ckh550 said:
and I thought cell phones were distracting...
instead of 'hang up and drive" should I yell "sign off and drive"?
just my $.02
This is a
very valid concern. I can't stress this enough.
I've been researching a couple of different interfaces to try to tweak
my setup. It is very important to have a very easy to use, at a glance interface otherwise you end up with a distracted driver in an accident/collision.
Between reading up on MFD systems used in aircraft and experimenting with embedded consumer gadgets on the road I'm getting closer. The big thing with a vehicle install is having a good, custom, low workload interface that will not distract from the driving.
Of the devices I've been playing with the most streamlined for dealing with music media so far is the iPod interface but it generally kinda sucks for dealing with stuff while trying to drive. Too much back and forth in the interface I find, particularly if your music collection requires constant changing of your EQ settings. It doesn't help that the screen is so small either (iPod Nano). The other part of the problem I think is that the way you hold the device makes it awkward to use anyway, it's too small and as a result sucks your attention to it.
If you are using "canned apps" I really think it is important to make sure you are not trying to use/manipulate them while moving. Most GPS software can be "set to trace" while parked and will continue merrily along as you drive without manual intervention.
Music media can be handled the same way more or less with playlists, When a playlist ends you need a low workload method to start again or load another list. If it is more difficult than fumbling with a CD then you are asking for trouble. The whole point of digital media is to get rid of CDs...
My next "big thing" is integrating speech via festival or similar to do rudimentary things like switching between apps, loading different playlists, changing map displays, etc., etc.
Anyway, the point is be safe out there when using these systems in vehicles. There is a lot of potential for getting in an accident if you are too distracted.