launched this function, it was impossible not to consider the autonomous driving field that he was best at:
For example, when the vehicle can support the kinetic energy of autonomous driving, the command input of this user interface can include more commands that need more complicated input, and those functions (mainly related to multimedia) that will be judged to lead to distracted driving when being driven by people or even with the help of driving assistance functions can be realized in this interface. Of course, users may need more complicated input methods to activate them.
In fact, as we said earlier, even a brand like Tesla that attaches so much importance to autonomous driving has to seriously consider the operability and implementation of some technologies. This patent on the advanced steering wheel function seems to run counter to Tesla's pursuit of autonomous driving, but in fact, Tesla's efforts are necessary to achieve a balance between technology and safety at this stage. For example, in a system update last Christmas, Tesla did everything about how to get users' hands and eyes back to the steering wheel more, which means that users will spend less time interacting with touch screens or mobile phones and pay more attention to the road.
One of the most obvious is the short message reading function, which is widely praised but Tesla has always lacked this function. After this system update, Tesla users can read and write short messages through their voice command system: users can use the right wheel button to read and reply to short messages. When you receive a new message, you can press the right wheel button to read your message aloud, and then press the button again to reply by voice. ?
Tesla improved the voice command system so that the driver can keep his eyes on the road while keeping his hands on the steering wheel. Navigation, media, seat control and temperature setting can all be controlled by voice commands without touching the screen.
Users can even save TeslaCam records without touching the screen. For safety and convenience, users can set this function to be activated when whistling.
Whether the physical buttons should be left in the car and which ones are more reasonable has always been a controversial issue. However, we can see that Tesla, the most advanced human-computer interaction, is gradually revising its own path in the process of continuous practice and technological evolution, in order to obtain technical realization that is more in line with users' habits and obtain more ideal practical effects. ?
This article comes from car home, the author of the car manufacturer, and does not represent car home's position.