This is way better than what they're building today, but honestly, I think a panel of PHYSICAL buttons, knobs and switches is even better.
The iPhone-style interaction -- a flat screen of glass where you manipulate "controls" with touch sensors -- has one major advantage: it allows an INFINITE number of different controls. (Every app is its own set of controls.) But to do this it relies heavily on continual interactive feedback with your vision.
When driving, you can't do that continual feedback. Perhaps someone clever can figure out how to do interactive feedback with audio (you can use that sense somewhat without taking your attention from the road). But otherwise, you can really only manage as many motions as your fingers can "memorize" (muscle memory mostly). If you're doing that, why not stick with switches and knobs, where your tactile sense can help out.
The iPhone-style interaction -- a flat screen of glass where you manipulate "controls" with touch sensors -- has one major advantage: it allows an INFINITE number of different controls. (Every app is its own set of controls.) But to do this it relies heavily on continual interactive feedback with your vision.
When driving, you can't do that continual feedback. Perhaps someone clever can figure out how to do interactive feedback with audio (you can use that sense somewhat without taking your attention from the road). But otherwise, you can really only manage as many motions as your fingers can "memorize" (muscle memory mostly). If you're doing that, why not stick with switches and knobs, where your tactile sense can help out.