The sum of a user’s knowledge is the current knowledge point

By Wendy Eichenbaum

The amount of knowledge a user needs to complete a task is the target knowledge point. When there is a gap between the two points, an interface does not seem intuitive to a user.

Many experiences we consider intuitive are actually tasks that leverage our learning from long ago. When a process is counter to our learning, the process seems backwards or confusing.

So when designing a product, it’s critical that you mind the gap between your customers’ current knowledge point, and what you will expect them to do to complete tasks. Then your customers will feel that your product is natural and easy to use.

READ MORE

Speakers from SAP, McKinsey and Company offered insight on trends that are impacting global fleets

ARI recently hosted a multi-day conference highlighting the innovative technology trends that are transforming the fleet industry and which will be game-changing influences in the coming years.

More than 100 senior leaders and executives with fleet and procurement responsibilities from across North America joined ARI leadership and individuals from the tech and consulting communities to participate in a substantive discussion about employing technology to maximize fleet operations.

“We were eager to create an opportunity where leaders within the industry could come together to learn about and discuss how technology is transforming both how we do business now and how we will in the years to come,” said ARI President Chris Conroy.

“Technology, innovation and Big Data is fundamentally changing our industry and how we think about fleet management. Smart companies are not just embracing how new technologies can help them right now, but also looking to understand what it means for them five or ten years from now.”

READ MORE

Cell phones are the savior of time and the killer of drivers

By Jeff Schlesinger

The meeting is over and you are enjoying a little peace and quiet as you drive to your next appointment. It is mid-day, not a cloud in the sky, and the radio offers a little relaxing music. As you watch the oncoming car your concern increases; it is slowly veering to its left, into your lane, completely ignoring the yellow lines.

You initially see the top of the driver’s head, and as the approaching driver raises his eyes to the road, you see a combination of fear and startled recognition…he quickly jerks the steering wheel to the right to correct the car’s path. As he passes, the cell phone is still clutched in his right hand; the driver is oblivious to the danger of his actions. It is now part of everyday driving.

READ MORE

The New York Times

The messaging app Snapchat allows motorists to post photos that record the speed of the vehicle. The navigation app Waze rewards drivers with points when they report traffic jams and accidents.

Even the game Pokémon Go has drivers searching for virtual creatures on the nation’s highways.

When distracted driving entered the national consciousness a decade ago, the problem was mainly people who made calls or sent texts from their cellphones. The solution then was to introduce new technologies to keep drivers’ hands on the wheel. Innovations since then — car Wi-Fi and a host of new apps — have led to a boom in internet use in vehicles that safety experts say is contributing to a surge in highway deaths.

READ MORE

The Detroit Bureau

With the little Mirai model, Toyota is now one of three automakers selling fuel-cell vehicles in the U.S. market.

Now, the automaker is looking into potential heavier duty applications, including the possible of using hydrogen to fuel a fleet of zero-emissions trucks.

Such an approach could create a vast new market for hydrogen technology – and solve the problem that clean air proponents have had trying to figure out how to clean up truck emissions. Because of their size and weight, as well as range issues, current battery technology does not appear to be a good fit for large, long-haul trucks.

READ MORE

Fortune

We have reached true, full vehicle autonomy—years before anyone expected.

If you care about technology, the future, and human progress, get ready to maybe cry a little bit. On Friday, Tesla released new video showing a fully-autonomous vehicle navigating a hectic urban landscape.

The demonstration shows at least level 4 autonomy, according to standards recently set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The vehicle is navigating a dynamic environment, and the human in the driver’s seat doesn’t have to do anything.

READ MORE

The Detroit News

Chevy Volt, Fiat 500e, Ford C-Max Energi, Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen E-Golf, BMW i3 … the Los Angeles Auto Show is Ground Zero for showing off electrified vehicles.

California’s green culture and the state-mandated EV quotas make it a natural for all things battery-powered.

But unless your name is Tesla — America’s best-selling large sedan — electric vehicles have failed to interest U.S. consumers. EVs make up less than 1 percent of vehicle sales despite a $7,500 federal subsidy plus additional perks in several states including California. One of the most notable disappointments has come from one of the world’s most recognized brands, Mercedes. Its $42,000 battery-powered subcompact B-Class came to market in 2014 — yet is selling just 50 per month on average this year.

READ MORE

The New York Times

Judging from a couple of Twitter messages by President-elect Donald J. Trump, he had scored a hard-won victory for American autoworkers by persuading Ford Motor to keep a Lincoln plant in Louisville, Ky., rather than move it to Mexico.

He wrote, “I worked hard with Bill Ford to keep the Lincoln plant in Kentucky. I owed it to the great State of Kentucky for their confidence in me!”

The reality proved less straightforward.

Ford had never said it was moving a plant to Mexico, only that it was transferring the production of a small Lincoln sport utility vehicle there so it could fully dedicate a Louisville plant to a larger-selling model.

READ MORE

By Laura Jozwiak, Senior Vice President of Sales and Client Relations, Wheels, Inc.

As the end of the year approaches, I like to reminisce and reflect about the personal and professional goals I set for the year.

I typically start this process in November, hoping that I might still have time to accomplish all my goals before the guilt-ridden New Year’s Resolution phase kicks in!

Some of us probably do better than others at setting and achieving goals. Out of the many different goal-setting best practices, I have found that being realistic in your expectations is the most important component. And let’s be real, reaching a major goal or overcoming a major challenge can be difficult. But so worth it! I am reminded of that fact whenever I think of a story I heard on the radio several years ago.

READ MORE

Forbes

During the campaign, President-Elect Donald Trump called climate change “a hoax” and reaffirmed his view last week by choosing a well-known skeptic of global warming to lead his transition team at the Environmental Protection Agency.

Given Trump’s plan for a comprehensive review of all federal regulations, it’s not hard to predict which way he’s leaning when it comes to the issue of whether the strict fuel economy rules mandated by the Obama administration should be kept in place.

A steep climb is required starting in 2017, so that light vehicles will average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. Regulators recently found auto makers are on track to achieve roughly 50.8 mpg, or about 36 mpg in real-world driving. Industry lobbyists have asked for relief.

READ MORE