Firmware 7.0 - For Classic Model S

[Merrill]

If we have to display a toy car in the center of the screen, can we choose which one? My preference is a British Racing Green Jaguar XKE - was always my favorite toy car.
(Love my Model S Multi Coat Red with RED BRAKE LIGHTS displayed - we have yet to actually see them)

Elon: note to self - eliminate toy car.

I bought my first Jaguar in 1970, it was a Carmen Red XKE coupe with chrome wire wheels. My wife and I use to drive down highway 1 to your neck of the woods, lots of fun going south to Big Sur area. Would love to have the new F-Type R but unfortunately it burns gas.

 

[TexasEV]

The 'red on red' brake light display is really subtle - you have to look really closely- hence it is hardly a safety feature

I've driven my Model S for 2 1/2 years without ever knowing when the brake lights were on and never gave it a second thought. I trusted that they come on when the car decelerates. If they didn't we'd be hearing about lots of rear end collisions, but we're not. Why is this such a concern to some people?

 

[apacheguy]

The 'red on red' brake light display is really subtle - you have to look really closely- hence it is hardly a safety feature

^This. Perhaps the toy car is in need of a redesign? Perhaps it ought to be moved to a car status app and displayed much more largely and clearly on the side as an option.

I've driven my Model S for 2 1/2 years without ever knowing when the brake lights were on and never gave it a second thought. I trusted that they come on when the car decelerates. If they didn't we'd be hearing about lots of rear end collisions, but we're not. Why is this such a concern to some people?

Exactly. In my case it's been 3 years of never thinking about brake lights and now all of sudden everyone is getting in their Tesla's and thinking about their regen settings and squinting at their dashes to see a minuscule car icon. Hardly safe, IMO.

 

[smartypnz]

I personally do not need to know when the brake lights come on. I just assume they work correctly when I press the brake pedal.

However, to warn people behind that I am slowing due to hard regen, the rear lights should do a rapid flash to differentiate between the two. In that way, when I do use the brakes, the driver behind will not think I am crying "Wolf".

 

[BlkCld]

^This. Perhaps the toy car is in need of a redesign? Perhaps it ought to be moved to a car status app and displayed much more largely and clearly on the side as an option.



Exactly. In my case it's been 3 years of never thinking about brake lights and now all of sudden everyone is getting in their Tesla's and thinking about their regen settings and squinting at their dashes to see a minuscule car icon. Hardly safe, IMO.

Exactly what I thought. Not a safety feature as it has driver eyes more heads down than looking out. Potential now greater for a front end crash. The whole purpose of deceleration lights is to help prevent rear end crashes. If you are worried about the drivers behind, use your mirrors if you remember you have them.

Brake lights on for deceleration isn't new. I have a 2007 diesel motorhome that does the same with the engine brake feature on. No light on the dash in this case but also can be seen at night with the rear view camera just like the Model S.

 

[mknox]

In my opinion, the reality is that cars are moving past the Mustang era and are becoming computers on wheels, consumer electronics with evolving UIs. But we aren't used to that idea, yet. So when our car UI changes significantly, we resist it because we grew up with cars with a fixed UI. Those days are gone.
With every smartphone, table, and computer UI change, some people like them and some people hate them, and some just quietly adapt. It is impossible to satisfy everyone, but that shouldn't stop manufacturers from changing and evolving their UI design.
Sometimes UI changes are made and then quickly revised because of a high level of customer satisfaction. It already appears, based on the latest European Model S software, that Tesla has responded to customer concerns. Elon has made clear that the coming V7.1 release will introduce additional UI changes.
Interesting times...

I hear what you're saying, but still think there's a big difference between a smartphone and a 6-figure car. If I don't like the direction my phone's UI is going, I can fairly painlessly switch to another brand or OS. If I don't like Windows, I can install Linux. Changing and evolving the Tesla UI is indeed a good thing as long as it isn't forced on owners. I place a large degree of emphasis on the interior layout of my cars. In past cars, this included the switches and dials but in the Model S, with so much taken up by screens, it is the UI.

As I've said before, I don't know why they can't implement UI changes through user-selectable skins.

 

[bob_p]

Showing the brake lights on the dash is useful - a reminder that while you haven't pressed the brake pedal, drivers behind you may believe you are braking. Though I have a silver car - and it's pretty hard to see the brake lights on the car in the speedometer.

When my pano roof is open, the car status indicator doesn't show that. While it's pretty obvious when you're driving with the roof open - it's not always obvious when the roof is vented - and that would be useful to display.

And, even more important - would be to show the status of the air suspension - because this can be a potential safety issue. There should be some way to show the status of the suspension whenever it is anything but the normal position - either high or low - and an indicator whenever the suspension is automatically adjusting.

The biggest problem with the clock on the touchscreen is that the time is displayed above the passenger air bag status - making it much more difficult to quickly read than the other items on the top status bar of the touchscreen. There seems to be enough available space along the top to display the time by itself.

 

[Hometheatremaven]

I'm not saying we need the toy car display or that I'd rely on the rear brake lights, although it's an interesting distraction. I'm just saying that it should be able to be seen by all color cars, not just non-MC Red cars.

 

[TexasEV]

I personally do not need to know when the brake lights come on. I just assume they work correctly when I press the brake pedal.

However, to warn people behind that I am slowing due to hard regen, the rear lights should do a rapid flash to differentiate between the two. In that way, when I do use the brakes, the driver behind will not think I am crying "Wolf".

There is no difference between braking by pressing the brake pedal or braking by letting up off the accelerator and using regenerative braking. The car is slowing either way, and the brake lights go on either way. All the car behind you needs to know is you're slowing down, not how you're accomplishing it. If I saw brake lights on the car in front of me flashing rapidly I wouldn't know what it meant anyway.

 

[kenkamm]

Call me crazy, but I have to chuckle at all the debate about the brake lights indicator. I think people should look through the windshield, not stare at the IC hoping to reverse engineer the algorithm Tesla uses to illuminate the brake lights!

 

[dsm363]

I agree with a previous post about it being useful for about a day. You learn when the brake lights turn on and don't need it after that. The toy car should be moved to the car status app.

 

[mknox]

I agree with a previous post about it being useful for about a day. You learn when the brake lights turn on and don't need it after that. The toy car should be moved to the car status app.

Here's something weird I noticed about the toy car: Often I have to over-ride my auto headlights to turn them off. When I do, the toy car goes dark except in situations where it gets dark (driving into my garage, for instance). When that happens, the tail lights on the toy car come on, but not the headlights. I guess it's telling me that even though I have the headlights manually set to off, the sensor would otherwise be turning them on. It is weird to see the tail lights (not brake lights) lit but not the headlight blob.

 

[Cyclone]

Here's something weird I noticed about the toy car: Often I have to over-ride my auto headlights to turn them off. When I do, the toy car goes dark except in situations where it gets dark (driving into my garage, for instance). When that happens, the tail lights on the toy car come on, but not the headlights. I guess it's telling me that even though I have the headlights manually set to off, the sensor would otherwise be turning them on. It is weird to see the tail lights (not brake lights) lit but not the headlight blob.

I think it's little bits of ingenuity like this that make us all the more upset at things like loving the temp off the 17" back to the IC (in 2.7.77) when they easily could have been in both places, or the inclusion of ac operation details rather than simply a label "Auto" or "Custom". They should that Tesla's programmers can do a great job in providing nuanced details that may be valuable to us without overwhelming us. But then we see such "amateur" changes like the odometer being front and center, or when in "Auto" not knowing of its using fresh air or recirculated air, that make us question things.

My personal opinion is someone on the programming team has a great human factors background, but isn't empowered to speak up when others make programming decisions like this without such a background. And that truly is a shame because some programmers really know how to build some great UIs!

 

[apacheguy]

Call me crazy, but I have to chuckle at all the debate about the brake lights indicator. I think people should look through the windshield, not stare at the IC hoping to reverse engineer the algorithm Tesla uses to illuminate the brake lights!

All the more reason that Tesla should move it to a car status app and make it optional thus removing distraction bait (which is all it accomplishes in it's current position, IMO).

 

[HankLloydRight]

Just a random comment as I enjoy the speedo/energy dial in 6.2 Each of the blue, orange, and green indicators have this really attractive (to me) "neon tube" look to them -- bright at the edges and a gradient towards the center.. like they are gas tubes being energized as speed or energy increases. It really fits with the electric energy theme of the car (again, for me)... even a little bit of a "steampunk" look with those three colored indicators. I really like the time someone spent on designing and implementing those dials. But I'm sure as the UI progresses, those will be sadly lost to the "flat designers."

 

[jerry33]

Multi-coat Red​'s can't see the red brake light indicaters unless they have Superman's vision.

I can't really see them with a Silver car either. In addition, the car is so bright at night that it ruins night vision.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

In that note I'd also like the car to remind me when to rotate the tires based on my own selected interval. It's not rocket science, Elon!!

This is a good idea and the functionality could be tacked onto the Calendar since it involves reminders.

 

[tomp]

I don't see it being that simple - since you really want a notification that doesn't go away, until you tell it to, for tire rotation. Meaning, it's not just a simple "meeting" as other calendar events are. If you don't do it on the one day it shows up, then it would be easy to forget. Nonetheless, this sort of alert would be handy, although I bet it's pretty low on their list of to-do's.

This is a good idea and the functionality could be tacked onto the Calendar since it involves reminders.

 

[HankLloydRight]

although I bet it's pretty low on their list of to-do's.

Exactly!! Which is why they should just develop the SDK and let us do all the cool apps!

 

[tomp]

I wish I could be part of the "us"... I guess I can test...

Exactly!! Which is why they should just develop the SDK and let us do all the cool apps!