http://jalopnik.com/fiat-chrysler-is-re ... 1362934195
In the defense of the "idiot" drivers, I will say that this shifter is difficult to use. I have had the opportunity to experience it in the JGC and the Charger/300.
FCA Shifter Recall
Re: FCA Shifter Recall
Intuitiveness of design should never get in the way of cool points. I mean we all know engineers never make mistakes, never do things that are dumb, and never designed something that technically is good but from a human machine interface standpoint is absolutely horrific.
Re: FCA Shifter Recall
My conclusion: the shifter is unintuitive AND people are kinda dumb. Having a shifter with a momentary switch that sequentially engages each gear (requiring that you look at a display to know what gear it is in) is bad HSI. Having to hold down a button to shut the engine off (especially if your floor mat is wedging the gas to the floor) is also bad HSI.
All that said, I understand that having to fiddle with the shifter is stupid, but why would you exit the vehicle before you were sure it was in park? Why would you exit the vehicle without first letting off the brake and making sure it doesn't roll? This is very basic stuff.
Summary: the design is stupid but there is really no good excuse for any accidents or injuries that occurred.
All that said, I understand that having to fiddle with the shifter is stupid, but why would you exit the vehicle before you were sure it was in park? Why would you exit the vehicle without first letting off the brake and making sure it doesn't roll? This is very basic stuff.
Summary: the design is stupid but there is really no good excuse for any accidents or injuries that occurred.
Re: FCA Shifter Recall
When I rented cars equipped with these shifters, I always had to use extra caution to ensure the vehicle was actually in park. The design was changed to feel more like a real shifter in the more recent model years. I like the newer design much better from an ease of use standpoint.
Re: FCA Shifter Recall
The new shifter violates the "push the shifter up till it stops" feedback the car gives to signal it's in park.
We can blame "stupid people" all day, but expecting our special design succeed even though it runs counter to decades of conditioning by every other car out there... Well it's stupid.
I haven't cracked open a human factors in design in a long time, but i remember Jeep (I think) moved the brake & gas pedal a few inches to the left (towards the driver's side door ). Easy thing! The spacing remained the same. People died. "Muscle memory" had people, usually when startled, put their foot into the space where every other car had the brake pedal... Too bad Jeep had a nifty idea and moved the gas pedal to that space.
Ask non car people if their car has a brake interlock. Even though every car produced has it, most people flow through the car start up procedure and they don't notice it, it has become a conditioned response, it is no longer a conscious act. Any design that requires concentration for safety is a bad design.
We can blame "stupid people" all day, but expecting our special design succeed even though it runs counter to decades of conditioning by every other car out there... Well it's stupid.
I haven't cracked open a human factors in design in a long time, but i remember Jeep (I think) moved the brake & gas pedal a few inches to the left (towards the driver's side door ). Easy thing! The spacing remained the same. People died. "Muscle memory" had people, usually when startled, put their foot into the space where every other car had the brake pedal... Too bad Jeep had a nifty idea and moved the gas pedal to that space.
Ask non car people if their car has a brake interlock. Even though every car produced has it, most people flow through the car start up procedure and they don't notice it, it has become a conditioned response, it is no longer a conscious act. Any design that requires concentration for safety is a bad design.
Re: FCA Shifter Recall
I agree, to a point. Driving safely requires a conscious, continuous application of awareness, thought and common sense. And it has for over 100 years. Suddenly, that is too much to ask? Should we just continue to cater until cars drive themselves?.22lr wrote:Ask non car people if their car has a brake interlock. Even though every car produced has it, most people flow through the car start up procedure and they don't notice it, it has become a conditioned response, it is no longer a conscious act. Any design that requires concentration for safety is a bad design.
Oh wait...
Re: FCA Shifter Recall
People have not changed. We all still have limited attention budgets and sometimes spend them on insignificant things.
I would argue that people have become no safer, just that technology has better compensated for our short comings and spared many of us from early death. Darwin probably disapproves.
I would argue that people have become no safer, just that technology has better compensated for our short comings and spared many of us from early death. Darwin probably disapproves.
- Attachments
-
Re: FCA Shifter Recall
What we do a poor job of is improving driver skill. It is such political suicide, and it is much easier to make those evil, greedy corporations cater to a lower and lower common denominator. People suck in emergency situations. People suck in REGULAR situations. We should improve both the vehicles AND the drivers, not just the vehicles.
Re: FCA Shifter Recall
Look at reality TV.
Look at who is running for president.
People are terrible and those in the western world are better than most.
They need to want to improve. Most think they are splendid special snowflakes as is...
And now I am sad.
Look at who is running for president.
People are terrible and those in the western world are better than most.
They need to want to improve. Most think they are splendid special snowflakes as is...
And now I am sad.
Re: FCA Shifter Recall
http://autoweek.com/article/recalls/was ... dailydriveBob wrote:http://jalopnik.com/fiat-chrysler-is-re ... 1362934195
In the defense of the "idiot" drivers, I will say that this shifter is difficult to use. I have had the opportunity to experience it in the JGC and the Charger/300.
An actual death potentially linked. Crushed by your own car while checking the mail...that's...pretty bad. Though if he stood there trying to stop it, then he's just an idiot. A dead idiot.