Is anyone else not enthused about the single screen for all instrumentation? I was talking to friends about it this weekend, and as someone that works in technology I have quite a bit of distrust in the idea of one screen for all your essential driving information, including fuel capacity, speed, warning indicators, etc sharing space with the entertainment and navigation system when operating something as fundamentally dangerous as an automobile (even if we often forget how dangerous it is).<p>* I don't want to be at the whim of some designer's ideas as to whether when I switch navigation screens my fuel gauge and current speed should shrink or move to a separate area for better design flow. I want them at the same location no matter what.<p>* I don't want the added complexity of the entire entertainment and navigation system working against the stability of the system. I don't want poor quality of some random widget crashing my only information display.<p>* After the Jeep hacking a few years ago where there wasn't enough separation between the internet connected devices and features essential to operation of the vehicle, many commenters here were saying anything without an air-gap between the internet and CAN-bus is a security problem.[1] That may or may not be extreme, but putting everything together like this means I <i>really</i> want to know what steps they've taken to segregate and secure high-importance data channels in the car. I <i>really</i> hope the answer isn't "we have software that is responsible for firewalling access." When it comes to something like this, I really want some physical and/or hardware level separation.<p>1: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9921557" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9921557</a>
Having to look down at a center-mounted console to see your current speed seems dangerous.<p>Really, the whole "remove all tactile console controls and slap in an iPad" thing seems lazy and tacky.
I'm sorry, but the big flatscreen in the middle of the dash is just moronic.<p>I don't want to have to take my eyes off of the road to see my speed.<p>Humans like controlling things via touch. Ironically, since touch screens are smooth, there is zero tactile feedback. It's impossible to use it without looking at it, and if the driver is looking at the screen, they aren't looking at the road. This is especially true because of the touch screen's position relative to the driver.<p>A head up display projection directly on the windshield, directly in front of the driver (with control buttons on the steering wheel) should be the bare minimum for any modern car.
I'd like to see some real-world reports on how useable having most of the controls in the screen are. My first concern is being able to accurately interact with it while the car is moving -- personally my arm would be bouncing all over the place from car motion when the arm is extended that far.<p>As a point of reference, my Ford has their new Sync 3 system, and I often need to steady my hand by resting the thumb just past the edge of the screen. Many controls are available on my car as physical knobs, levers, and buttons, in addition to the screen, but some things like setting dual-zone climate control or manually moving the vent between floor and dash are screen only. And I typically can only mess with that at a stop light.<p>Now the counter-arguments on the Tesla would include that their self-driving capabilities decrease the risk of looking at the screen for a few seconds, and the screen placement probably helps too. But I'd still like to see some long-term reports as situations arise, such as when a passing truck sprays water/mud on the windshield and you need to quickly increase the speed of the wipers to high and put the windshield wash on. Or a rapidly changing climate condition causes the windshield to suddenly fog over (doesn't happen that often, but it has for me periodically), and you need to take a glove off to get the screen to work.<p>My other gripe is that the screen isn't molded into the dash, but on a stem sticking out -- it doesn't really look like it is part of the car. And looking at the pictures, the only thing I can think of is that this was a cost cut, as it is probably expensive designing and manufacturing all the normal dash controls.<p>But then again, I could be wrong, but if not, I really hope the rest of the industry doesn't follow. And I hope that this isn't a trend for Tesla, and future models will have more driver friendly controls.
All these comments about hardware buttons will in a few years inspire the same chuckles reading comments about how hardware keyboards are absolutely essential for cellphones from 2007.
I don't understand everyone's complaints about Model 3 missing tactile buttons. I went from BMW (which had buttons everywhere) to Model S. I have had the S for 2 years and have never missed any tactile button. Nor have I met any Model S owner who has said "I missed those buttons". Tesla allows for an overnight test drive. Try the S. You will not miss any buttons.
If the Tesla model 3 was really shipping with an advanced UI, it would feature real tactile dumb buttons. Instead, it removes utility for 'clean' lines. I appreciate the approach (e.g. it worked for Apple), but soft buttons are a bane, IMO.
For anyone interested, Doug DeMuro's video on the Model 3 is probably the most informative I've seen:<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te6VqldjTT8" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te6VqldjTT8</a>
Tesla now has a ton of experience. Can someone please help me understand why Model 3 production has been so challenging? I get this part that it requires a new production line and have its own part list. Is that the challenge?<p>Btw, detroitnews.com is a navigation nightmare - popup after popup, auto play ads
I wish they'd make one with less premium content and minimal weight, priced and competitive with something like a GTI or Civic Si.<p>I'd also like a Civic Type R, but the wait-list on those is just as silly.<p>They're making great cars, but you have to wait for them.
Although not professionally taken, those interior shots make it look terrible inside. The back seat looks like it might before a base model Dodge Dart or something. The dash looks like it is a vehicle driven by Robocop.
Holy cow, I didn't realize they were missing production by so much.<p>Estimated 20k in December and ended up being just 1,500. May as well have said they'd make a million of them lol.
iPhone of the cars?
Does it mean you will have to deal with some stupid or inferior solutions forever because Apple thinks it’s so perfect that nothing can be fixed?
"Unless you’ve been living on Mars, you know the Model 3’s production launch has been a pickle "<p>And if you're living on Mars...your Roadster is on its way