Pressing P accidentally when driving

[ColonelBadger]

Morning

Was half asleep when I left the house this morning and it was raining. Rather than press & hold the left stalk to spray water on the windshield, which is what I wanted I accidentally pressed the right. To my surprise the car braked. I wasn't expecting that and had assumed that "P" didn't work until the vehicle was at a complete stop. Was that some kind of emergency brake? Also, I was only doing 35-40mph so I assume I didn't do anything bad to the vehicle (not warning lights came on).

Thanks.

 

[Halodde]

I believe that read before it is the emergency brake. @borski?

 

[TakeDuo]

Straight from the manual:

Emergency Use​

Pressing and holding the P (Park) button in an emergency decelerates the vehicle to a low speed using the service brakes, then applies the parking brake.

CAUTION: Driving the vehicle with the parking brake applied or repeated use of the parking brake to slow the vehicle may cause serious damage to the brake system.

 

[Lucken]

Take it from me who did the same thing, it’s not a pleasant sound. I always think twice now before my reflexes kick in. If you have a second car that uses the right stalk for washing, it’s doubly bad.

 

[Steveinarizona]

Take it from me who did the same thing, it’s not a pleasant sound. I always think twice now before my reflexes kick in. If you have a second car that uses the right stalk for washing, it’s doubly bad.

Which leads me to my complaint that some things in cars should be standardized. If you want to indicate a turn, there should be a stalk on the left side of the steering wheel. The stalk on the right side should be for window wipers/washers. If you want to open or close windows, there should be buttons on the doors. Same for door locks. Settle on which side of a steering wheel will have certain functions (e.g., turning on automatic cruise control) and don't swap them on some models. These are important functions that should be allowed to be operated through muscle memory.

An auto manufacturer can leave these alone and still have gobs of other "features" to play with.

 

[Pragmatic]

Whose to say where the proper placement is? I'd prefer not to have window switches on the door since that location can get snow on it when opening the window or door. Also being a lefty prefer to use the right hand to control windows, while my left steers the car. Just my preferences, probably wrong.

 

[borski]

https://lucidowners.com/threads/update-2-3-11-issue.10255/

I’ve done it too. You’re not alone.

 

[Steveinarizona]

Whose to say where the proper placement is? I'd prefer not to have window switches on the door since that location can get snow on it when opening the window or door. Also being a lefty prefer to use the right hand to control windows, while my left steers the car. Just my preferences, probably wrong.

I want them on the door because that is where they traditionally are. If they were traditionally on the dashboard I would ask for that. Many years ago I was traveling on business and picked up a rental car at the airport. When I got to the exit, where one hands one's paperwork to the attendant for review before leaving, I couldn't find the switch to lower the window. The car was a PT
cruiser and Chrysler had put the window switches on the dash.

I am not against innovating; I just want the innovation to go to meaningful changes. If the feature is something that one needs to do when driving, and especially if it could be harmful or dangerous if you pressed the wrong switch/button. Whether you have a control is meaningful; where you have it may be meaningful depending upon the feature.

But, I am certifiably weird so I am probably wrong. After all, the reason I gave up on getting a Lucid and got the GV60P instead was that I like a smaller car. 90% (or more) of drivers prefer bigger.

PS: I am also a lefty. In high school I started an organization called "LHIM" -- Left Handers Independence Movement -- a leftist group: left handers of the world arise, you have nothing to lose but your rights, you have a world to gain". I thought it was cute. The faculty head of the English Department called me a communist; I then called her an old goat. As you can imagine, things went downhill from there.

 

[borski]

I want them on the door because that is where they traditionally are. If they were traditionally on the dashboard I would ask for that.

I don’t disagree with your post in concept, but the issue here is that so many “conventions” are actually just poor design; I’m not a fan of bucking convention solely just to buck it, but I have no problem with proper design and UX, even if it changes and/or challenges conventions.

For example, Lucid’s swiping up and down of the app for more and less space was a good *idea*, but bad UX. It has bad discoverability, the signifier for it is tiny and in two places, meaning it’s inconsistent about how to use it. It’s the classic example of a “Norman door” in design; great idea, beautiful even, and unusable.

If you haven’t read (or listened to, if that’s your jam) “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman, go do that right now. I read it in HS and am re-reading it again now, and it literally changed my life in HS. I was never (and still am not) able to see the world in quite the same way again.

P.S. Familiarity is an important design consideration; you’re not wrong about that. It means you don’t have to teach or signify to users how to use a thing, which is great; Norman would agree with you. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t and/or can’t ever be changed, either.

 

[Amster]

If you haven’t read (or listened to, if that’s your jam) “The Design of Everyday Things” by Donald Normal, go do that right now. I read it in HS and am re-reading it again now, and it literally changed my life in HS. I was never (and still am not) able to see the world in quite the same way again.

P.S. Familiarity is an important design consideration; you’re not wrong about that. It means you don’t have to teach or signify to users how to use a thing, which is great; Norman would agree with you. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t and/or can’t ever be changed, either.

Putting something in an unfamiliar place that doesn't make sense takes a long time to get used to. I recently had a Mercedes rental for a week. The controls to move the seat forward/back/up/down are on the door instead of on the side of the seat, unlike any car I've ever driven. I never once reached for that in the right place. I think I'd have to own the thing for a few months before I got used to that.
@borski, I put that book on my reading list.

 

[borski]

Putting something in an unfamiliar place that doesn't make sense takes a long time to get used to. I recently had a Mercedes rental for a week. The controls to move the seat forward/back/up/down are on the door instead of on the side of the seat, unlike any car I've ever driven. I never once reached for that in the right place. I think I'd have to own the thing for a few months before I got used to that.
@borski, I put that book on my reading list.

For sure. If you're going to buck convention, you must have a good reason for it.

 

[pyle112]

If you haven’t read (or listened to, if that’s your jam) “The Design of Everyday Things” by Donald Normal, go do that right now. I read it in HS and am re-reading it again now, and it literally changed my life in HS. I was never (and still am not) able to see the world in quite the same way again.

Just bought on Kindle...

 

[ColonelBadger]

I think they should add the additional requirement of pressing the brake pedal when pressing the P while in drive, for emergency brake . That way you’re negating the accidental press of someone whose used to using the right stalk and also removing the possibility of having the accelerator on at the same time.

 

[Steveinarizona]

For sure. If you're going to buck convention, you must have a good reason for it.

And I completely agree. But it should be for a meaningful reason, not an AI hallucination.

 

[borski]

And I completely agree. But it should be for a meaningful reason, not an AI hallucination.

I have no idea what you’re referring to.

 

[TakeDuo]

I think they should add the additional requirement of pressing the brake pedal when pressing the P while in drive, for emergency brake . That way you’re negating the accidental press of someone whose used to using the right stalk and also removing the possibility of having the accelerator on at the same time.

Possibly. However, if the car isn’t responding to braking, the link between brake pedal to car to e-brake push might be compromised. Meaning the car might not understand you are pushing the brake pedal. In a situation where emergency braking is required, the lowest number of contingent operations is probably preferred.