[mcherm]

This is way better than what they're building today, but honestly, I think a panel of PHYSICAL buttons, knobs and switches is even better.

The iPhone-style interaction -- a flat screen of glass where you manipulate "controls" with touch sensors -- has one major advantage: it allows an INFINITE number of different controls. (Every app is its own set of controls.) But to do this it relies heavily on continual interactive feedback with your vision.

When driving, you can't do that continual feedback. Perhaps someone clever can figure out how to do interactive feedback with audio (you can use that sense somewhat without taking your attention from the road). But otherwise, you can really only manage as many motions as your fingers can "memorize" (muscle memory mostly). If you're doing that, why not stick with switches and knobs, where your tactile sense can help out.

[timdorr]

Why not both?

My Model S has these same controls embedded in the steering wheel. Volume, music control, and climate controls are all there.

That's actually where I find I spend most of my time interacting with the car. I usually only use the touchscreen for more complex things like manipulating the map. For complex inputs like choosing a song or entering my destination, I use the voice controls.

I don't think the solution is one interface. It's multiple interfaces that function best in certain contexts, with some overlap. Look at Google Glass for an example of this.

[__--__]

Something in between would be ideal for me. A center console with a touch screen for configuring settings when you're not driving, but physical buttons, switches and knobs on the steering wheel for when you're driving.