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Feature request: map scale or distance indicator

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The map in the car could be improved by adding a map scale or distance indicator. The benefit for the user is, when a measure of distance is included in the map, that it improves the sense of the scale of the map shown. This is especially in unfamiliar terrain an advantage. The units used, (kilo)meters or miles, should be taken from the car's user settings.

Here is an example of how this is implemented in Google Maps used in a browser on a desktop computer:

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Here is how it could be implemented for the map in a Tesla:

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If you support this feature request, please bring it under the attention of Tesla via the appropriate channels.
 
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The map in the car could be improved by adding a map scale or distance indicator.
[snip]
If you support this feature request, please bring it under the attention of Tesla via the appropriate channels.
Not needed IMO. Flying down the highway, am I supposed to stare at the screen trying to equate a scale to the map? Why? If I'm concerned about scale in an unfamiliar setting, I'm probably using navigation to go someplace. The route is highlighted, as well as the distance to the next turn. This info can be gleaned by a simple glance at the screen.

While I agree it's useful for some platforms, I just can't see it being useful in a moving vehicle where my eyes are on the road.
 
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Not needed IMO. Flying down the highway, am I supposed to stare at the screen trying to equate a scale to the map? Why? If I'm concerned about scale in an unfamiliar setting, I'm probably using navigation to go someplace. The route is highlighted, as well as the distance to the next turn. This info can be gleaned by a simple glance at the screen.

While I agree it's useful for some platforms, I just can't see it being useful in a moving vehicle where my eyes are on the road.

Thanks for your reply. It is not intended for use while driving at high speed but to get a sense of distance when setting up navigation (while standing still) or browsing the map. Additionally, you might not want to use the navigation - breaking the current navigation - to get a feeling of a distance between two objects or the size of an object.

The feature could e.g. only show up in the mode when super chargers are shown, as to keep the normal view as minimal as possible. But for me, it may be shown always as it is good practice for any map, similarly that North should always be indicated.
 
Got it. While I understand your use case, IMO it would be better to incorporate a voice command, which is how I use SIRI now, "Hey SIRI, how far is it to X from here?"

Were Tesla to add that as a feature would be nice I guess, but with a smartphone already within reach, it is of limited value, for me at least. Perhaps if it would display a route overlay without disrupting the current route being displayed would be interesting.

Good luck with your movement to have Tesla add this as a feature!
 
Not needed IMO. Flying down the highway, am I supposed to stare at the screen trying to equate a scale to the map? Why? If I'm concerned about scale in an unfamiliar setting, I'm probably using navigation to go someplace. The route is highlighted, as well as the distance to the next turn. This info can be gleaned by a simple glance at the screen.

While I agree it's useful for some platforms, I just can't see it being useful in a moving vehicle where my eyes are on the road.

How else do you know if something is 500 ft, 5 miles, or 50 miles? Currently you have to look at the context (how many minor roads are displayed, how far off is that curve in the interstate that I already know is up ahead?) to figure this out. It's precisely when you are in unfamiliar areas that you need to look at the map and quickly get some indication of scale.
 
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How else do you know if something is 500 ft, 5 miles, or 50 miles? Currently you have to look at the context (how many minor roads are displayed, how far off is that curve in the interstate that I already know is up ahead?) to figure this out. It's precisely when you are in unfamiliar areas that you need to look at the map and quickly get some indication of scale.
As stated, whether moving or stopped: "Hey SIRI, how far is X from here?"

Doesn't get any easier than that. And, it's all hands and eyes off the road free. Why do I want to use a map to try and figure out what is light years ahead easier? I guess I don't get the point in todays tech world.
 
As stated, whether moving or stopped: "Hey SIRI, how far is X from here?"

Doesn't get any easier than that. And, it's all hands and eyes off the road free. Why do I want to use a map to try and figure out what is light years ahead easier? I guess I don't get the point in todays tech world.
I'd like to be nice about this, but your comment is completely ridiculous. You argue that a map scale is not needed on the in-car navigation system because you use a completely different system for this purpose. In fact, this line of reasoning emphasizes that this useful piece of information is missing from the screen.
 
As stated, whether moving or stopped: "Hey SIRI, how far is X from here?"

Doesn't get any easier than that. And, it's all hands and eyes off the road free. Why do I want to use a map to try and figure out what is light years ahead easier? I guess I don't get the point in todays tech world.

SIRI is not supplied by Tesla, nor is it in Android phones, so quit using this lame analogy. The OP has a valid point, in that a map must be accompanied by a scale, or a disclaimer that it is "not to scale".
 
I'd like to be nice about this, but your comment is completely ridiculous. You argue that a map scale is not needed on the in-car navigation system because you use a completely different system for this purpose. In fact, this line of reasoning emphasizes that this useful piece of information is missing from the screen.
I never said I use a scale on a map to measure anything on a different system. That is your misinterpretation of what I said. Get real already.

Certainly entitled to your opinion, but my phone, and I'm sure yours as well, is with me wherever I am. My contention is it is much easier to ask someone (or in this case, something) for a simple measurement than it is to futz with the screen trying to use a visual guesstimate to try and measure the distance to "something."

Try it while tooling down the highway at 80 MPH first, then get back to me how easy you found it. Talk about ridiculous, not to mention unsafe.

I already said it would be nice to be able to use voice to ask for measurements similar to using a smartphone, including temporarily displaying a route on the map. You believe displaying a scale would be betterI suppose. :rolleyes:

I do trip planning by more advanced means. Looking at a map is kind of old school for measurement sake. Distance to the next turn, and even waypoints if you know what you're doing, is already displayed on screen. You need more than that?
 
SIRI is not supplied by Tesla, nor is it in Android phones, so quit using this lame analogy. The OP has a valid point, in that a map must be accompanied by a scale, or a disclaimer that it is "not to scale".
SIRI is supported by all iPhones, which still have speakers in them or even Bluetooth. Don't see you point here...

I'm sure whatever phone you have has a means of using it hands free, another point that's meaningless.

You believe a map has to state it's not to scale? Really? A map?
 
Thanks for all the alternatives, however a simple map scale indicator serves much more functions. As given as example, the size of an object or distance between to objects. Could be a building, a block of houses, width of a country. And to simply and directly get a sense of the size - while not driving or the passenger is using the map - the proposed alternatives are more cumbersome.
 
Thanks for all the alternatives, however a simple map scale indicator serves much more functions. As given as example, the size of an object or distance between to objects. Could be a building, a block of houses, width of a country. And to simply and directly get a sense of the size - while not driving or the passenger is using the map - the proposed alternatives are more cumbersome.
Okay. I guess I never had a need in my car to measure the size of a building or straight line distance between two objects. I use is for following a route or Earth view when trying to locate Superchargers in unfamiliar locations.

Again, I wish you good luck in your quest. Personally, I'd prefer Tesla work on more important (perhaps to me only?) functionality. :)