CNN Money review of the Model 3 - not very flattering

[N5329K]

Religion should never be a component of control design except in churches.

The ability to control all functions of a car without taking your eyes off the road is the ultimate user interface (ex - F1).

Touch screens are old and inexpensive technology. I've thrown away enough of them to lend some credence to that. Heck they put it everywhere since it saves money. Yeah, it USED to be expensive state-of-the art tech, it was in notebook+tablets before either the iPhone or iPad were born. I just went into the Junk Computer Room, and found the oldest I could in 60 seconds. It's a 2007 Touch Screen HP Tablet+Notebook. I can't remember the price but IIRC, twice as expensive as normal notebooks of the same specs. I doubt that was the first of it's kind. But that was a decade ago and things change.

There is nothing wrong with Tesla using an All-In-One touch-screen to control the car functions to save money. But it's not the best possible user interface, it's just cheaper to produce. Representing it as superior next-generation technology is ignoring both the history of the touch screen, and the current implementations of it in modern cars.

It wouldn't be the first time Silicon Valley created a bug and then sold it as a feature.
Robin

 

[Moderatefan]

That's last years news! For one, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, in yesterday's news: US transport secretary to unveil revised self-driving car guidelines; will take down legal barriers - Firstpost

Wow they make changes every 3 months, albeit for less regulation, not more.

Honestly, I am still not sure how this would be achievable

NHTSA said in a report that it wanted to find any “unnecessary regulatory barriers” to self-driving cars “particularly those that are not equipped with controls for a human driver.”

First of all, we have snow conditions, when no road markings are available. Then, some extreme scenarios like floods or earthquakes with downed bridges etc. Seems to me "not equipped with controls for a human driver" is still a bit far fetched for today.

 

[davedavedave]

Wow they make changes every 3 months, albeit for less regulation, not more.

Honestly, I am still not sure how this would be achievable
First of all, we have snow conditions, when no road markings are available. Then, some extreme scenarios like floods or earthquakes with downed bridges etc. Seems to me "not equipped with controls for a human driver" is still a bit far fetched for today.

Totally agree! Heck, even just everyday roadwork.

 

[McRat]

... Seems to me "not equipped with controls for a human driver" is still a bit far fetched for today.

 

[Moderatefan]

View attachment 273736

This is totally wrong, there's no reason to look forward if you don't have control.

 

[jbcarioca]

Religion should never be a component of control design except in churches.

The ability to control all functions of a car without taking your eyes off the road is the ultimate user interface (ex - F1).

Touch screens are old and inexpensive technology. I've thrown away enough of them to lend some credence to that. Heck they put it everywhere since it saves money. Yeah, it USED to be expensive state-of-the art tech, it was in notebook+tablets before either the iPhone or iPad were born. I just went into the Junk Computer Room, and found the oldest I could in 60 seconds. It's a 2007 Touch Screen HP Tablet+Notebook. I can't remember the price but IIRC, twice as expensive as normal notebooks of the same specs. I doubt that was the first of it's kind. But that was a decade ago and things change.

There is nothing wrong with Tesla using an All-In-One touch-screen to control the car functions to save money. But it's not the best possible user interface, it's just cheaper to produce. Representing it as superior next-generation technology is ignoring both the history of the touch screen, and the current implementations of it in modern cars.

Maybe you forgot that most Model 3 functions are to be voice controlled.

 

[McRat]

Maybe you forgot that most Model 3 functions are to be voice controlled.

What is the current status of the Model S audio command interface as far as accuracy goes? This should give you a good idea what Model 3 status is.

NOTE: I'm not a Model S/X owner. It's a genuine question. The GM system was sort of bleak in 2004 but is pretty good today. Does not require training and has a high accuracy with both male and female voices.

 

[Ken7]

What is the current status of the Model S audio command interface as far as accuracy goes? This should give you a good idea what Model 3 status is.

NOTE: I'm not a Model S/X owner. It's a genuine question. The GM system was sort of bleak in 2004 but is pretty good today. Does not require training and has a high accuracy.

I find it to be truly excellent for the features that it does control. Voice control in most cars is dismal in terms of understanding what you're actually saying. In my Model S, using the navigation as an example, it seems to understand everything I say with a high degree of accuracy.

 

[McRat]

I find it to be truly excellent for the features that it does control. Voice control in most cars is dismal in terms of understanding what you're actually saying. In my Model S, using the navigation as an example, it seems to understand everything I say with a high degree of accuracy.

So the Model 3 should be pretty good once you learn the allowable vocabulary. I still do not know all the commands on the GMs. But most of them are phone/NAV/infotainment commands.

 

[cella]

Maybe you forgot that most Model 3 functions are to be voice controlled.

I think there are situations where voice control just doesn't cut it. For example, when there is a sudden downpour impairing my view and the auto-wipers aren't as fast as I'd like, I'd rather just move a stalk than press a button, wait for the voice prompt, say "increase wiper speed" and then hope the computer understands me.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Not surprising. When you eliminate basic switches and controls and even an instrument cluster in the interest of saving a few bucks, you're giving up usability of the car. Less is clearly not always more.

What can't you do on the Model 3 that you can do on its competitor?

Keep in mind that I'm ready to name quite a few things that you Can't do in the competitors car....but I'm a gentleman so....you first.

 

[Garlan Garner]

So the Model 3 should be pretty good once you learn the allowable vocabulary. I still do not know all the commands on the GMs. But most of them are phone/NAV/infotainment commands.

The model 3 is great without learning voice commands. Just learn how the steering wheel controls change with each screen.

 

[myusername]

I have now read the thread. Few people seem to be getting to the real point, the way I see it anyway.

From day one Tesla has appealed to techies and greenies, but really techies who like and can afford high performance. Even S60's are high performance.
If people aren't happy smartphone users they'll hate driving a Tesla precisely for the same reasons that almost all owners like it. The cars are the smartphones of motor vehicles.

I have a couple of friends who like to ride in my Tesla but cannot understand anything about the controls; more to the point they do not want to. Greenies with that perspective could and should by Bolt or Ionic.

The Model 3 clearly is the iPhone X of cars. I love it. Everyone who is turned off by Face ID and voice controls will not enjoy the Model 3.

The Model 3 will be a massive success for years simply because it was designed for people who are well-educated in their prime accumulation years. Their are a handful of Geezers who love this stuff too, like me, but the car was NOT designed for geezers. Nobody who is uncomfortable with the evolving world of personal tech should be buying a Model 3 or any other Tesla.

Bluntly Tesla does not understand "generic". Hopefully it will never learn.

There is no shortage of buyers and investors who prefer the future to the past. Personally I'm happy that some companies are designing BEV's that look and act just like their ICE stablemates. We will not change the world with only Early Adopters!

except the iphone was created and billions of people came to it and loved it. now Tesla creates a car and people call it the iphone of cars because it has a touchscreen and it's different. the reason why people compare Tesla to Apple/iphone is because they want the stock to do what AAPL did. that's where this comparison came from. and now, Tesla has designed the car to match that idea.

POINT: Until Tesla takes 10% of the auto market, sells $40B+/yr in Tesla Energy, revolutionizes the global electrical system and does all that with 30%+ gross margins --- Tesla is NOT the IPhone of cars.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Religion should never be a component of control design except in churches.

The ability to control all functions of a car without taking your eyes off the road is the ultimate user interface (ex - F1).

Touch screens are old and inexpensive technology. I've thrown away enough of them to lend some credence to that. Heck they put it everywhere since it saves money. Yeah, it USED to be expensive state-of-the art tech, it was in notebook+tablets before either the iPhone or iPad were born. I just went into the Junk Computer Room, and found the oldest I could in 60 seconds. It's a 2007 Touch Screen HP Tablet+Notebook. I can't remember the price but IIRC, twice as expensive as normal notebooks of the same specs. I doubt that was the first of it's kind. But that was a decade ago and things change.

There is nothing wrong with Tesla using an All-In-One touch-screen to control the car functions to save money. But it's not the best possible user interface, it's just cheaper to produce. Representing it as superior next-generation technology is ignoring both the history of the touch screen, and the current implementations of it in modern cars.

Touch Screens Cheaper in value? I know of a few Teslas touching the $135K mark. The P100D is a beast.....but oh no......it has a touchscreen.

 

[oktane]

What can't you do on the Model 3 that you can do on its competitor?

Keep in mind that I'm ready to name quite a few things that you Can't do in the competitors car....but I'm a gentleman so....you first.

I do not own a Model 3 and have not driven one, full disclaimer.

However, my understanding is that most controls are via the touch screen.

I know how infuriating it is to attempt to turn off seat heating or adjust temperature/fan speed in the Model S while doing 80+ MPH down the highway and talking on the cell phone. It's just horrid to not have tactile controls for basic things like:

1. Radio station and volume
2. Climate control setpoint
3. Fan speed
4. Seat heaters

These are settings that get changed frequently during driving, and on "well designed cars" the ergonomics and ability to alter these settings without even a glance is HUUUUGE.

 

[oktane]

The model 3 is great without learning voice commands. Just learn how the steering wheel controls change with each screen.

Can you make any of these changes without taking your eyes of the road for a split second? What about figure out how fast you're driving?

Don't think so. Therein lies the problem.

Voice control is an obvious solution, but if it's cloud based there is too much latency for it to be practical. Plus, you can't easily make changes while taking a phone call or if there is rain noise.

 

[myusername]

Can you make any of these changes without taking your eyes of the road for a split second? What about figure out how fast you're driving?

Don't think so. Therein lies the problem.

Voice control is an obvious solution, but if it's cloud based there is too much latency for it to be practical. Plus, you can't easily make changes while taking a phone call or if there is rain noise.

if voice control was an obvious solution, then why didn't they roll it out with it in the first place? why does Elon respond with "we're fixing it" when confronted with the problem of a touch screen only design? they just released the car! they're admittedly delivering a car that Elon has openly suggested needs to be changed for safety reasons.

 

[m34me]

The point (I think) being made is that people are being sold on the idea that limited physical controls is a feature, when it isn't, in some folk's opinions. There is a reason it is illegal to operate a phone while driving, it requires looking away from the road and is a distraction. Operating controls on stalks and a limited number of control levers/knobs that can be operated with muscle memory is safer. I think some folks are confusing Tesla wanting to save money by having a minimalist design and that being the desired outcome and thus more expensive/premium. It is marketing genius on Tesla's part for sure, but some people aren't drinking the koolaid.

 

[m34me]

I should clarify (I couldn't find the edit button), by "Tesla wanting to save money" I meant get the price down to $35K.

 

[kbM3]

Religion should never be a component of control design except in churches.

The ability to control all functions of a car without taking your eyes off the road is the ultimate user interface (ex - F1).

Touch screens are old and inexpensive technology. I've thrown away enough of them to lend some credence to that. Heck they put it everywhere since it saves money. Yeah, it USED to be expensive state-of-the art tech, it was in notebook+tablets before either the iPhone or iPad were born. I just went into the Junk Computer Room, and found the oldest I could in 60 seconds. It's a 2007 Touch Screen HP Tablet+Notebook. I can't remember the price but IIRC, twice as expensive as normal notebooks of the same specs. I doubt that was the first of it's kind. But that was a decade ago and things change.

There is nothing wrong with Tesla using an All-In-One touch-screen to control the car functions to save money. But it's not the best possible user interface, it's just cheaper to produce. Representing it as superior next-generation technology is ignoring both the history of the touch screen, and the current implementations of it in modern cars.

Once again, you’re stuck in the past. The things about which you complain become less important with every improvement.

Tesla’s are the only cars that continually improve.

Everything you are complaining about, will soon become a non-issue.