More on the 2025 Bronco Sport

[Mark S.]

You picked up on one word to twist the intent of the article.

I was looking for data, not opinion. When people use terms like "is seen as" it means they don't have data. If you have it please share. The articles and studies I've read differentiate between poorly and well-designed systems. I've seen physical HVAC control designs that are confusing to use as well.

I agree just tossing a bunch of icons on a series of different screens can make controls harder to use. I haven't heard anyone describe Ford's SYNC interface that way. The HVAC controls on SYNC4 are persistent, that is they do not move, and they sit higher in the driver's sight line than the old system. There are a lot of different ways--lawsuits, scientific study, etc.--a safety flaw in SYNC4'S design can be identified. So far, that hasn't happened.

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[RushMan]

Is there any data or evidence to support this claim? It seems to me no manufacturer would knowingly redesign a car in a way that's been proven to be less safe.

I don't have a written source for that specific claim which was presented to me verbally by someone in the industry many years ago.
As others have noted, there are several studies and articles written about the hazards of infotainment screens.

https://newsroom.aaa.com/2019/07/vehicle-infotainment-systems-especially-distracting-older-drivers/

https://www.kffjlaw.com/blog/the-hidden-dangers-of-car-infotainment-systems/

https://thenewswheel.com/study-from-aaa-and-the-university-of-utah-shows-in-vehicle-technology-is-dangerously-distracting/

Slightly off topic, but I just got my car insurance bill. It is up 10% over the last 6 months bill. No accidents, no tickets for over 40 years.

 

[69cuda340s]

I just got my car insurance bill. It is up 10% over the last 6 months bill. No accidents, no tickets for over 40 years.

Inflation, high cost for parts and labor. Home owners insurance is going up too.

 

[Mark S.]

I don't have a written source for that specific claim which was presented to me verbally by someone in the industry many years ago.
As others have noted, there are several studies and articles written about the hazards of infotainment screens.

https://newsroom.aaa.com/2019/07/vehicle-infotainment-systems-especially-distracting-older-drivers/

https://www.kffjlaw.com/blog/the-hidden-dangers-of-car-infotainment-systems/

https://thenewswheel.com/study-from-aaa-and-the-university-of-utah-shows-in-vehicle-technology-is-dangerously-distracting/

Slightly off topic, but I just got my car insurance bill. It is up 10% over the last 6 months bill. No accidents, no tickets for over 40 years.

I discounted your second link after reading this:

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a Virginia motor vehicle accident, you should not have to bear the cost of recovery alone. While you may not know whether an infotainment system was responsible for your accident, our team of highly trained legal professionals will perform an intensive investigation into the cause of your Virginia car crash.

The other two articles reference studies from five and seven years ago. The problem with both of them is they are studying how people interact with control systems with which they are unfamiliar. I drive a lot of different cars (rentals when traveling mostly) and I sometimes struggle to figure out "normal" analog controls. For example, every manufacturer implements cruise control a bit differently. Some have the controls on the steering wheel, some have them on a dedicated control stalk, and some put them on an existing control stalk (usually the turn signal). Someone who is unfamiliar with the controls in a car will ALWAYS have to divide attention between driving and figuring out control systems.

A valid study would put the same person in two different unfamiliar cars--one with digital controls and one with analog--and ask them to manipulate the controls while driving. I'm guessing the difference wouldn't be significant for the situation we are discussing: the HVAC controls on SYNC 4 are persistent (they are always on the screen in the same places) and do not require hunting in a menu to find. I just can't for the life of me see how controls like this are any harder to use than analog controls, especially when the analog controls are mounted farther down on the dash, requiring the driver to look further down.

Clearly people have been "concerned" about touchscreens in cars for quite some time, yet they persist. It seems to me if our friends at Kearney, Freeman, Fogarty & Joshi haven't succeeded in proving touchscreens to be enough of a danger to force regulation--over the past seven years--then they're almost certainly here to stay.

 

[shwamo83]

Does anyone currently know if the Sasquatch package will fit 2021 builds or if Ford will make some of its elements available for individual purchase?

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