Large LCD

[newt]

I've never been a fan of using an LCD as a control panel for a car. For GPS--okay. But for the radio? It is one of those ideas that looks really great in a lab, but is a disaster on the road.

In my car I can adjust the volume and change stations on the radio without taking my eyes off of the road.

With a large touch LCD I wouldn't be able to do that. In fact it looks so large that it would probably take at least 1/2 a second of searching around to find the right place to put my fingers. If I make a mistake, I'll look down a fraction of a second longer to get it right.

We just don't need all these drivers taking their eyes and attention off of the road at any time. It's just asking for big trouble (as in killing or maiming yourself and your family and the family you run into, not to mention totalling your snazzy electric sedan).

 

[WarpedOne]

Radio controls belong onto the steering wheel, don't you think?

Reaching out onto the central console just to change station or volume is unfit for modern car.

 

[dpeilow]

If you look in some of the photos, there are buttons for something on the wheel.



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Edit by TEG: Good steering wheel photo here:
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2009/03/teslamodelslive_40.jpg

 

[Cobos]

Another big point is since this is all controlled by software, a special mode for high speeds or the nearsighted might work. Or a combination of limited voice commands. Say AC out load and the whole screen turns into like 6 buttons all for controlling AC. Essentially the possibilities are endless. It looked like the "mode" we saw on the pictures were store mode.

Cobos

 

[WarpedOne]

Yes, this central console will surely look and work very different from what many expect (and criticize).

Tesla is not stupid.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Another big point is since this is all controlled by software, a special mode for high speeds or the nearsighted might work. Or a combination of limited voice commands. Say AC out load and the whole screen turns into like 6 buttons all for controlling AC. Essentially the possibilities are endless. It looked like the "mode" we saw on the pictures were store mode.

Cobos

That's a good idea. Voice commands is essentially what the Microsoft Sync system uses in the Ford Focus. Voice commands can eliminate the worry about pressing buttons while driving.

 

[Brick]

Voice controls are really being debugged fast, watch Microsoft get into this project... Sync like system but much improved by 2011.