TapWizard & WrenchWhiz
WrenchWhiz
Hey, I’ve been tinkering with turning a classic car’s dashboard into a touch‑based interface. Ever thought about mapping gestures to engine settings or infotainment? I’ve got a prototype with a small capacitive panel under the steering column—maybe we can swap it for something slicker or more responsive. What’s your take on adding a tactile layer to a car’s controls?
TapWizard
Wow, that’s straight up cool. A capacitive strip under the column is a start, but why stop at a flat panel? What if you overlay a thin, flexible haptic film that gives you that real “click” when you swipe for radio or a little vibration for gear shift? Touch can be slick, but it needs that tactile anchor to feel solid in a car. Drop in a pressure‑sensitive layer and you can map a double‑tap for cruise control, a long‑press to shift, even a quick flick for volume. Keeps the brain guessing but the fingers sure. Give it a go and see if the driver feels the difference.
WrenchWhiz
Nice idea—haptic film under a flexible strip is clever. I’d just make sure the sensors don’t pick up the steering vibrations, or the driver’ll feel like they’re steering with a keyboard. I can try a pressure‑sensitive mat that gives a little click on touch and a short buzz for gear shifts. Let's see if the driver notices the difference without feeling like they're in a sci‑fi cockpit.
TapWizard
That pressure mat sounds solid—keeps the vibe tactile without turning the wheel into a gamepad. If the click and buzz line up with what the driver actually does, the car will feel more like a partner, not a gadget. Keep the feedback quick, otherwise you’ll get a “Did I just shift or just tap?” loop. Give it a spin and watch if the driver still feels in control.
WrenchWhiz
Right, keep the latency under 30 ms and the click sharp enough to feel distinct from a normal steering touch. I’ll run a test on a stock sedan, map a 1‑s tap for radio, a 250 ms hold for cruise, and a 200 ms flick for volume. If the driver doesn’t get a “Did I just shift or just tap?” feeling, then we’re good. Let's get this over to a test drive and see if the haptics actually feel like a co‑pilot.
TapWizard
Sounds like a plan—just make sure the click isn’t buried under the wheel’s normal rumble. If the driver can tell a tap from a shift without double‑thinking, you’ve nailed the co‑pilot vibe. Happy testing!