With the influx of new technology in auto industry today it
is amazing to me how many manufacturers don’t consider the usability of their
products. BMW is a perfect example of this;
their iDrive system was completely over the head of their target market. Fortunately, we are starting to see some
companies put their focus into usability, and Bose is one of those companies.
Last night I had a chance to go to the Bose headquarters in
Framingham Mass, to check out their new Media System found in the Ferrari 612
Scaglietti.
It will be no surprise to anyone that the system sounded
excellent. Bose has been delivering
amazing sounding speaker systems since 1968 when they introduced the 901
Direct/Reflecting system. The Ferrari
was no different. With more speakers
than I can count on both hands, the sound was truly music to my ears.
But, the real reason the Scaglietti was so exciting – other than
being a Ferrari – was that the media system was so intuitive and easy to use. When you first look at the system it is very
simple. It is set up exactly like older
radio systems in that there are only two knobs, with some preset buttons around
them.
At first glance it would be easy to mistake this head unit
for any other system. Navigation, DVD,
directions, voice activation, and more prove it’s got all the goodies. But when you reach to change the volume you realize
this isn’t your momma’s radio.
An infrared sensor located around the knob farthest from the
driver allows the system to sense when you move your hand towards the radio. Once your hand gets within a certain
distance, the proximity sensor tells the system to get to work. Before your hand touches the dial the system
is already displaying relevant information to the task at hand. If you are listening to the radio, it will
show you a list of radio stations with strong frequencies.
The system will also group radio stations according to their
genre; making finding music enjoy a breeze.
Other features include iPod connectivity, a USB plug, multi format disc
player, a 30gb hard drive, improved radio reception, a 6.5 inch screen, and the
uMusic intelligent playback system – which allows for the driver to select + or
– depending on whether they like the music or not. Over time the system will learn your likes and
dislikes and automatically play music that it thinks you will enjoy.
Despite spending a short amount of time with the system it
was clear it was much easier to use while driving then the competition. Features such as the uMusic Intelligent
Playback system would require a much longer testing period before it would
become apparent if they are worthwhile or not.
But I liked what I saw.
While the new Bose Media System can currently only be found
on the Ferrari 612, it is likely this is just a test bed for future
applications. Since Bose speaker systems
can be found on many different manufacturers including Acura, Audi, Buick, Cadillac,
Chevrolet, GMC, Honda, Hummer, Infiniti, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Porsche, and
Saab – just to name a few – it is likely we will see some of this technology end
up in these cars in the near future.
There is still a lot of catching up to do in the usability department,
but companies like Bose can give us hope we will start seeing technology and
usability work in unison to make driving more fun, exciting, and safe at the
same time. We hope to see more from Bose’s
Automotive Sound Systems in the future - preferably in cars we can afford.
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