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Big Al
Member Since: 20 Jan 2005
Location: Wiltshire UK
Posts: 143
  
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| Poor Phone control using the steering wheel controls |
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The D4 is and exceptional leap forward over previous D3's and for all the bling and new touch-screen display/phone integration, which looks fantastic, LR seem to have forgotten about safety when using such. Yes you can alter the volume and change the radio channel preset/CD track, using the left-hand-side cursor controls on the steering wheel, however there is very little control over the phone system from the steering controls. This would have made much more sense!! if not a making a major improvement having thought more about the possible use of the right-hand-side cursor controls on the steering wheel.
It seems daily that ROSPA/Police et al keeps hammering on about safety whilst driving and in particular keeping your hands on the steering wheel, however we now need to reach over to change between major functions of the infotainment centre. It would have been so easy, once the phone system was selected that the right-hand-side cursor could scroll through the phone-book entries and selection possible using the OK or green phone button. Why do we need the ability to change the car settings menu whilst driving, and as such the right-hand-side cursor control is wasted. This could have been utilised to scroll between the major infotainment functions, then upon selection control the function in a more detailed respect.
Hopefully someone from LR may notice this, and if possible please can you take note and remedy this as an urgent safety request before any of us, whilst reaching out the change between major infotainment functions or attempting to scroll through the various phonebook entries crash - then we'd by forced to sue LR for poor functional layout - which is a shame since it's nearly all there 
I'd be happy to test such, and would happily provide my services for free on this subject. After all I've been an ardent supporter of LR through 13 models of discovery, so you could say I'm loyal to the brand. In these modern times simple faux pas such as these, which could easily have been more thoroughly thought out should not be so and blemish what is otherwise a superb piece of Engineering in terms of the D4 itself and the Infotainment centre.
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 2nd Oct 2009 6:25 pm |
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highbayrack
Member Since: 09 Jul 2008
Location: Northamptonshire
Posts: 2776
 
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Well said, they should take note of your comments  On a mission to find the perfect Pork Pie. Just Found it (I think)..(Yes I have)
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| 2nd Oct 2009 6:31 pm |
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Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
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I think you guys are kicking the wrong side of the wall.
It is probably for safety reasons that they have made using the phone more difficult. All the expert opinion suggests that any use of the phone whilst driving makes it far more likely that you will have an accident.
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| 2nd Oct 2009 6:51 pm |
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MartinR
Member Since: 27 Jan 2008
Location: Oxon
Posts: 708
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But people will use the phone while driving anyway, and having to hit buttons on the steering wheel has to be easier than the touch screen... Actually, the right hand button group is a bit of a waste really. All it does is allow you to change the settings in the centre display, which kind of seems overkill when you used to be able to it all by pressing the I button with the footbrake on!
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| 2nd Oct 2009 9:40 pm |
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Big Al
Member Since: 20 Jan 2005
Location: Wiltshire UK
Posts: 143
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I've looked into this a little further, and the girlfriend has just taken delivery of a new Ford KA (Fiat 500 in disguise) and I have to say that it's packaged exceptionally well - although I couldn't fit all my crap into it but since I have the D4 then she only needs a little runabout.
Getting back to the point however, it that it has the Ford/Volvo bluetooth/voice control package whihc isn't a million miles different from that in the D4 (without the touchscreen though!!) BUT it has been properly thought through AND has a major function change button and up/down navigation keys that makes it a doddle to select whichever contact from the phone via bluetooth/change track on the CD/preset on the radio etc....
If Ford can sort this out for such a simple little car, then surely just because of the touchscreen, why can't LR pay attention to detail on such matters, and not expect people to lean over to the touchscreen when they provide the right-hand-side cursor control whihc seems ideal for major function selection and selection of contacts from the phone address book. It's not exactly rocket-science, and although I love my D4 and all the previous 10 discos, nowadays all manufactures have to pay much more attention to ergonomics and the human interface which can make or break usability and thus influence sales. the D4 is a utilitarian/suburban vehicle however people need ease of use for all respects in today modern lifestyle. Just before someone states that we shouldn't be using the phone whilst driving, it's not (yet) illegal buy I wouldn't be surprised in the future if this changes along with mandatory red flag waving personnel to aid road safety!!! (especially if el-presidente/dictator Blair comes to power!!!  ) but at present it is permitted so make it easy and safe to do so!!
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| 4th Oct 2009 6:35 pm |
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rsk21
Member Since: 29 Jan 2007
Location: Northants
Posts: 162
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Al,
I would agree with you that the deployment of the two joypads on the steering wheel is somewhat less than optimal. It would seem more sensible to use the right pad primarily for up/down/left/right navigation of the touchscreen and then for the secondary purpose to be control of the settings menu. I have a hunch that this might be addressed in time.
Re the KA in fairness to LR I'm fairly certain that it is not a Volvo/Ford system which drives the bluetooth/phone/usb set up in the KA/500 but is in fact "Blue & Me" which was produced by Fiat in collaboration with Microsoft.
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| 5th Oct 2009 8:20 am |
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Big Al
Member Since: 20 Jan 2005
Location: Wiltshire UK
Posts: 143
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I do hope so, as it would make the system much easier and safer to use, and would be more welcoming.
Let's just hope that LR are viewing this thread, and thinking to themselves that we might just have a point. It would involve a little recoding but I believe would be quite easy to undertake and would have a huge impact that they're listening to their customers. 
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| 5th Oct 2009 8:31 am |
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