Automotive HMIs aren't just for driving any more

As autonomous driving inches into the marketplace, human-machine interfaces will undergo significant changes to make it simple to switch between driving and work/entertainment modes.

Most autonomous driving discussions focus on the sensors that inform vehicle controls and the techniques those controls will use to make decisions and take action. But as autonomous driving inches into the marketplace, human-machine interfaces (HMIs) will undergo a significant evolutionary change.

HMIs will have to engage drivers when the vehicle's doing the driving, letting them work or entertain themselves without being too distractive. User interfaces also will have to make it simple to switch between driving and work/entertainment modes. It's doubtful that humans will completely give up driving for quite some time.