iLounge

1

great, more distraction while people are driving. it goes like this :

“Hmm, maybe i should change the song.”
*Fiddles with controls on steering wheel*
*That causes the driver to take his/her eyes off of the road*
“Ah theres the song i wan- *BOOM* *CRASH*”

“In other news, a man trying to switch songs on his ipod, integrated into his volvo, caused an 8 car pile up sending 6 people into intensive care, and 3 others to their deaths. And heres tom with the weather”

Posted by the_commanche on July 6, 2005 at 10:42 PM (PDT)

2

The whole point of steering wheel controls is that you don’t have to take your eyes off the road. It’s a whole lot better than looking down at your stereo or iPod to fiddle with buttons and look what’s playing.

Posted by Daniel Kennett on July 7, 2005 at 1:40 AM (PDT)

3

Yeah, I see it that way too..

If you can’t look away while you are driving for a second, Steering wheel controls are for you.

Like the Ipod native interface, it is intended to be learned easy, and allows you to pay attention to what you are doing.

But, if you are driving a Jeep Commanche I can see your biggest problem, you won’t be able to hear the music anyway

Posted by B5BAR on July 7, 2005 at 3:19 AM (PDT)

4

It’s a whole lot better than looking down at your stereo or iPod to fiddle with buttons

There’s also the approach taken with Rockbox, which has a talking menu option and can speak out loud playlist names and song titles as you click through them.

It’s a big win for drivers, and especially for blind folk.

Posted by Demosthenes on July 7, 2005 at 5:14 AM (PDT)

5

20GB iPod ($300) + Volvo Adapter ($150) = $450
20GB PhatBox = $900

Why would someone pay $450 more to have something that can only be used in the car versus something that can function the same in the car, as well as out of it?

Posted by KBrew on July 7, 2005 at 7:54 AM (PDT)

6

Volvo owners have enough issues with driving as it is. They are too stupid too figure out how to use something like this

Posted by Volvo Hater on July 7, 2005 at 8:04 AM (PDT)

7

So stuffy old Volvo goes lemming and gets the iPod treatment, yet the spiffiest model (I think) in their lineup, the S40 (and more likely to be bought by younger folk), isn’t part of the iPod interface equation.

Makes sense to me (not).

Wonder if this means the rest of Ford’s lineup will get iPod interfaces as well.

Demosthenes: hopefully none of those blind folk are drivers, too.   Actually, the way it IS out there, there’s a lot of SIGHTED folk who could qualify as blind drivers.

Posted by flatline response on July 7, 2005 at 9:58 PM (PDT)

8

I am the younger target consumer for a Volvo V50. Bought V50 in January. Also bought iPod in January. Wanted to use it in Volvo and can’t. Saw integration kit press release and thought geat! V50 gets crappy FM transmitter instead of cable/dock(illegal for use in the UK!!). I also hate my iTrip due to no clear channel when travelling up and down the UK.
COME ON FORD/VOLVO - YOU INTRODUCE A SHARP LOOKING MODERN CAR AND CAN’T KEEP UP WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY!!!! Just supply us a cable or dock…..PLEASE!

Posted by cheesed off Volvo V50 driver on July 8, 2005 at 12:33 PM (PDT)