Sorry for the slow response to the touchscreen problems. Hate to backtrack but it’s the single most annoying thing in a 197 for a driver. (Well, for me at least)
The interface feels like it was designed by a child. For example, you have to set the ASDO up everytime you start the day, shunt out of course or attach/detach a unit. The system has no clue where it is so brings up a massive list of nearby stations and before you can do it the guard keys in and the system is disabled to the driver. Once the guard keys out, the driver has to go back through the slow menu and set it up (this is when the guard give you “ready to start” and you’re still playing with the stupid computer.) WHY!
ASDO aside, I’ve many other issues with it, but the HMI as said above is teadious at best. At worst it’s damn right frustrating. You can be inputting certain settings and the screen will just go off! You turn it back on and start from scratch……. Then it goes off again!! Really setting me in the right frame of mind to drive a train yeah!!
Then if ya doing something on one screen, and naturally go into neutral the screen changes and you have to start your process again. Heating controls are pathetic as stated above but I want to reiterate it as even when you do set a temp the heaters and aircon just does what it wants. If there’s an engine out the guard gets full AC and no heat so have to trip the circuit breaker in their cab or freeze. God forbid it rains and every window in the cab immediately steams up and you can’t see except the front window and that’s only because it’s got demist and 3 high powered air vents pointing at it. Oh, the drinks holder breaks every 40 miles….. that’s annoying and the in cab bin randomly falls when you use it.
The HMI is meant to stay on for 30 seconds but this was argued after implementation that was too long so they made it 10 seconds. It’s never 30 or 10 seconds, it just does random stuff and then as you’re driving it’ll flash up all sorts of pointless info like the door cameras aren’t working (we know, we have them switched off). Seriously, it’s the worst thought out pile of garbage anyone could have conceived and I’m not even nearly finished with my list of complaints. They are awful.
Oh here’s a good one whilst I’m at it, you type in the headcode and it’s meant to sort out the passenger info for you. Except if a headcode for Chester to Manchester matches with a headcode 10 hours earlier or in Merthyr Swansea or wherever, it has to ask you to confirm………. I mean, can that not be sorted by matching the GPS and time at all no?? Some of the faults that pop up mention how to fix them, except it’s the wrong information and the CBs are in different places. I’m so fed up with it. I’ve used blackberry devices with less problems I really have. I could go on but I think this sets the tone of my dislike for everything about them.
There’s no way anyone can design a system like this and think they’ve done a good job.
