Opinion: Planes, Glass, Cockpits and Automobiles

Never underestimate the importance of keeping it simple

Earlier this year we bought a new car, a 2022 Volvo. Our buying criteria was straightforward – new, safe, reliable, seven seats, and relatively affordable. Given it is a new car I expected it to excel in all these areas – and it does. But one area caught me out – the human-machine interface. Specifically, the prevalence of touchscreens, aural/visual warnings and alerts, and how these affect my driving. 

This prompted me to reflect on piloting, aviation, and the general shift from analogue to digital, and manual to automated.