MyFord Touch kinks examined by Detroit Free Press Auto Critic Mark Phelan

[chimoman]

http://www.freep.com/VideoNetwork/1...:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Some valid points. But I don't think it's a fair review of the new system. I think he works for GM.

 

[harlenm]

That guy is a retard.

First off, it doesn't matter what style of button you have, capacitive or a dial, or a physical button, you still have to take your eyes off the road and look at it and look what you are changing the setting to.

Secondly, I shut the video off when he was complaining about the eject button. He was flailing his finger at it, not even touching the button a few times. When he actually relaxed and touched the button, it worked perfectly.

 

[gdecamp]

You have to take your eyes off the road to look at any speedometer too or check out a nice babe in a tank top.

 

[garo1943]

What a Yahoo

You would think the guy should have known that you can control the climate control by voice commands If you are going to do an article and you are suppose to be an automotive reporter you should be informed on the product you are talking about. Just a thought

 

[chimoman]

That guy is a retard.

That's exactly what I was thinking when I watched this. Especially with the finger rubbing over the eject button. I tried mine and it works every time. This is obviously a premeditated attack on the new upgrade. Thing is, it's blatantly obvious.

 

[bluelion]

funny thing is, he is using the old version, and not the new upgrade....

 

[artnalex]

I dont think he works for GM, but..................what a dufus.

 

[VinceL]

First off, it doesn't matter what style of button you have, capacitive or a dial, or a physical button, you still have to take your eyes off the road and look at it and look what you are changing the setting to.

I respectfully disagree. I can control every aspect of my climate control and radio without ever having to take my eyes off the road. Muscle memory is all that is needed. I can feel for the correct button/knob, and then adjust it. Eyes never leave the road and I can do it faster than voice control. You simply can't make adjustments to MFT as efficiently as you can with physical knobs and buttons.

It has always been my biggest gripe with Ford about MFT that they chose to eliminate real buttons and knobs. Worse yet, they didn't replace them with a superior solution. That is a problem. Even in the most advanced aircraft in the world, with vastly more powerful and sophisticated control interfaces, good old fashioned knobs and buttons abound. Reason? Safety and reliability. Ford should follow their lead.

I love the idea of MFT, the screen is awesome and voice control is getting there, but they should have left the real buttons and knobs until their solution was the better one.

Happy driving

 

[chimoman]

There is truth in Vince L's words. I haven't had any problems adjusting climate or radio. This is due exactly to Vinces arguement of muscle memory. I have driven this vehicle alot in the last 14 months and have become extremely used to making adjustments without taking my eyes of the road. The only button I don't like is the four way flasher triangle. I believe however this has been rectified. They moved it in the 13's.

 

[harlenm]

I respectfully disagree. I can control every aspect of my climate control and radio without ever having to take my eyes off the road. Muscle memory is all that is needed. I can feel for the correct button/knob, and then adjust it. Eyes never leave the road and I can do it faster than voice control. You simply can't make adjustments to MFT as efficiently as you can with physical knobs and buttons.

It has always been my biggest gripe with Ford about MFT that they chose to eliminate real buttons and knobs. Worse yet, they didn't replace them with a superior solution. That is a problem. Even in the most advanced aircraft in the world, with vastly more powerful and sophisticated control interfaces, good old fashioned knobs and buttons abound. Reason? Safety and reliability. Ford should follow their lead.

I love the idea of MFT, the screen is awesome and voice control is getting there, but they should have left the real buttons and knobs until their solution was the better one.

Happy driving

Even if you can find the location of the buttons and turn it or press it without looking, you have no idea what you set it to without looking at a display. Did you set it to 72, 74, or 80?

 

[gdecamp]

There is truth in Vince L's words. I haven't had any problems adjusting climate or radio. This is due exactly to Vinces arguement of muscle memory. .

I really don't think Vince is talking about the Explorer with MFT here but maybe I am wrong?

 

[chimoman]

I really don't think Vince is talking about the Explorer with MFT here but maybe I am wrong?

No he's not. He's talking about buttons, knobs and levers. I'm not though. I'm talking about reaching out and hitting a button once for maybe a second. Vice fiddling with a leaver or a knob. I mostly use voice commands.

Climate. Temp 22 degrees. Yes.

That's how easy it is. As you probably already know.

 

[gdecamp]

I mostly use voice commands.

Climate. Temp 22 degrees. Yes.

That's how easy it is. As you probably already know.

Yep, voice commands are another story!!

 

[new to ford]

I have never cared much about Mark P. reviews anyway
Any yes, he has the old software! :thumbdwn:

 

[VinceL]

Even if you can find the location of the buttons and turn it or press it without looking, you have no idea what you set it to without looking at a display. Did you set it to 72, 74, or 80?

Depends on the interface. With a button, or knob with detentes, you can count how many clicks to know your new temperature. I usually keep it around the same setting, so a flick of the eye is all that is needed to know the starting temp and I am good to go.

No he's not. He's talking about buttons, knobs and levers. I'm not though. I'm talking about reaching out and hitting a button once for maybe a second. Vice fiddling with a leaver or a knob. I mostly use voice commands.

Climate. Temp 22 degrees. Yes.

That's how easy it is. As you probably already know.

Yep, voice commands are another story!!

I'm really looking forward to voice technology really coming to the forefront of vehicular control. We installed the update in my friends Edge Saturday night and were pleased with what we saw. Played around with the voice a little and it is MUCH more responsive, but I can still do it faster with my hand.

Call me old fashioned, but I still like having some sort of quasi-mechanical backup to new fangled technology.

Don't get me wrong, MFT is a cool idea, but poorly implemented. The tech cool, the screen is cool. The shiny tactile-free zone beneath it is not. I wish they had only added MFT to the buttons and knobs, and then when it was up to speed and bugs all worked out, then change the physical interface. Progress with redundancy - technology moves forward, but at a pace that slows down man's ability to screw up what already works!

In the end, it will be my wife's car, so she will have to deal with it, hehe. Thankfully she doesn't read this board Maybe in a few years when it comes time for me to take the plunge, Ford will have it all figured out. If not, there's plenty of fish in the sea...

Happy driving

 

[Asystole]

I own five model year 2008 Cessna 172S aircraft. All have 'glass ****pit' Garmin G1000 avionics suites -- two large multi-function displays (MFD) which provide an overwhelming amount of information. But, beneath these screens, are the standard backup 'steam gauges'. Also, there are still lots of buttons and switches that are always in the same exact place for many, many years. Even if the screens go dark, the plane can still be flown.

 

[chimoman]

http://www.freep.com/VideoNetwork/1...:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Some valid points. But I don't think it's a fair review of the new system. I think he works for GM.

http://www.freep.com/article/201203...ehicles?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p

THE DUDE IS BACK. FORD HIRED HIM THIS TIME. I'M NOT SO SURE THOUGH WITH HIS ENDING STATEMENT

Mark Phelan: Do-it-yourself software upgrade makes MyFord Touch better on Ford vehicles


http://www.freep.com/article/201203...ehicles?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p