When you consider Mini , you plausibly do n’t guess of infotainment . Personally , I think of the British flag rear light , the distinct exterior , and the surprising elbow room on the interior . But after labor theMiniJohn Cooper Works Countryman over the retiring week , infotainment might well be something I think of more often when it comes to Mini . It ’s wizardly .
It also , however , suffers from all the gob that other bequest automakers fall into when it comes to software design . Mini has something on its hands here — but it still needs some work .
Bringing the charm
The first thing that endure out to me about the system of rules when I got in the railway car was how fun it was . That all starts with the display . It ’s round ! No , it ’s not curved — the screen is a freehanded , orotund display sit around in at 9.4 inches , and I found it enough large enough for day - to - day use .
It ’s actually the only real show in the vehicle too . It can show thing like ram swiftness , but the fomite I drove also had a heads - up display for that , reflected in a panel of glass behind the steering wheel .
Of course , a circular presentation is n’t enough to make something wizardly — but there are other touch as well . There ’s a little spinning flower icon that shows up on the power luger when the fomite is n’t using any power . There are decently design animations , and everything kind of keep up the rounded display , including the curving ascendance around the edges of the screen . There ’s also a master computer menu bar that lets you easily switch between the different window on the screen .
Mini has made good use of the circular screen for those who stick to using the first - political party software , alternatively of a service like CarPlay . The build - in function entirely fill the screen , with step - by - step directions on one side and a graphic mapping on the other . At a glance , the software actually look good — which is more than almost every other bequest automaker can claim .
There are other things that I bed about the fomite ’s controls . Outside of the display , you ’ll turn the power on by turning a little knob that simulate turning a key . If only Mini built similarly cool controls for clime .
Extra taps are the enemy
respectable feel do n’t mean software is well - designed , unfortunately . Software also has to work well — and Mini is just so closelipped , yet so far .
let start with CarPlay — a table service that many customers will desire to employ . unluckily , CarPlayis stuck in a rectangular window in the big , round display , immediately making the usable space of the computer software a whole peck smaller . That , of course of action , ca n’t be blame on Mini — but it is something that Mini has to argue with if it wants a orotund silver screen .
CarPlay integration is pretty good in the vehicle — but not double-dyed . I love the fact that the shortcut buttons on the menu taproom incorporate with CarPlay where necessary . The media button brings up your media , while the maps button jump you straight into CarPlay ’s maps and the headphone clit pulls up the earpiece app . The only thing pretermit ? A way to get to CarPlay ’s plate screen . The Home button in that bill of fare bar is world-wide to Mini ’s software , which makes sense . But I use the contraption - base CarPlay place screen , with my map and media all on the same display . Mini ’s execution mean that if I jump into the climate controls screen , I have to wiretap the media button ( or maps , or phone ) , then tap CarPlay ’s own family button to get back to the main CarPlay cover . That ’s a roundabout way to get back to a covert that mint of CarPlay customers use . I ’m not indisputable on the veracious fix for this menu bar strategy — perhaps if there ’s a way for Mini to sleep with a user was using that main screen , then both the maps and metier release would bring you back to it .
But the confusion extend beyond CarPlay — and straight into climate ascendency . There ’s dependable news program and bad news . The good news is how the climate controls search . The bad news is that they do n’t do what you consider they should do ground on how they look .
With the A / C on , you ’ll have a small circular badge establish you the temperature , mightily in the middle of what look like should be a Pseudemys scripta . Slide up , into the red , for warm , and down , into the wild blue yonder , for cold , right ? Well , it is a slider — but to access it , you first have to tap on the temperature , then slide up or down . That ’s just zany — excess taps when you ’re driving are unsafe . Even worse is that the slider only controls temperature . You ca n’t check fan amphetamine without tap a separate button , in the menu bar , which bring you to a full - screen door mood ascendency menu . There ’s plenty of space for persistent sports fan speed controls , and frankly , they should be there .
Getting better
Are these major issues ? No , they ’re not — but they do represent the fact that carmakers still have n’t figured out that their software should be as easy to habituate as possible . Extra taps are the enemy of automotive infotainment pattern , but carmakers seem have failed to recognise that to this power point .
Mini ’s infotainment system is n’t just magic — it actually verges on being very well - designed , and it ’s certainly well designed than efforts from most other legacy automakers . I prize that Mini has made a serious try , and the software was loosely rattling and responsive , which always assist . I just hope the troupe continues to repeat on it .
