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Comment by rootedbox | Hacker News Reader

Everyone at BMW should read this article. They use to understand usability, and that less is more. From window button placement to easy to read VDO gauges.

Now they have iDrive.. Complete mess!

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This is so true. My car is the last generation of 3 series that has the classic BMW amber gauges (doesn't kill night vision) and no iDrive (terrible series of spins, pushes, and clicks to do something simple like change the radio station to a CD track). I've been in family member's newer BMWs with white gauge lighting and screens all over the place (dash and cluster) and a distinct lack of dedicated buttons that I can use without looking at a screen while driving. I hate it.

BMW started to include more configurable buttons. I think that is a good idea having the best of both worlds: Keys for the functions /you/ need most often, and not a ocean of keys for every possible thing.

Too often usability is sacrificed for design. White lights are not the worst in this sense. For example: Audi has red lights, which, as some people believe, makes aggressive. VW has blue lights. This is absolutely terrible, as the human eye can not focus blue very well. Extra fuzzy numbers!

The worst thing I ever saw in that regard was a rental: Light gray dashboard. I had to cover it with dark t-shirts, otherwise I wasn't able to see the road!

So if you pay for a premium car you have to support shit from some marketing idiot? It makes cheaper cars look so much more attractive.

I can't fathom how someone could have a difficult time understanding how to use iDrive. I've found it simple to use since day one.

I feel they did improve with later versions. For example, they now have keys you can program with arbitrary functions.

They should take usability advice from people who think they need to use Javascript to display some static text and images?

Weight the increase in functionality relative to the "decrease" in usability. I think the additional functionality you get far outweighs any reduction in usability (which for the record I think is not that bad).

I have iDrive in my car.

This. I still have all the buttons a non-idrive 3 series has has, and typically turn off the screen when I don't need the additional features. But it is really nice to have navigation, bmw assist, and all the additional features that come along with iDrive when I want them. I have a hard time understanding the downside.

You don't know what you're talking about. Usability is paramount. You would not be that found of idrive if it forced you through three menus to lower the windows.

Think about the cheap TV sets with no buttons. A ton of menus just to change the contrast. Or microwave ovens unusable without manuals.

EDIT - What do I say cheap TV sets? All TV sets.

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