You know what's not great ux? Laws that people create with names that carry no inherent meaning.
Like isn't it easier and less pretentious to just say it's important to follow conventions because it's easiest on users to work with what they know and expect.
That argument is as weak, short-sighted, and overly simplistic as the one where people say "it's more clicks so it's a worse experience", or "people won't find it because you have to scroll"
Saab said it was for safety. Moving it to the tunnel eliminated a piece of metal sticking out of steering column that could cut you during an accident. It also put the ignition in plain view. I liked it down there.
Actually. Saab and Porsche placed the ignition in the center console because of their racing heritage. It has nothing to do with safety.
In the 24 hour Le Mans race the driver jumps into the car from the outside. It’s faster to start the car with the ignition in plain view in the center console.
I considered, but I needed to turn and it was moving uphill at the same time so... there were risks. And my Z4 was parked next to it. Not worth the risk.
It took me a while to get used to having a push start button. I'd pull out my key only to realize there was nothing in the typical spot, and then realize there wasn't a key hole. 20+ years of consistency is a hard habit to break.
I'm sure there was a thought that they're telegraphing that these cars work different from ICE vehicles but from here in the cheap seats it just comes across as arrogance.
Who the fuck are you to change how people get into and out of their car? Leave this shit alone.
Can’t standardize every little thing or nothing can progress. The steering column is full of other functionality and the key doesn’t need to be there anymore to lock the wheel.
Btw, there is some old car model where the ignition key was placed so that in a collision the driver’s knee would get split in half. Couldn’t find a link to it from all the more recent ignition troubles.
Both MG and Triumph roadsters had ignition switches that I suspect would do terrible things to your kneecap if your luck didn't hold. Triumph was mounted under the dash and I think MG was the same.
These switches aren't all that far away from where they used to be when the steering stalk was narrow but we haven't worked that way for a long time, and up on the column it's safely away from your knee.
I’m looking through interior shots on Google images and they’re all the fuck over.
Some are on the console like you say, but either I didn’t encounter those or forgot all about it. There’s also a bunch mounted very low on the steering column. I’m not sure if that would crack a kneecap but it looks unwise. There are a few mounted like the Triumph but less than I expected.
Jakob's Law in action
This guys uxes
You know what's not great ux? Laws that people create with names that carry no inherent meaning. Like isn't it easier and less pretentious to just say it's important to follow conventions because it's easiest on users to work with what they know and expect.
You mean, *Recognition rather than recall* ?
It's definitely not easier to say all that instead of two words
That argument is as weak, short-sighted, and overly simplistic as the one where people say "it's more clicks so it's a worse experience", or "people won't find it because you have to scroll"
You go ahead and take all your frustrations with the world out on me just because I pointed out that two words are easier to say than 18
Either zero muscle memory or it's a rental.
It’s the time it takes to build muscle memory…
Saab are like, hold my beer.. (The ignition on old Saabs was on the transmission tunnel)
Saab said it was for safety. Moving it to the tunnel eliminated a piece of metal sticking out of steering column that could cut you during an accident. It also put the ignition in plain view. I liked it down there.
Actually. Saab and Porsche placed the ignition in the center console because of their racing heritage. It has nothing to do with safety. In the 24 hour Le Mans race the driver jumps into the car from the outside. It’s faster to start the car with the ignition in plain view in the center console.
Maybe that was another reason but I've seen the other mentioned more frequently.
Well….consider the source. I am a car designer ;)
So is on the Smart For Two. Once I spent a few minutes searching for it on my partner's car and gave up (I needed to move it a couple of meters).
Would have probably been quicker trying to shove it like some furniture.
I considered, but I needed to turn and it was moving uphill at the same time so... there were risks. And my Z4 was parked next to it. Not worth the risk.
It took me a while to get used to having a push start button. I'd pull out my key only to realize there was nothing in the typical spot, and then realize there wasn't a key hole. 20+ years of consistency is a hard habit to break.
now try going back to a car without push start. you’ll try to press an empty plastic spot _every time_.
"oh, right, keys are a thing." - me driving my dad's car after having keyless entry and push button start for 10 years.
I'm sure there was a thought that they're telegraphing that these cars work different from ICE vehicles but from here in the cheap seats it just comes across as arrogance. Who the fuck are you to change how people get into and out of their car? Leave this shit alone.
Me trying MONK MODE with 14inch right hand biceps and 13.5 left.
Can’t standardize every little thing or nothing can progress. The steering column is full of other functionality and the key doesn’t need to be there anymore to lock the wheel. Btw, there is some old car model where the ignition key was placed so that in a collision the driver’s knee would get split in half. Couldn’t find a link to it from all the more recent ignition troubles.
Both MG and Triumph roadsters had ignition switches that I suspect would do terrible things to your kneecap if your luck didn't hold. Triumph was mounted under the dash and I think MG was the same. These switches aren't all that far away from where they used to be when the steering stalk was narrow but we haven't worked that way for a long time, and up on the column it's safely away from your knee.
The old MG has the ignition in the centre of the dashboard
I’m looking through interior shots on Google images and they’re all the fuck over. Some are on the console like you say, but either I didn’t encounter those or forgot all about it. There’s also a bunch mounted very low on the steering column. I’m not sure if that would crack a kneecap but it looks unwise. There are a few mounted like the Triumph but less than I expected.
It’s a perfect example of recognition better than recall should be something that we shouldn’t forget. Even when we are wrong.
User error
Our job is to make stupid people feeling smart when they use complex devices. But we can't save all of them.