AUTCM Welcome to the driver-oriented °90s User-friendly controls mean designers no longer place everything symmetrically THE NEXT time you happen to pass by a used car lot, go ahead and hop into one of the older vehicles on the lot — maybe a car from the ’70s. Now put the seat belts on, and without moving your body, try to reach out for the radio switches and heater controls. Do you think you would be able to easily reach all the buttons, switches, and levers without leaning forward? Most likely not. The emphasis on interior design back in the ’70s was quite dif- ferent from today. In an attempt to produce a balanced look inside tlie cabin, automakers placed emphasis on predictable, symmetrical designs —- making some interiors as at- tractive as a typical office desk. Symmetrical designs also meant that the radio and heater controls were placed right in the centre of the dashboard, making it difficult for anyone but a monkey to reach the controls. What’s more, designers called out for a lot of cheap-looking chrome trim and fake woodgrain, | which did more damage than good to the overall ‘‘quality feel’? of the interior. Then the interior designers got into the “high-tech war’? during the '80s. Many manufacturers offered glitzy, Ginza-by-night-style digital instrumentations. As if bright lights weren’t enough, some cars came with the voice warning system. The soft. voice reminded you that ‘“‘the door is ajar,’’ and kept reminding you over and over again if you didn’t correct the situation. It was more annoying than YVancouver’s seemingly endless Lights add to driver safety YOU CAN’T drive without lights at night but seme safety experts think you shouldn’t leave home without them on during the daytime, either. Because so many accidents are caused by poor visibility no matter what the time of day, researchers conducting studies in several parts of the world have found signifi- cant advantages to turning on running lights during the daytime. Running lights cau be special additional lights, reduced-intensity headlights for daytime use, or . high-intensity parking lights. Severai countries are already mandating daytime running lights and several have already seen ac- cident and iniury rates decrease dramatically as a result. The governments of Finland, Sweden and Genmark now require all drivers to use lights in the daytime. In 1989, Canada passed legislation requiring that ail new cars, trucks, vans and buses be equipped with front lights that tum on whenever the engine is running. Finland has marked a 21% reduction in daytime winter crashes over a six-year period; in Sweden, crashes were off 11%. Several car makers are voicing support for the idea. An insurance research organiza- tion equipped 2,000 vans and trucks with automatic daytime running lights and found crashes down 13% in bad weater and 7% at other times. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate. OVERDRIVE rain during the winter. Fortunately, the automakers quickly dropped the useless gadget, and slowly started replac- ing the hard-to-read-when-driv- ing digital panels with conven- tional white-on-biack analog in- struments. But many of the cars still suf- fered from ill-designed instrument panels that required the driver to stretch out and “Shunt” for the tight buttons to push. Welcome to the user-friendiy, ergonomically balanced interiors of the cars in the ’90s. After your impossible attempt to grab the switches in the used car lot, walk over to the new car section and try the same thing on one of the new models. Chances are you will be surpris- ed to find how much easier it is not only to reach for the heater and radio controls, but all the other secondary switches as well. The designers no longer place everything in a symmetrical fash- ion either. Now the emphasis is on designing the control area so that it is slightly angled toward the person who uses them the most: the driver. BMW has been offering this type of driver-oriented, ergonomically designed panel for years, and now everyone seems to be following this style. Look at the latest Corolla from Toyota, for example, and the ad- vantage of placing the heater and radio controls toward the driver within easy reach become im- mediately obvious. Some cars even offer redundant controls for radio, cruise control, and air conditioners on the steer- ing wheel, allowing drivers to ma- nipulate these switches without taking their hands off the steering wheel. You will also notice — even in the cheaper models — that the in- teriors of the new cars today look much more expensive, without locking too artificial. The fake woodgrains, for example, actually look real nowadays, thanks to the improved printing technology. The materials used in today’s cars also have a less shiny look to them, and instead have a real leather-like texture that makes the interior look more natural. Colors are better coordinated too, with muted and subtle hues being used to create a more in- viting and cosy environment. The To Advertise Call Diana Gostling 836-6222, local 208 SUNDAY © WEDREGDAY + FINDAY It Puts You IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING BUT YOUR EMOTIONS: The new Audi S4 combines the conirol cf quatira ond ‘st your emotions soor. Just some ofthe naw features include: 2 2:2 hire 227 hp isbocharged S-cylinder engine © 6-100 kin/h 4.6 soconds © Permonent quattro oll-vhael dive © Lowered spott suspension GOOD CONTROL GUILDFORD MOTORS 13820 - 104th Avenue, Surrey, B.C. optional beige leather interior of the new Mazda MX-6 Mystere, for example, smartly uses a com- bination of black, light beige, and brown colors to give a warm, comfortable feel to the interior. Another important factor in in- terior design is the concept of “touch”? and ‘‘feel.”’ Everything a driver or a pas- senger touches must have a soft, tactile feel to it, without hard edges or rough surfaces. To achieve this, designers and engineers spend a_ significant amount of time studying the various buttons and switches from competitors’ cars. They even study the feel of the buttons from high-end stcreo components simply because they have the in- dustry’s best tactile feel and therefore are considered to be the benchmark. Play around with the controls in Lexus LS400, infiniti J30, or one of Chrysler's LH cars (Chrysler Intrepid, Concorde, and Eagle Vi- sion), and they do indeed feel more like $5,000 stereo buttons than switches from your !0- year-old calculator. Remember when we used to make a big deal over map pockets 10 years ago? Well, these days people question the mentality of the manufacturer that offers cars without proper map pockets and cup holders. In many of the American cars — but usually not in Japanese or Euro- pean cars — you will also find coin helders, consoles with built- in slots for cassettes and CDs, trunk nets, and even cup holders for the rear passengers. Designing an interior loaded with consumer-oriented features is actuajly the easy part of the inte- rior developraent. The real challenge? Engineeriug aii the current and upcoming safety and high-tech features — such as dual airbags, padded knee bolsters, and naviga- tion systems — into an interior that is becoming more and more sophisticated and crowded. EURO MOTORS LTD. IMPORT & DOMESTIC SPECSALISTS 7 . aes "TO ARRANGE FOR TEST DRIVE CALL 983-3577