Nav 8.0 - UI not made for driving

[bob_p]

The original Tesla software had a very well defined UI model - which was consistent across all of the apps. And while the functionality was limited, it was pretty intuitive to use.

8.0 breaks that. Activities that were simple before have become more complicated (or even much more difficult to do).

A quality user interface is much more than having it look cool - it needs to be intuitive and easy to use. And especially when the user is using the interface while also performing a critical function (such as driving a car), it's even more critical that the interface be easy to use.

For UI changes, there is a methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of the changes - something that clearly wasn't done with the 8.0 release.

When planning UI changes, typical operations are developed as "use case scenarios", things like changing media source, picking a favorite radio station, browsing through songs, ...

For those use case scenarios, it's possible to measure how well the interface works by having someone step through the scenario to perform the function, measure the amount of time required and the number of interactions (screen/button touches). And for someone that is also driving a car, another important measurement is how much time is required for the user's eyes to be on the interface - and not on the road.

This should have been detected by Tesla's beta testers. Since these problems were present when the software was released, either Tesla doesn't have enough hand-picked beta testers OR those testers don't have experience in methodically testing new software products OR Tesla ignored reports on major UI problems.

This should have been detected by Tesla's internal QA group.

And, this should likely have been detected while the software was being developed AND should probably have been addressed when the software changes were even being planned.

 

[HankLloydRight]

IMHO, Tesla UI Beta testers must be a small group of hand-picked/carefully selected people very close to Tesla who have drank their Kool-aide and will just go along with almost anything they crank out in the UI. These are clearly not actual people with UI/UX experience.

The only thing we have seen them accomplish is adding color back to the top row of icons. If Tesla was going so far as to remove color and their significant visual cues in a DRIVING UI like that, there has to be some major UI egos heading up the development team. At least they backed down on that, but clearly didn't change anything else they farked up.

It baffles me how 90% of this code got into release/production, it's just so, so bad.

 

[Owner]

This should have been detected by Tesla's beta testers. Since these problems were present when the software was released, either Tesla doesn't have enough hand-picked beta testers OR those testers don't have experience in methodically testing new software products OR Tesla ignored reports on major UI problems.

This should have been detected by Tesla's internal QA group.

And, this should likely have been detected while the software was being developed AND should probably have been addressed when the software changes were even being planned.

I formerly for a two year period ran a Q&A group.

I doubt a lot of the software has any regression testing, or much internal testing by the Q&A group. How do you manage to ship a product with less features???

Beta testing is hard in general and really isn't meant to find big problems. It is sort of a validation test that your internal testing went well. Beta testers whether they are big companies with big projects like in my former life, or individual drivers as in Tesla's case don't have the same motivation as an employee. They often don't really do much with the software, and only will report something really egregious if it occurs. Kind of like the rolled release's Tesla does now -- ship it to only a few cars to make sure the software isn't a total mess. Occasionally you will get really motivated Beta testers, but expecting it is not realistic.

The whole 8.0 debacle just shows that Tesla lacks in the specification, definition and testing department of their software. Almost seems like someone in the software department decides what to do and implements it. They add a few new features that they envision will be good but don't really seem to have enough widespread input and do silly things like cover the icons with the map. They seem to do a decent job in making sure it is not a train wreck in that it does not crash a lot, although I seem to be rebooting everything at least once a month for hangups or stuck functionality.

 

[deonb]

I totally agree with the OP. 100%.

OTA updates went from a cool idea to my most hated feature about the car.

As a pre-AP vehicle there is really nothing better on my car now then there was when I bought it, and whole bunch of things that are worse.

I just want the car back that I bought!

 

[shokunin]

I agree with the OP, 8.0 is hot mess. Give me the option to lock the top menu bar, I don't want to have to touch, wait for a refresh, then select the item I want. It literally takes 5x longer than before to switch between music and and another option.

Seriously, do we really need an extra 1.5" at the top for navigation? Like the screen isn't big enough already? We don't have autopilot, so it's not like I can just stare and wait 2-3 seconds at my center console to change something.

 

[jeffro01]

I really like the new UI as the icon bar was just a waste of space and the map fills that up nicely. Do I wish there were more NAV features? (waypoints, etc..) Yep, absolutely.

The UI though, is a really welcome change in 8.0 and really leverages the huge screen that we have. Tesla simply can't win, no matter what they do.

Interesting enough, the owners I know who don't participate in this community really like the 8.0 update. Every single one of them. Small sample size? Absolutely as there are 5 owners I know who have gotten 8 that aren't members here.

I just find it a bit interesting that so many here seem to hate it but literally everyone I know outside of here seems to really like it. Having studied psychology, there is a term for this and such but since I don't have a degree in that field of study, nor do I do it for a living, I don't think I'm in a position to make any statements on that one way or the other.

Jeff

 

[cvrcv]

The guy that did the original design for the Tesla UI left long ago, and it really really shows. "Just ask the intern to add that somewhere in the UI" sounds like the usual thing at Tesla engineering.

 

[hmmm]

The top bar not showing is a good use of the space. This is how I set the navbar to work on my computer

Me too, but that is exactly the problem, ie this is a very different use case: ie a computer is a fixed object and not a moving target and the nav bar can he displayed with a single mouse over. Here it takes an extra click while you're driving @ 65mph.

Not that it's difficult to fix, they simply need to add this as an option in the display setting screen...and if they want to go fancy save it in the driver profile. But at this stage, I would rather have them not go "fancy" for fear of something else going wrong.

 

[PGeer]

I'm somewhat in the middle with the new UI, liking some things (e.g. improved favorites access in radio) and disliking others (controls on right side of screen where I can't brace my hand.)

However, I'm 100% in agreement that Tesla needs a more professional approach to UI design. As a physician and medical informaticist, I spent nearly 20 years working with UI teams, trying to iteratively improve the function of electronic health records. Tough to do with so many different practice styles and temperaments (herding cats comes to mind.) But what we eventually learned was that the key to better design was in our accurate definition and prioritization of "use cases". What was the user trying to accomplish when interacting with any particular screen? And how often was that use case invoked? High frequency use cases needed to be nailed, for maximum simplicity and efficiency, while rare use cases could be more "hidden."

Here's a personal example: up here in the NW, I like having the heated steering wheel turned on most fall and winter mornings. However, in order to do this, I have to go through two screens to arrive at the proper place, and the setting is turned off every time the car stops, unlike the heated seats. Tesla could make the bottom panel on the screen more configurable, so that certain functions (like turn on steering wheel heat), could be chosen to display at the top level. And they could create an option to leave the setting on or off. Granted, Tesla is slowly headed in this direction. i.e. I like how you can now label and display A or B trips.

The other thing we learned over the years was that choosing random "enthusiasts" to beta test our designs wasn't a good idea. Testing needed to be done in a controlled environment with users of different temperaments, with professional UI observers working through various use case test scenarios. Testing should identify whether the UI is intuitive (e.g. easy to learn) and memorable (even if slightly difficult to learn, once learned, it's easy to remember) and efficient (based on frequency of use of particular features.)

Overall, I'd give the Tesla UI a B. It's mostly pretty good (and outright AMAZING compared to most other cars.) But to get an A, it's my opinion that they need a more professional approach.

 

[BertL]

The guy that did the original design for the Tesla UI left long ago, and it really really shows. "Just ask the intern to add that somewhere in the UI" sounds like the usual thing at Tesla engineering.

Agreed. Since the original guy left, I don't recall mention of anyone taking his place. Perhaps there is, but ongoing delivered results would indicate otherwise. It's much more like a "guy with a vision" says "this would be good", and the team below him goes off to implement, missing real user input, feature prioritization, and practical use testing on-the-road. While I'm sad for those of us that are existing owners, these challenges worry the heck out of me for M3 that appears to have a whole new UI concept from scratch -- not something like our MS (and MX) that perhaps just needed ongoing refinement from what seemed pretty well thought ought when MS was first delivered. Yikes.

 

[napabill]

They only hide with the Nav in the top pane.

Exactly.

 

[cvrcv]

The other thing we learned over the years was that choosing random "enthusiasts" to beta test our designs wasn't a good idea. Testing needed to be done in a controlled environment with users of different temperaments, with professional UI observers working through various use case test scenarios. Testing should identify whether the UI is intuitive (e.g. easy to learn) and memorable (even if slightly difficult to learn, once learned, it's easy to remember) and efficient (based on frequency of use of particular features.)

Their feedback probably consists of "okely dokely, that looks fantastic!"

 

[cvrcv]

I had pretty much the exact opposite reaction to the new UI. I think the design overall is cleaner and a needed refresh. The top bar not showing is a good use of the space. This is how I set the navbar to work on my computer.

I've been lurking on the forums/reddit/etc a long time, and not a single time have I ever heard "I wish the map was another 30 pixels bigger". You could already make it double size. They've really gone backwards in usability this time. To the point of becoming a danger to drive. ALL commonly used controls should be located in a single consistent location so that it can be used via muscle memory.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Their feedback probably consists of "okely dokely, that looks fantastic!"

Exactly what I'm saying. Maybe they're afraid if they criticize too much, they'll be dropped from the beta program. Like being in the beta program elevates their Tesla status or something. But NOT giving constructive feedback does more damage.

 

[trils0n]

Each pane is about 5.5 inches tall. The icon bar is about 1.25 inches. So that is a >20% increase in map area. Not a trivial amount.

All controls are in the same location, for muscle memory purposes. Unfortunately, you need an extra click to find them (the extra click can be anywhere in the top pane, so that is easy to do without looking)

Rather like the extra map area. As to the argument, "well you could always make the map bigger (expand to full screen)": Area at the top is more valuable (easier to see, less eye travel distance) than expanding the Nav to both the top and bottom pane. Never used the map in full screen mode, mainly because it was too hard to look all the way down there for small things like the map. For the backup camera it is fine, because it just requires a quick glance, similar to a mirror. For the map, I'd rather have extra area at the top of the screen.

Still no reason to hide the zoom and traffic data toggles. I think the "current street name" should be at the top as it was in all previous versions (again, easier to see at the top) but it is good they increased the font size (it was small before).

Too bad they keep doing things like that: increase font size, easier to see! But then they move it to a worse location, bottom of window, harder to see.

 

[cvrcv]

Each pane is about 5.5 inches tall. The icon bar is about 1.25 inches. So that is a >20% increase in map area. Not a trivial amount.

And half that if you want a large view and you went fullscreen in < 8.0. Makes nearly 0 actual difference regardless. Who looks at this while driving anyway? I only look at the next turn directions in center display while I'm trying to follow directions, it was already redundant. I would be happy if they reduced the space for the nav in favor of having more functions at the home screen, especially if you could select favorite functions. Just like you could do in the antiquated BMW iDrive system from almost a decade ago. I never though I'd praise that thing....

 

[cvrcv]

For the backup camera it is fine, because it just requires a quick glance, similar to a mirror. For the map, I'd rather have extra area at the top of the screen.

Speaking of, this should be in the instrument display, not in the center console, or at least mirrored there.

 

[deonb]

Interesting enough, the owners I know who don't participate in this community really like the 8.0 update. Every single one of them. Small sample size? Absolutely as there are 5 owners I know who have gotten 8 that aren't members here.

Your sample must then consists exclusively out of owners who don't use the music player, which would make it a fairly esoterric outlier.

The map is nothing compared to the USB and Slacker problems with 8.0. (Other threads for that though.)

 

[335eye]

I'm liking 8.0, what's wrong with me?

 

[deonb]

I'm liking 8.0, what's wrong with me?

You don't use more than 2 of the functions of the center display - or at least you're not switching functions while driving forward.