Jail time for adjusting wipers? (software dreams inside)

[WarwickPete]

Moderator comment - thread merged with "Jail time for adjusting wipers? (software dreams inside)"

The BBC have picked up a story from Germany that a driver has been fined for adjusting his wipers via the Tesla touchscreen whilst driving! He did crash, mind you. The court used the same law as would be applied to a mobile phone.

 

[WarwickPete]

The BBC have picked up a story from Germany that a driver has been fined for adjusting his wipers via the Tesla touchscreen whilst driving! He did crash, mind you. The court used the same law as would be applied to a mobile phone.

There is a link here....

Tesla touch controls land driver with fine

 

[MrBadger]

There is a link here....

And here Jail time for adjusting wipers? (software dreams inside)

Moderator comment - threads merged

 

[seadog]

Don't see how this can be imposed when there is no other way of controlling the wipers in the car. Germany should not have allowed the Tesla 3 to be for sale in their market if that is the case. Large touchscreen displays are becoming more and more common in car, no real difference touching the screen to control the wipers than it is using it for the audio or satnav functions.

 

[WarwickPete]

Don't see how this can be imposed when there is no other way of controlling the wipers in the car. Germany should not have allowed the Tesla 3 to be for sale in their market if that is the case. Large touchscreen displays are becoming more and more common in car, no real difference touching the screen to control the wipers than it is using it for the audio or satnav functions.

Likewise. I thought that if a vehicle had type approval for a particular market, then that was it - it complied with all the necessary regulations.

 

[TMThree]

Don't see how this can be imposed when there is no other way of controlling the wipers in the car. Germany should not have allowed the Tesla 3 to be for sale in their market if that is the case. Large touchscreen displays are becoming more and more common in car, no real difference touching the screen to control the wipers than it is using it for the audio or satnav functions.

Wrong. You can tap the wiper stalk to activate it. Long depress shoots washer fluid, short does wipe. And once you do either, the wiper menu shows up, so you don't need to drill into any menus for it. You can also just keep pressing the button as needed, or activate AP for a few seconds while you set it.

Someone also said you can do voice action for it, but I've never tried.

 

[seadog]

True, apologies, I meant changing the speed of the wipe. As you say you can control some functions from the stalk, it does bring up the menu on screen but you still have to touch it. Still think its a grey area if the car has been type approved in that country. Never tried the voice control either.

 

[Andy_T_73]

One thing I really miss is a proper wiper stalk, especially in a wet and changeable Scottish climate. I think the German court made the right decision and hopefully sends a message out to manufacturers to use some common sense on critical controls.

 

[seadog]

One thing I really miss is a proper wiper stalk, especially in a wet and changeable Scottish climate. I think the German court made the right decision and hopefully sends a message out to manufacturers to use some common sense on critical controls.

Agreed, several times activated the gear stalk when trying to put the wipers on, slowly getting used to it. Much prefer a stalk for indicators and the other for wipers, a control elsewhere for the gear selection, and a couple of extra buttons on the wheel for autopilot.

 

[Adopado]

The BBC have picked up a story from Germany that a driver has been fined for adjusting his wipers via the Tesla touchscreen whilst driving! He did crash, mind you. The court used the same law as would be applied to a mobile phone.

Now ... if you had been following the forum since last Sunday...

Of course the headline could be: Man crashes car and hastily thinks up excuse!

Adjusting the wipers on screen is a pain ... would much rather have a stalk control ... but if you manage to drive off the road it's still your own stupid fault!

 

[Saturday]

how about, if the car auto detects rain that would set the wipers on at any speed, then some quick wiper slider should stay up on a dedicated portion of the touchscreen? there's probably some smart solution for this

 

[WarwickPete]

Now ... if you had been following the forum since last Sunday...

I blame the BBC for being slow, bless them

 

[Adopado]

how about, if the car auto detects rain that would set the wipers on at any speed, then some quick wiper slider should stay up on a dedicated portion of the touchscreen? there's probably some smart solution for this

The advantage of the screen is that it is all completely software controllable so there are limitless options. I can't say that I find sliders work terribly well when driving along though. I do think that the controls should be on screen at all times when it's raining. I know they come up when you press the quick wipe button on the stalk but that panel doesn't always remain visible.

 

[Scan Man]

"Tesla touchscreen wiper controls land driver with fine after crash" makes a better headline than "driver crashes while not paying attention to the road"

Basically he crashed because he wasn't watching where he was going.

 

[Mr H]

Cars crash every day for a variety of reasons, the only reason this one is in the news is because it's a Tesla.

 

[davidmc]

Well it seems they have just been ruled as illegal in Germany :/ (Unless someone else pointed that out)

Tesla's wiper controls are ruled illegal in Germany after someone crashed while using them - Electrek

 

[captanzuelo]

Well it seems they have just been ruled as illegal in Germany :/ (Unless someone else pointed that out)

Tesla's wiper controls are ruled illegal in Germany after someone crashed while using them - Electrek

This could be a first. Tesla M3 and MYs will now have a stipulation, "Do not operate in rain"

 

[Tony Hoyle]

The BBC article has the guys defence "In this case, the driver had to navigate software menus and then choose from one of five settings, after touching an icon."

Which is complete horsepucky and I can see why he lost.

btw. The controls have *not* been ruled illegal.

Taking your eyes off the road to operate a touch screen has been ruled illegal.

 

[Uncle Paul]

They have not been "ruled as illegal" Click bate inflammatory headline that misrepresents what happened.

 

[Silicon Desert]

Don't see how this can be imposed when there is no other way of controlling the wipers in the car. Germany should not have allowed the Tesla 3 to be for sale in their market if that is the case. Large touchscreen displays are becoming more and more common in car, no real difference touching the screen to control the wipers than it is using it for the audio or satnav functions.

Well there is another way, at least for my MX. I use the voice command to control the wipers even though there is also a lever on the left side.