Center screen.. Why not flush?

[SeminoleFSU]

Hi all, I keep looking at that center screen and wonder if it sticks out too far (not flush) with the dash where it could be subject to passengers bumping into it and it also takes up extra space sticking out into the cabin? Does anyone else think this when they see it??

 

[JeffK]

Hi all, I keep looking at that center screen and wonder if it sticks out too far (not flush) with the dash where it could be subject to passengers bumping into it and it also takes up extra space sticking out into the cabin? Does anyone else think this when they see it??

Are you suggested Franz von Holzhausen - Wikipedia can't design cars?

With a horizontal display is really unlikely that passengers will hit it. We'll see what happens in crash testing though.

Your legs would need to be pretty high up to hit that screen

In a normal driving position you won't knee it, but if you were really tall and you foot wasn't near the pedals then you could probably knee it.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

Yea I was thinking knee but more so it just protruding into the cabin taking up space making the cabin feel smaller. Also if it isn't really well made hard stops during emergency braking or just people flailing about could bump it hard enough to weaken it on the mount maybe? Just seems odd to switch from what works really well on the MS. their line is to give the passenger an equal experience but my passengers can see the screen in my S just fine and isn't the instrumentation more about the driver anyway?

 

[SeminoleFSU]

PS I dont care about Franz or Hanz if it's a bad idea it's a bad idea. Like the FWDs....

 

[Bokonon]

I'll agree that it seems little counter-intuitive to orient the touchscreen horizontally in a narrower vehicle. That said, I wouldn't worry too much about the precise mounting mechanism and position of the touchscreen shown in the prototype... the production version will likely have a much more integrated design.

Keep in mind that the Model X prototype's touchscreen looked like this...

...but when it went to production, it looked like this:

 

[SeminoleFSU]

I'll agree that it seems little counter-intuitive to orient the touchscreen horizontally in a narrower vehicle. That said, I wouldn't worry too much about the precise mounting mechanism and position of the touchscreen shown in the prototype... the production version will likely have a much more integrated design.

Keep in mind that the Model X prototype's touchscreen looked like this...

...but when it went to production, it looked like this:

True. One can hope. I also think not having an instrument cluster is a mistake. The thought is the HUD will make up for it but I'm skeptical a HUD will be 100% visible in all lighting conditions, like sun on the horizon blaring you in the face, or foggy window conditions, heavy rain, etc

 

[yesup]

Just seems odd to switch from what works really well on the MS. their line is to give the passenger an equal experience but my passengers can see the screen in my S just fine and isn't the instrumentation more about the driver anyway?

It is different from Model S because it is meant to replace both instrument panel and the center display with just one screen.

The horizontal positioning would make the essential display widget at the left upper corner of the screen closer to the driver's line of sight when driving.

Why not flush? It would have made the dash much bigger and thicker for the screen to be positioned as high as it is now.
Otherwise, you would need to drop down the screen like how it is done in Model S and Model X.
This type of "External display" look allows a very small and thin dash, and more airy feel of the whole cabin.
BMW, Mercedes and Audi are all using a "tablet on a stand" look for center display instead of flush mounting them.

 

[daniel]

I would prefer flush, and an instrument cluster directly in front of the driver. Looking down and to the right to see the stats is a big distraction.

As an example, my 2004 Prius has the instruments in front of me, where I can see them without taking my eyes off the road. The MFD (multi-function display) is down and to the right, and I cannot look at it without taking my eyes off the road. Fortunately, there's nothing there I need to see unless I need to alter the climate settings, which can always wait until there's no traffic or I'm at a stop. But if, for example, the speedometer were moved there, it would be a very bad thing.

I've never had HUD, but as Seminole says above, I'd be concerned that the HUD might not always be visible in all lighting conditions. I also wonder (having never experienced HUD) whether it would partially block or distract from the view of the road and traffic ahead.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Reveal 3 next month. We will see.

Its amazing that it's almost 1 year since I waited out in the rain for a reservation.

 

[zenmaster]

If not the dash, then some sort of steering-wheel-integrated instrument display makes sense. Maybe something on the steering column.

 

[melindav]

I must not check my speed nearly as often as others, because I see no issue removing the display behind the steering wheel
(full disclosure: I do drive nearly exclusively on freeways in stop and go traffic where the primary reason to look at the speedometer is to lament not yet reaching 15MPH)

 

[S3XY]

I'll agree that it seems little counter-intuitive to orient the touchscreen horizontally in a narrower vehicle. That said, I wouldn't worry too much about the precise mounting mechanism and position of the touchscreen shown in the prototype... the production version will likely have a much more integrated design.

Keep in mind that the Model X prototype's touchscreen looked like this...

...but when it went to production, it looked like this:

When I first saw the M≡ display I figured the final design would have it integrated into the dash as, like you pointed out, they did in the MX. But as time has passed I get the feeling that WYSIWYG. It was mentioned at the unveiling (I think in one of the test drive videos) that they wanted to bring the display closer to the driver to make it easier to reach. In the alpha cars it really protrudes too far to reasonably integrate it into the dash. You would have to add a monstrous structure to the dash to "seamlessly" integrate it. That would not give you the clean, futuristic look that I think Tesla is aiming for. If you look closely at the Model X alpha you'll notice that they bluntly carved into the dash to mount the display. It's really already in the dash just not in a visually appealing way. So it didn't take much effort to integrate it in the production model. The alpha M≡'s display would not be easy to integrate if they intend to keep it closer to the driver. So now I'm expecting it to remain a separate element like it currently is. There could be some tweaking of the back mounting size/shape but I doubt it will change much.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

I would prefer flush, and an instrument cluster directly in front of the driver. Looking down and to the right to see the stats is a big distraction.

As an example, my 2004 Prius has the instruments in front of me, where I can see them without taking my eyes off the road. The MFD (multi-function display) is down and to the right, and I cannot look at it without taking my eyes off the road. Fortunately, there's nothing there I need to see unless I need to alter the climate settings, which can always wait until there's no traffic or I'm at a stop. But if, for example, the speedometer were moved there, it would be a very bad thing.

I've never had HUD, but as Seminole says above, I'd be concerned that the HUD might not always be visible in all lighting conditions. I also wonder (having never experienced HUD) whether it would partially block or distract from the view of the road and traffic ahead.

Yea I forgot to mention the partially block or distract part of the HUD, and the fact that it could cause your eyes to lose focus on the road ahead... that problem could get worse with corrective lenses on, or polarized... Although I've never used a car with one so I guess my concerns could be unfounded about the HUD.. Glad to see others in here agree this might not work out so well. I honestly thought I was gonna get ganged up on by the flock (only 2 dislikes, wow!!) for asking a simple question that had raised a little doubt in my mind :-\

 

[SeminoleFSU]

one last thought- hard objects with pointed corners protruding into the cabin don't feel good in crashes... If parts of your body don't hit the airbags or the airbags don't deploy.... greater opportunity for injury.

 

[JeffK]

one last thought- hard objects with pointed corners protruding into the cabin don't feel good in crashes... If parts of your body don't hit the airbags or the airbags don't deploy.... greater opportunity for injury.

I'm sure we'll see crash test videos in due time.

 

[Merrill]

I hope it is flush in the final design, looks bad and is dangerous.

 

[Matth3w]

one last thought- hard objects with pointed corners protruding into the cabin don't feel good in crashes... If parts of your body don't hit the airbags or the airbags don't deploy.... greater opportunity for injury.

Maybe it will be designed to sheer away when an airbag deploys, allowing it to bounce around harmlessly throughout the cabin.

 

[yesup]

I would prefer flush, and an instrument cluster directly in front of the driver. Looking down and to the right to see the stats is a big distraction.
As an example, my 2004 Prius has the instruments in front of me, where I can see them without taking my eyes off the road. The MFD (multi-function display) is down and to the right, and I cannot look at it without taking my eyes off the road.

The MFD in your Prius is right at the center and sits much further away.
The screen in Model 3 is much closer to the steering wheel, and I estimate that the eye movement from car in front to Left Upper Corner of Model 3 screen is LESS than from car in front to traditional instrument panel. Also remember that for some drivers, the steering wheel could be blocking part of the traditional instrument panel.

Yea I forgot to mention the partially block or distract part of the HUD, and the fact that it could cause your eyes to lose focus on the road ahead... that problem could get worse with corrective lenses on, or polarized...

First, I don't think there will be HUDs, but if they do, good HUD would put its image focal point just ahead of the car, so you would not lose focus on the road.

 

[Model 3]

Maybe it will be designed to sheer away when an airbag deploys, allowing it to bounce around harmlessly throughout the cabin.

So it could hit the kids in the backseat instead of the grownups in the front seats? Great idea!

</irony>

 

[daniel]

The MFD in your Prius is right at the center and sits much further away.
The screen in Model 3 is much closer to the steering wheel, and I estimate that the eye movement from car in front to Left Upper Corner of Model 3 screen is LESS than from car in front to traditional instrument panel. Also remember that for some drivers, the steering wheel could be blocking part of the traditional instrument panel.

Okay. I wonder, though, because I think that it's harder to track diagonally and then back to the road, than straight down and back to the road.

First, I don't think there will be HUDs, but if they do, good HUD would put its image focal point just ahead of the car, so you would not lose focus on the road.

Can they do that? Put the image ahead of the car? I thought they projected it onto the windshield. But then, I have no idea how HUD works.