Destroying the CR MFT takedown

[RichardJensen]

I'm taking down the CR takedown of MFT.

 

Not because I think MFT is perfect, but because I think CR is very very wrong about this:

 

http://news.consumer...tem-stinks.html

 

I'm going to ignore their condescending opener, and jump straight into their alleged criticisms, one by one:

 

The flush, touch-sensitive buttons on the dashboard below the screen are maddeningly fussy and can be hard to distinguish. You can't just feel for them; you need to look directly at them to tap the right spot. Once we finally found and pressed the one we wanted, it frequently didn't register or actuated multiple times. Sometimes you have to press hard. And this is supposed to be the simplest way to make control inputs.

 

1) Who adjusts center stack controls strictly by feel? Anyone? I would be hard pressed to identify any of the radio presets on my car tactically, unless I carefully started at the far left and counted as I moved left to right.

 

2) You don't have to press harder on certain occasions (unless, perhaps, the system is cold). Pressing harder than the minimum threshold required to close the circuit is a waste of energy.

 

In some models, such as the 2013 Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS, the dashboard screen is a long reach on top of the sloping console, which flies in the face of the whole "touch" concept. In the new 2013 Escape, it's recessed in a binnacle that makes the corners of the screen hard to see or reach. Those corners are important because they select main functions like climate and audio. And the screens themselves are poorly designed for drivers. Despite some recent updates that brought marginal improvements, all have small fonts that are difficult to read quickly, and some pages are cluttered with too many buttons. And that makes it hard to quickly identify and touch the right one.

 

1) Reach distance would be a more valid complaint if there were no other means of controlling those systems, but there are clearly secondary controls for every commonly used feature controlled by MFT (except the seat heaters)--in fact most services have FOUR control options.

 

2) As opposed to this design on a vehicle that is recommended by Consumer Reports? A vehicle that has no secondary means of performing the tasks controlled by these small hard to reach buttons?

 

The seek and tune buttons in the Sony version of MyFord Touch can change the station accidentally when your fingers get near them to turn the volume knob. The "sliders" in MyLincoln Touch are difficult to grasp and fine tune.

 

This is not an MFT device, this is not an MFT problem.

 

Other than an analog speedometer, all the gauges are digital and can be arrayed in a seemingly infinite variety via two four-way touch pads on the steering-wheel, even on the fly. Screens flanking the speedometer can also select things like radio presets and climate settings. But even these menus are really involved and distracting to use while you're driving. And unlike the center screen, a passenger can't work them for you. Some screens seem like overkill: Do you need to see your fuel economy displayed with multiple bar graphs, selectable for every five, 10, or 30 minutes? This system needs an editor.

 

1) How is this a problem? Seriously. How is this a problem? If you don't like having an abundantly configurable system, don't mess with it. It's not like you have to reconfigure MFT every time you start the car.

 

2) Then use the center screen to control these services. Or, you know, use the CONTROLS ON THE CENTER STACK. I mean seriously, raging about how passengers can't use the menus on the binnacle makes no sense, because EVERY environmental/entertainment/nav/phone option on the binnacle is DUPLICATED on the center stack, which a PASSENGER CAN WORK FOR YOU.

 

3) Again, how is this a problem? It's a problem that the system can be configured? Really? "Get off my lawn"

 

The voice commands are helpful for complicated inputs, like entering a destination in the navigation system or choosing a playlist from a phone or an iPod. But using them for basic commands, such as temperature or radio tuning, is time consuming and cumbersome. It feels like a Band-Aid for the car's poorly designed physical controls.

 

1) Again, USE THE CENTER CONSOLE CONTROLS! If you don't like how an input method works, DON'T EFFING USE IT!

 

And finally, I'm going to take only one segment from the 'Moses come down from the mountain' bit of self-righteous indignation that concludes the blog:

 

Ever consider why video games still use separate controllers with physical buttons, knobs, and joysticks? You never have to take your eyes off the screen, where the bad guys could appear suddenly and shoot you.

 

I would *love* to see someone change the radio station on a CR RECOMMENDED vehicle without taking their eyes off the road.

Edited August 29, 2012 by RichardJensen

[SoonerLS]

Hey, there was something useful in that screed by CR: a response from Ford's Eastern Region Communications Director, Bill Collins. To wit,

"We listen closely and value all feedback on our vehicles - whether it's from customers or third parties. That feedback is used to continuously improve our products and we're seeing results from that commitment. According to a survey of MyFord and MyLincoln Touch owners conducted earlier this year, those who installed the recent software upgrade report a 25 percentage point increase in satisfaction. Also, 71 percent of owners with the new upgrade say they would recommend MyFord or MyLincoln Touch to others."

Edited August 29, 2012 by SoonerLS

[RichardJensen]

Edited to insert additional outrage.

[scode1]

How about the fact that David Champion just left CR to work for Nissan.

[Anthony]

While I agree with all your points, your example of a competitor was not a good choice.

 

The display on the Sienna you pictured is not a touchscreen but a "display only" TFT display that shows inputs from the buttons on the dash for HVAC and trip computer. Nobody is reaching up into that cubby to touch anything.

 

 

I don't think the Sienna even offers a touch screen HVAC system....only a touchscreen nav/media center.

 

 

Otherwise, valid points.

 

-----------

 

EDIT: On second reading, you might not even be referring to the TFT display, but the buttons on the dash. Not sure?

Edited August 29, 2012 by Intrepidatious

[RichardJensen]

While I agree with all your points, your example of a competitor was not a good choice.

 

Actually, I failed to make myself clear: The physical buttons on the Sienna are small, labeled in a small font with a low contrast color scheme, and some of them are quite hard to reach.

 

Thus, small buttons, legibility issues, and difficult reaches are not exclusive to touch screen devices.

Edited August 29, 2012 by RichardJensen

[Anthony]

Actually, I failed to make myself clear: The physical buttons on the Sienna are small, labeled in a small font with a low contrast color scheme, and some of them are quite hard to reach.

 

Thus, small buttons, legibility issues, and difficult reaches are not exclusive to touch screen devices.

 

Gotcha.

[Edstock]

1) Reach distance would be a more valid complaint if there were no other means of controlling those systems,

 

Look RJ, life is tough for short-armed fatties; add bad eyesight and hemorrhoids, and you have CR.

[mackinaw]

Good post Jensen.

Most people who ride in my 2012 Focus SEL are not familiar with MFT. Invariably the first thing they say when the see the center screen is "what is that thing?" When I explain to them that it's called MFT and is a touch-and-verbal interface with the car, they always say, "cool!" When I show them how it works, everybody, and I mean everybody, is impressed. A few people are CR readers and are familiar with CR's criticism of MFT. When I tell them to try it for themselves (use the touch screen to set the temperature, use the voice commands to set a Sirius station, synch their phone and make a phone call), they are, again, impressed by how well it works.

No, MFT is not perfect, I can suggest a few things that need to be improved, but it is in no way as bad as CR says.

[RichardJensen]

What I like, is how they act as though you *have* to use the stuff they don't like.

 

Ford definitely has issues with MFT, but an abundance of input methods is certainly not one of them.

[silvrsvt]

Ford definitely has issues with MFT, but an abundance of input methods is certainly not one of them.

 

Maybe thats the issue some people are having....some times too much of a choice isn't a good thing.

[BORG]

I agree that Ford needs to do some editing on MFT and remove features that don't work or cause input confusion such as inconsistent control redundancies. I can turn the climate controls on from my steering wheel, but not the radio...I can control the temp using 4-different interfaces but can only control seat temperature from one which is not always visible...stuff like that is all over MFT which takes sometime to build into your muscle memory.

Edited August 30, 2012 by BORG

[RichardJensen]

Maybe thats the issue some people are having....some times too much of a choice isn't a good thing.

At first, perhaps, but eventually, you'll form habits. Or alter them over time.

 

I'm a dedicated Ctrl-C-Ctrl-V-er. It makes me squirm with impatience to see other people right-click, choose copy, and then right-click and choose paste. But most applications give your four ways to perform common tasks, and as a general rule, one of those ways quickly becomes second nature, and the others are rarely used.

[rmc523]

The voice commands are helpful for complicated inputs, like entering a destination in the navigation system or choosing a playlist from a phone or an iPod. But using them for basic commands, such as temperature or radio tuning, is time consuming and cumbersome. It feels like a Band-Aid for the car's poorly designed physical controls.

1) Again, USE THE CENTER CONSOLE CONTROLS! If you don't like how an input method works, DON'T EFFING USE IT!

 

I don't have MFT so I guess therefore it's not a direct comparison with my physical temperature/HVAC buttons, but I do have SYNC and can set the temperature and other things via voice commands - I'm right with you on that point - for simple things like setting temperature or radio tuning, it's more cumbersome, difficult, and time consuming (I unintentionally used their same wording) to try to use voice commands than it is to take two seconds to push the button (or in MFT's case, tap the touch-sensitive panel). I don't like how that way to input commands works, so I don't use it for those features. Entering a nav system destination, absolutely, I use voice commands probably 99% of the time there, but for other simpler things, I don't use it. Just absolutely stupid that they count against the system when they choose the most difficult way to control something and then complain it's difficult to do it that way.

[BlackHorse]

 

 

 

 

1) Who adjusts center stack controls strictly by feel? Anyone? I would be hard pressed to identify any of the radio presets on my car tactically, unless I carefully started at the far left and counted as I moved left to right.

 

 

I do. Always have. The radio presets I'll agree with. Generally they are too small and too close together to just reach over and get the one you want without looking. But HVAC settings, fan speed, volume control and vent setting I do all by feel without looking because I learn them and it just becomes intuitive.

 

The rest of your point by point summation I pretty much agree with. I think what it really boils down to with the MFT debate is not the functionality of the system but more the number of them that just unexpectedly malfunction and do things they shouldn't like not shutting off, dropping programmed radio presets etc etc. If the system never had a malfuction we probably wouldn't be hearing CR complain about how user unfriendly it is.

[All-Or-Nothing]

Meh.......regardless of CR trying to rag on MFT people KEEP buying it. Once they learn how to control it and get used to it they generally LOVE it.

[BlackHorse]

Meh.......regardless of CR trying to rag on MFT people KEEP buying it. Once they learn how to control it and get used to it they generally LOVE it.

 

True. My Focus just had SYNC, not full MFT but it still took some learning to get accustomed to how it operated. It never gave me a problem and it was a pretty decent system. As I said I think the real meat and bones of the issue here is simply that too many MFT systems have had software malfunctions. It's not really a usability issue.

[NickF1011]

I do. Always have. The radio presets I'll agree with. Generally they are too small and too close together to just reach over and get the one you want without looking. But HVAC settings, fan speed, volume control and vent setting I do all by feel without looking because I learn them and it just becomes intuitive.

 

With auto climate control in all vehicles with MFT though, just how often are you going to be adjusting the HVAC settings anyway? Mine has been sitting on 72 degrees Auto for I don't know how long.

 

The rest of your point by point summation I pretty much agree with. I think what it really boils down to with the MFT debate is not the functionality of the system but more the number of them that just unexpectedly malfunction and do things they shouldn't like not shutting off, dropping programmed radio presets etc etc. If the system never had a malfuction we probably wouldn't be hearing CR complain about how user unfriendly it is.

 

I would agree with CR's complaints about it not working as designed as well. It shouldn't crash. It shouldn't freeze. It shouldn't reboot. These are legitimate gripes and should be mentioned. But yeah, their complaints about "long reaches" and complicated steering wheel controls is just unfounded.

[bobbyd]

Its obvious CR is deliberately after Ford. I OWN a new 2013 Ford Taurus Limited and its great. MFT Voice commands for radio or temperature are quick and accurate. The false claim of "reach" is an ABSOLUTE LIE!" The 38 degree console, just like the Lacross, is so relaxing...there is "NO DROP OF THE RIGHT SHOULDER TO ACCESS anything like USB port, compartments etc.. INCLUDING BASIC SHIFTING!" Compare that to the flat consoles with the Chrysler and other foreign competitors.. I really notice that comfort convenience in long trips. The frustration with CR is that you can't challenge their lies and just like JD Power...they can say "anything" they want and not have to show accountability to independent audit or justification for their "TOTALLY SUBJECTIVE BIAS!"

Don't go their website and don't buy their crap magazines!

[fordmantpw]

I'm a dedicated Ctrl-C-Ctrl-V-er. It makes me squirm with impatience to see other people right-click, choose copy, and then right-click and choose paste.

 

AMEN! That completely bugs the $hit out of me!

[silvrsvt]

 

AMEN! That completely bugs the $hit out of me!

 

LOL I do it both ways....I do have an issue with Google Chrome at times that requires me to use the right-click paste....when I copy, it wants to paste it as an HTML link instead of plain text link....which jacks up the tags when embedding photos.

[fordmantpw]

LOL I do it both ways....I do have an issue with Google Chrome at times that requires me to use the right-click paste....when I copy, it wants to paste it as an HTML link instead of plain text link....which jacks up the tags when embedding photos.

 

That's understandable. What bugs me more is when I use a different machine and it is a laptop with the keys in a slightly different location, or a standard keyboard that has the Insert/Delete/Home/End/Page Up/Page Down keys 2 across and 3 down instead of the 3 across and 2 down that I'm used to. I use those 6 keys ALL THE TIME when developing, and if they are situated differently, it throws off my whole day. Hell, makes the app I'm building have more bugs too because I just can't focus!

[NickF1011]

when I copy, it wants to paste it as an HTML link instead of plain text link....which jacks up the tags when embedding photos.

 

If you hit backspace immediately after pasting, it removes the HTML from it.

[akirby]

AMEN! That completely bugs the $hit out of me!

 

Me too! Wait - is that redundant?

 

I spent too many years with ksh and vi.

Edited August 30, 2012 by akirby

[akirby]

Here is another one that truly drives me crazy. We have DirecTV and when you're on the playlist you can hit OK and you get a second screen where you can play, resume, delete and a few other things. My wife will select a show to watch, hit ok, then select play. When she's finished watching it returns to that screen and you have to scroll down and hit delete, then go back to the playlist.

 

Or you can just hit Play from the playlist and when you stop watching it goes back to the playlist and you hit the red button to delete. Why on earth would you go to another screen when you can just hit play? I asked her to watch something the other day and she did it and I lost it. It drives me nuts.

 

Then again, when I drive her Edge I pull directly into the garage. There is plenty of room to make the turn as long as you go all the way over to the left side of the driveway and turn sharply.

When she parks, she pulls all the way forward, backs up, then goes into the garage.

 

Did I mention that this drives me NUTS!?