Modular Vehicle HMI With Programmable Tactile Controls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern vehicle human-machine interfaces (HMIs) often lack tactile controls, which can be a drawback for users preferring physical interaction, as they typically offer a primarily touch-based interface that may not cater to individual user preferences for customization.
Innovation Solution
A modular programmable widget system for vehicles that includes customizable tactile buttons, knobs, and switches, which can be configured and assigned functions via a user interface on a configurable display, allowing users to tailor their HMI experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a touch-based interface is used for vehicle HMI, then the interface simplicity and modern design are improved, but the tactile feedback and user preference customization are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The HMI system is segmented into multiple widget types including both touch-based widgets and physical control widgets. Each widget type serves different user interaction preferences, allowing the system to provide tactile feedback through physical controls while maintaining the simplicity of touch-based interface for other functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The HMI system is designed to support multiple interaction modalities within a single unified interface framework. The system can accommodate both touch-based and physical control widgets, making it universal in terms of user interaction methods and catering to different user preferences without requiring separate systems.
2Device complexity
If a fixed HMI interface is provided, then the system complexity is reduced, but the user preference customization and adaptability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The HMI interface is designed to be dynamic and reconfigurable. Users can add, remove, and configure widgets according to their preferences. The interface layout and functionality can be changed without requiring system reconfiguration or complex programming, maintaining ease of use while providing high adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides pre-configured widget templates and common interface elements that users can select and customize. This preliminary preparation of interface components allows users to quickly configure their preferred HMI layout without dealing with complex system configuration, reducing the perceived complexity while enabling customization.
3Ease of operation
If physical controls are added to provide tactile feedback, then the user preference satisfaction is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Physical controls are segmented into separate modular widgets that can be independently configured and positioned. This allows the system to provide tactile feedback only where needed, rather than requiring physical controls throughout the entire interface, thus minimizing space requirements while satisfying user preferences for tactile interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The HMI interface applies different interaction qualities to different regions or widgets. Physical controls with tactile feedback are provided locally at specific widget locations where users benefit from tactile interaction, while other regions maintain touch-based interface. This localized approach provides tactile feedback where needed without increasing overall space requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle system is provided for a modular human-machine interface (HMI). The system includes a configurable display of a vehicle; and an HMI display system of the vehicle, in communication with the configurable display. The HMI display system is configured to, responsive to detection of presence of a modular programmable widget having one or more physical controls, present a user interface to the configurable display for the configuration of the one or more physical controls of the modular programmable widget, receive, via the user interface, input assigning functions to the one or more physical controls, save the function assignment to display settings of the HMI display system, and in a runtime mode, perform an assigned function responsive to user input to the one or more physical controls.