CONSUMER ELECTRONICS COME ON BOARD

Smartphones and tablets are likely to play a large role in HMIs for heavy vehicles-if productivity and safety are not compromised.

The tablets and smartphones that transformed consumer electronics are now poised to enter heavy-duty vehicle markets. They're already becoming part of the maintenance and diagnostic world, while some developers are exploring ways to integrate them into human-machine interfaces (HMIs) for non-safety activities.

It's almost a given that HMIs for off-highway vehicles and trucks will move closer to the management techniques used in tablets and smartphones. The question will be how to get the most from these systems without reducing productivity and safety. Developers are creating strategies and products that borrow from these devices and include them.