Firmware 7.0 - For Classic Model S

[SeminoleFSU]

I'm skeptical that there's a difference between the AP RWD drive trains and our classic DU's... I think there's a possibility this is Tesla purposefully holding back some improvements to make us feel pain so we'll be more tempted to trade-in and upgrade to a new model.... If this is not the case, then someone should really ask Elon to stop speaking so generally because it is pissing people off when you say X or Y will happen for all cars in the fleet but it really means *all cars made after this date or with this hardware... It sounds good in a press release to non-Tesla owners who don't know the difference but it royally pisses off your existing customers who are currently your PRIMARY marketing conduit to future potential customers.

On a totally different note it would be wonderful if Tesla offered toggles on what UI elements we want to appear where... Toy car on/off, battery large/small, full date/time on/off, etc... or just themes??? Classic theme vs new theme?

I appreciate the snappier feel of v7, but the toy car is a distraction and adds no value... I also feel the loss of information I used all the time (temp, full date, larger battery display, etc) is not something they had to do esp for non-AP cars... I can kind of understand (although still disagree with) removing some of the competing info for the AP cars where you have all that distracting parking sensor data showing in near real-time... but for the classic cars, it actually took away from the experience.

 

[tomas]

I'm skeptical that there's a difference between the AP RWD drive trains and our classic DU's... I think this is Tesla purposefully holding back some improvements to make us feel pain so we'll be more tempted to upgrade....

Conspiracy theory galore. C'mon, upgrade because of slightly more refined hill hold and as yet undefined very low speed "smoothness"? If D or AP didn't make you upgrade, do you really think Tesla thinks THIS would put you over the line? Ridiculous!!!!

 

[ohmman]

Prior to Apple's announcement of iOS 7, Tim Cook and others said that the design would be "polarizing". And the reaction was just that - some people (like me) were so happy to get rid of the shackles of skeumorphism and go to something we deemed attractive. Others felt like it was "ugly" and had a lot of complaining to do.

Fast forward a couple of years, and the iPhone market share has risen in that time period, despite increased competition. I don't often talk to people who reminisce about the faux leather notepad or calendar, though I'm sure they exist.

It appears this upgrade is similarly polarizing, from reading this thread and all of the other related (identical?) ones. Hopefully Tesla will have some of Apple's good fortune with regards to turning people over to their style choices.

I have yet to upgrade my classic to 7.0, but I plan to do so. From what I've read here, I'm guessing there are some design and UI tweaks necessary, but I'll personally be glad to get rid of the "shelf" look to the icons atop my 17" screen. I'm not looking forward to seeing the bright white car icon in the center of my IC, but my guess is that it's gone in 7.1. The rest? It's just design, driven by fashion, and subject to continued change.

Edited to add: I wonder about the correlation between those who dislike the new MX nose/dislike 7.0 UI changes.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

Yep, service can see my individual tire pressures, but as an owner, I'm apparently not to be trusted with such sensitive information. They can be associated with individual tires, they would just have to be manually associated. Which is EASY! Just lower the pressure on one tire, check the TPMS readout, and assign the lower pressure tire to the location of the tire whose pressure you just lowered! Good lord, Tesla could reduce this to a simple wizard that could walk a person through re-association after a tire rotation.

This is similar to my beef about the speed assist feature not being applicable to all cars with navigation, regardless of whether or not they have the AP sensors. This information is already available in the navigation database, we all have it, so why not let us have a GPS/nav-based version of speed assist?

Doing the above kind of stuff is what would impress me. They would actually be giving us real features and improvements instead of gimmicks.

And really, there was no way to give those without electromechanical brakes the new and improved version of brake/hill hold? I mean, if you can hold it for two seconds already using the existing feature, why can't you hold it indefinitely until the pedal is pressed? The software can already control the brakes in the older cars. It's doing it already.

absolutely this. have been wondering this for a while and I can only conclude that either 1) we aren't worth it because our cars have a configuration that is rapidly becoming a minority that tesla doesn't want to support or 2) Tesla doesn't want to give us all this stuff on purpose to "encourage" us to trade-in and upgrade to the latest and greatest.

 

[gavine]

Also, I have zero hill hold now. Before 7.0, my hill hold would engage in my driveway. Now it doesn't at all. Did they remove hill hold altogether on non-AP cars, or is something wrong with my car?

My hill hold is working again. Not sure why it didn't right after the update. Glad it's back again.

 

[dhanson865]

@Father,
My VIN is about 34k, which is the "older" TPMS and does NOT have the tire pressure widget.

I still think this is silly that they didn't value TPMS higher in the early Model S builds.

My 2012 Nissan Leaf gives me individual tire pressures by way of the OBDII port and a phone app of my choice (I use leafspy android).

I like to run very high tire pressures (at or near sidewall max) and hate to think I have to avoid buying an older used Model S because the wiring harness won't pass the TPMS data out to the dash or phone app.

I guess i'd just have to limit my choices to cars with AP sensors to avoid the older cars and to get AP features.

 

[tomas]

I still think this is silly that they didn't value TPMS higher in the early Model S builds.

I like to run very high tire pressures (at or near sidewall max) and hate to think I have to avoid buying an older used Model S because the wiring harness won't pass the TPMS data out to the dash or phone app.

that would be a very odd reason not to. All the big plusses and such a nit???

 

[Mark Z]

Add voice interface commands and seeing the controls will be less important. To avoid confusion with "Siri", why not "Elon"?

Hey Elon, what time is it?
Hey Elon, what is the range?
Hey Elon, what is the odometer?
Hey Elon, set the temperature to 72 degrees.
Hey Elon, set the driver seat heat to 2.

You get the idea. Am I being facetious, only if Tesla improves the visual recognition. Under certain circumstances, the 7.0 display needs some help to improve visual recognition and hand eye coordination. If Tesla Motors does not make any changes, then voice recognition would help under those circumstances. It will be interesting to read Consumer Reports take on the 7.0+ interface when driving on a bright sunny day as they wear their top rated sunglasses.

UPDATE: Siri can tell you the time or date hands free by charging the iPhone in the car and turning on the "Allow "Hey Siri"" setting in General:Siri. The Model S/X audio system will be used for the answer.

 

[dhanson865]

Thanks for the info! I just snagged the last Accutire BT TPMS from Amazon. It will be here on Saturday. Now which will get here first the third party tpms or V7.0? All in all I am pleased with most of what I have seen so far! I still get to drive the best car in the world so I am happy!

Peace,
Father Bill

Hmm, that looks like a good option for low VIN model S. I added it to my wish list in case I want to get a set later. Thanks.

- - - Updated - - -

that would be a very odd reason not to. All the big plusses and such a nit???

I don't make car purchases lightly and when I do I tend to keep them for a long long time barring accidents.

My current fleet includes a 2012, 2005, 1998 (still need to sell that one).

It isn't a reason to not buy a Tesla, it'd be a reason prodding me to buy a newer Tesla instead to avoid that nit.

Given the aftermarket solution quoted above it'd be a small factor, not a big one.

- - - Updated - - -

Add voice interface commands and seeing the controls will be less important. To avoid confusion with "Siri", why not "Elon"?

Hey Elon, what time is it?
Hey Elon, what is the range?
Hey Elon, what is the odometer?
Hey Elon, set the temperature to 72 degrees.
Hey Elon, set the driver seat heat to 2.

You get the idea. Am I being facetious, only if Tesla improves the visual recognition. Under certain circumstances, the 7.0 display needs some help to improve visual recognition and hand eye coordination. If Tesla Motors does not make any changes, then voice recognition would help under those circumstances. It will be interesting to read Consumer Reports take on the 7.0+ interface when driving on a bright sunny day as they wear their top rated sunglasses.

How about Tesla

Hey Tesla, what time is it?
and so on.

 

[gregincal]

Sometime's I just wonder if the v7 interface is what people had all along, and a software update came out that changed it to the previous interface just how much bitching there would be on the forums.

"I can no longer see when my brake lights are on."
"Why duplicate the time and temperature on the IC. It was always just fine on the center console and it clutters up the display where there should just be important information."
"Why do we need a huge honking picture of a battery in the middle of the display. The old one showed the battery state just fine."
"I can no longer see the app icons as clearly with a gray background. There isn't enough contrast."
"The nav panel doesn't show nearly as much detail as the old one."

 

[SeminoleFSU]

Conspiracy theory galore. C'mon, upgrade because of slightly more refined hill hold and as yet undefined very low speed "smoothness"? If D or AP didn't make you upgrade, do you really think Tesla thinks THIS would put you over the line? Ridiculous!!!!

I think it's a legitimate possibility that I happened to wonder out loud... sorry if it got your feathers ruffled. LOL

It's not just just hill hold and low speed smoothness.... it's performance improvements to the drive train... It's the countless hardware changes they've made since our cars have been built... The culmination of all these improvements have a strong allure by themselves... add on top of that purposeful holding back of improvements they could provide to classic vehicles with software updates and it could be the tipping point for a lot of folks (esp those with money to burn)...

So conspiracy theory or not, I find it completely plausible.. Having said that though, do I think it is the case in this situation? Well, I certainly hope not... The bottom line is, what puts people "over the line" is different for everybody... some have weak thresholds, others don't... bean counters at Tesla most likely know this and could potentially see it as a way to maximize sales/profits... and THAT is definitely NOT ridiculous

 

[ar4c]

Pretty sad that the Model S came out only 3 years ago, and models produced as recent as 1.5 years ago are referenced as "Classic Model S"

The Model S is great, but the rapid depreciation is almost like a PC at this point. You can buy a car full price today, and next week a better version comes out that wipes your resale value out, drastically more then a traditional car. Model years protects the consumers in my opinion.. rapid rollouts and constant improvements just mess up the resale values, period.

 

[DrGuest]

I've decided to fore go uploading v7.0. First update I've ever not uploaded. I'm happy with what I have and don't want to be unhappy with something else right now. I'll see how v7.1 looks later.

 

[traxila]

Stereo sound better?

Have 2013 classic s85 delivered May 2013.

I miss the battery in the middle, but if I had to guess this had to do with range anxiety... How many other cars slam you in the face continuously with how much range you have left?

The clock looks stupid. I want my trip meters back.

I have the standard sound system which was never great, but perfectly fine for my purposes...esp since my previous car was a 1997 Camry which I would still have if not for the electric car of my dreams.

The sound seems richer and more clear. It sounds better. Better half thinks so too. Obviously this is to like.

Anyone else notice diff?

 

[HankLloydRight]

I like to run very high tire pressures (at or near sidewall max) and hate to think I have to avoid buying an older used Model S because the wiring harness won't pass the TPMS data out to the dash or phone app.

I guess i'd just have to limit my choices to cars with AP sensors to avoid the older cars and to get AP features.

A lot of us have acquired the FOBO Plus tire pressure monitoring system. It works really really well. While not integrated into the car, it's really the next best solution for $150.

 

[Drucifer]

I have my screen set to 100% and I'm wishing for 110%.

Maybe if the brightness went to 11?

 

[Mark Z]

Maybe if the brightness went to 11?

UPDATE: Drucifer - Your idea for an 11 brightness is BRILLIANT. 24 hours later and my solution below got even better. 100% brightness is the maximum level of the backlight. BUT, Tesla Motors should add a 110% brightness setting that makes the gray text become bright white. The displays look fine on a cloudy day, so this bright white "repair" should be user selectable. With a 110% setting, it could be! With that in mind, here is the original post with a slight addition in italics:

At night, these displays look fine and I would not want the labels to become as bright as I am going to suggest below. The following suggestion is for daytime screens only!

Let me illustrate what could be easily done to solve the problem. Look at the brightness of the Tesla "T". Notice how the lock, temp, charge, driver, wi-fi and time are gray. This is at 100% brightness with the day setting. If Tesla Motors would have those top labels at the same brightness or bright white like the Tesla "T", that should be the first "repair" to fix the issue.

Notice the lower controls. The same issue occurs as the temperature (set at 74 because of colder A/C), AUTO and the speaker volume "))" are viewable with the bright white characters. The gray icons and "controls" text will become bright white after the object is touched and turned on. The problem is that during the daytime, the bright white is needed to see the controls. The red numbered circle still appears for the seat heat, so there is no reason that the control couldn't be at bright white instead of gray all the time. In the same way, the defrost, rear defrost and ^ up/down v buttons should always be at bright white in the daytime when at the 110% brightness level.

 

[supratachophobia]

Did anyone else notice that Display settings had an identical area on each setting tab? Seems odd and redundant.

 

[Tslynk67]

Thanks everyone for this excellent thread. Still waiting for the update this side of the Pond, but I was really fearing it and thinking to skip it altogether. However, from reading this, I think I'll run with it.

Regarding the improved RWD performance/torque sleep, etc. I'm wondering if this is linked to the version of the drive unit. The DU's have been undergoing continual-improvement, but right now they have a version 2, at least for P cars. I know this because I have a DU change scheduled for next week and Service Centre told me.

Wait and see...

For TPMS, is this related to the sensors in each tyre or to the receivers on the car?

 

[ohmman]

Pretty sad that the Model S came out only 3 years ago, and models produced as recent as 1.5 years ago are referenced as "Classic Model S"

The Model S is great, but the rapid depreciation is almost like a PC at this point. You can buy a car full price today, and next week a better version comes out that wipes your resale value out, drastically more then a traditional car. Model years protects the consumers in my opinion.. rapid rollouts and constant improvements just mess up the resale values, period.

"Pretty sad?" Please. Compare your Model S to any other vehicle except a newer Model S and you'll find that it's still far more advanced. Model years may protect consumers in your view, but only for that model year, and only if you buy at the release of that model year. If you buy later in the cycle, you're only protected for the months leading up to the new model.

If the argument is that the rate of innovation is more rapid without model years, that may have merit. But then what you're saying is you wish Tesla would become more stodgy.

I love my classic Model S. I don't feel like it's drastically devalued, and I plan to hold onto it for years. If the better MS weren't out there, and I were in the market for a new car, it's exactly the same car I'd buy again. So there's only one car better than mine right now, in my view. That's pretty great.