I was just thinking TMC needed another thread about the Model 3 driver/car interface with people asking for changes that Elon has made clear won't be happening.
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How much more would you pay for a driver instrument cluster?
- Thread starter slipnslider
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- instrument panel Model 3
I agree with the OP that Elon is likely to be surprised at how important an instrument cluster is to a lot of people.
A car without a dedicated instrument cluster feels like a cheap cost-cutting measure to me. Tesla is an aspirational brand and should not be taking a risk like this that will undermine this perception, especially on their most important car to date. I think that a very high percentage of Model 3 buyers would opt for an instrument cluster if it were offered as a $500-$1K option.
I am going to wait for the final reveal before deciding whether to keep my Model S or to go with a Model 3, but I am not holding my breath on this - Elon's recent tweets have been very clear - no display and no HUD. The only strand of hope left is the "It feels like a spaceship" comment from a year ago. Fingers are crossed...
A car without a dedicated instrument cluster feels like a cheap cost-cutting measure to me. Tesla is an aspirational brand and should not be taking a risk like this that will undermine this perception, especially on their most important car to date. I think that a very high percentage of Model 3 buyers would opt for an instrument cluster if it were offered as a $500-$1K option.
I am going to wait for the final reveal before deciding whether to keep my Model S or to go with a Model 3, but I am not holding my breath on this - Elon's recent tweets have been very clear - no display and no HUD. The only strand of hope left is the "It feels like a spaceship" comment from a year ago. Fingers are crossed...
Waiting4M3
Active Member
I think we've seen what tesla has designed. An ipad and that's all you get. These new test cars are being built on the production line aren't they? Therefore production cars will have an ipad like these first run models. He's not going to rebuild the production line at this point.
Again, I dont understand the assumption that because tesla customers think ICE engines are outdated, that that means they think traditional control surfaces should be abandoned too.
Petra
Member
$0
It'll probably be fine, but I'll reserve final judgement for when I eventually sit in a Model 3. I generally like the interface of my Model S and I can think of ways for a single screen setup to work, so I'm not particularly concerned at this point.
It'll probably be fine, but I'll reserve final judgement for when I eventually sit in a Model 3. I generally like the interface of my Model S and I can think of ways for a single screen setup to work, so I'm not particularly concerned at this point.
Sounds like you should be buying an Acura then....
But your TLX might be obsolete in 3 years. Actually, might be obsolete in 9 months. 2018 is going to change a lot of things. Not sure what the cheapest Caddy will be with semi-autonomy, nor what the M3 will run with semi-autonomy, but Honda isn't setting records.
BTW - I'd never buy a TLX that did not come with a full tank of fuel each morning. That's tech from 8 years ago. How the HELL can a car be considered 'luxury' if you must drive somewhere and pump foul smelling fuel into it? How freakin' primitive! Do you have to hand crank the engine also? Are the headlights electric? Do you have to run it awhile before the engine and heater work as they are supposed to in the literature?
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Good news, you can have everything that you are looking for in the Bolt. Of course you have to give up a little but it is still a great car. If you pay attention to how many times you look at the speedometer vs the radio/nav you might be surprised. I didn't realize that the center might be a better spot, especially with the colored background indicators.
No one says that all traditional control surfaces should be abandoned. Just those in a Tesla, cause otherwise it would be a bolt with better charging infrastructure.
No car is perfect for everyone.
FlyF4
Son of a MX
Agree.
You hit on a point that drives me nuts about marketing people
Decades ago when you could still buy something for $10 at a store, then $9.95 was a half percent cheaper and MAYBE sounded better, but it means nothing to chop $1 off of a $40,000 product in hopes to trick me into thinking it really isn't $40,000. Every time someone quotes me a price in the store or on the phone such as "it's just $99.99". I tell them... "So it is a hundred dollars. If you think I'm dumb and suckered by the penny savings on $100, then you are the dumb one, not me." I wonder when the millennial generation of marketers will start advertising a car price as "JUST $99,999.99 !!!
Big-T
Member
When I get my Model 3 I want my co-workers to start salivating over it, I want them to ask me questions on how they can get in line and get one too. I want to send them to review sites that call the model 3 amazing and the car of the year. I don't want to have to defend why there isn't an info cluster, or why it looks like IKEA got the interior design contract. I don't want to hear from all the mainstream review sites out there about how it's weird there's no instrument cluster on this thing.
I sure don't want to catch an episode of Grand Tour next year where Jeremy Clarkson dings the car for a crappy interior, no useful driver info and how it's a good car DESPITE all the missing stuff. I want him to gush over every aspect of the car.
I'm not saying all my fears will come true, we haven't seen the inside- but yeah I'd pay extra for a decent interior, including some driver side info cluster. I hope there's some sort of meaningful interior upgrade that's option.
I sure don't want to catch an episode of Grand Tour next year where Jeremy Clarkson dings the car for a crappy interior, no useful driver info and how it's a good car DESPITE all the missing stuff. I want him to gush over every aspect of the car.
I'm not saying all my fears will come true, we haven't seen the inside- but yeah I'd pay extra for a decent interior, including some driver side info cluster. I hope there's some sort of meaningful interior upgrade that's option.
If you add up all the 'wants' and 'must haves' people have listed for the unreleased Model 3, it appears everybody really wants a Model S, not an entirely new entry level EV at 1/2 the price of the Model S.
Well... GOOD NEWS!! You have your choice of Inventory, Custom Ordering, or CPO cars right now ...
Well... GOOD NEWS!! You have your choice of Inventory, Custom Ordering, or CPO cars right now ...
Meh. People complained when floppy/cd drives went away and then again now as headphone jacks disappear. This is a routine thing that the tech world has had to challenge and I think the simplified interior is the right way to go even if it takes people a while to adjust.
I'm waiting for the removal of side mirrors in lieu of a camera based solution. That will be a nice change and improve the highway range.
BluestarE3
Active Member
Can't the same fears be said when some cars eliminated such "normal" things as manual/standard transmissions, spare tires, front grilles, tailfins, wing vents, front bench seats, 8-track/cassette/CD decks, some physical/mechanical buttons in favor of touchscreens, or even gasoline engines? Yet, people are not running away from such vehicles in droves.
Sure, there will be some resistance and griping initially from some people who don't like anything that's different from what they're accustomed to. But sometimes you have to lead people rather than just follow the status quo if you want to effect any change. Is there risk associated with change? Sure, but there's also risk in NOT changing. If you don't take risks, you'll never improve. Time will tell if this particular design change will be accepted and succeed or not. If the vast majority of the Model 3 reservations convert to sales and new orders continue to come in at a rapid rate, its interior and user interface will become the new norm. If it flops, then Tesla will have to modify their interior/UI accordingly.
Anyone who can't accept what's shown after the final reveal or are concerned about what others might think of their future car should consider canceling their current reservation. No one should feel "forced" into buying something they don't like or about which they have to feel apologetic.
