The Buick IntelliLink touchscreen buttons undergo strict testing before hitting the road.
©GM
Ever wonder how much work goes into making sure a component of your vehicle works flawlessly? Say, for example, how much testing the Buick IntelliLink touchscreen buttons undergo before they get the thumbs up to move forward? Answer: a helluva lot.
It’s important to users that their touchscreens don’t freeze up, especially behind the wheel. To make sure this doesn’t happen, engineers of the IntelliLink entertainment system have developed a testing system that presses buttons on the screen more than 2 million times in one week.
“Car shoppers expect their in-car infotainment systems to offer not only a full range of convenience features but also complete dependability and functionality,” said Karl Brauer, the senior editor of Kelley Blue Book. “That means a rapid response to user inputs and hardware components that consistently withstand consumer demands.”
To put the 2 million presses in perspective, the testing facility can simulate 210 days of continuous use in just a week. The simulations are varied, mimicking actual finger taps and pushes users might make. One of the simulations actually tracks what a driver might press (audio, climate, and navigation) if traveling from Detroit to Chicago.
“We test our systems in real vehicles, but as humans, we can only log so many hours inside a car,” remarked Robert Rimkus, the engineering group manager for GM’s Next Generation Infotainment systems. “These automated test stations help us push IntelliLink to its limits, ensuring customers get a system that’s consistently reliable in their own vehicles.”
Pretty cool stuff, eh? And that’s not all the tests do. According to Buick, there are a number of tests that “replicate situations owners may subconsciously encounter in the real world.”
So what are you waiting for? Start pressing your Buick IntelliLink touchscreen buttons. Trust us, they’re not going to freeze up anytime soon.
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