My question is this: Should portable electronics and home appliances really be the benchmark for automotive interface design? MyFord was developed with help from Microsoft and the industrial design powerhouse IDEO. But I’m not convinced that design tenets that are OK in a forgiving setting translate well to the automobile.

My Thermador induction cook top has a touch-sensitive design, and it’s fussy and annoying. I also often manage to set the microwave to defrost 12 pounds instead of 1.2. But these errors aren’t really a problem. After all, I’m standing still in my house, so I have time to fix it. Taking the mental time to correct a mistake while I’m driving at 60 mph has much different consequences.

I’m not debating that Ford’s Sync is a big improvement from using an iPod’s control wheel to move through music menus. I’ve repeatedly heard at conferences discussing human factors and driving that portable electronics weren’t designed to be used when driving a car. So is it a good thing that that control design is being duplicated on a dashboard? A big knob might be 100-year-old technology, but you can also grope for it without looking away from the road. That five-way button might keep my hands on the wheel, but if I’m engrossed in a screen rather than looking at the road, it’s a problem.

Maybe it won’t be that bad. Ford states that “For technophobes: Make sure basic controls, like radio and HVAC settings, are still available via familiar stack-mounted controls, so that users don’t have to learn a host of new commands to operate the vehicle.” (I’m a little insulted that a desire for good basic human factors equates to being a “technophobe,” but whatever.)

Also, many functions will be available through voice commands, building on the capabilities of Sync. Voice command technology--if accurate and reliable--lets you make control inputs while keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. (My wife hates it when I use voice commands in the car. Am I driving the car, or talking to her?)

No doubt some will dismiss me as a Luddite. I’m a driving enthusiast that actively enjoys the act of driving, not sitting in a leather-lined rolling WiFi hub/MP3 jukebox/movie listing/Zagat review service. Society has grown to demand access to everything at once. Problem is, human capability hasn’t grown along with multi-tasking impatience. You still need to pay attention and drive the car. That creates some concerns.

I really hope my worries are baseless. I really do.

—Tom Mutchler