New Version of EVTripPlanner

[EVTripPlanner]

Ben, the developer of EVTripPlanner.com here. I've gotten a lot of requests to make an app to help Tesla drivers manage energy predictions during road trips. I'm working on it now, but I wanted some input from the Tesla community. I can either make a website designed to run in the car's browser, or an app that runs on your phone. Here's a screenshot of the prototype (click for full size):

Pros of doing an app for the phone (rather than in the Tesla browser):

• The Tesla browser has very poor HTML support and is hard to program for (things might not look right)
• The Tesla browser is slow. Things would potentially by laggy and unresponsive
• The Tesla browser only allow geolocation updates once every 30 seconds. This would make navigation with instructions difficult

Pros of doing a webpage in the Tesla browser instead of an app on the phone:

• The screen is bigger and easier to view and use while driving
• Only one webpage, instead of an app for iPhone and Android

So which would you rather have: an app, or an application that runs in the Model S's browser?

As a follow up question, do you have an iPhone or Android?

Thanks for your feedback,
Ben

 

[jayman]

I have an iphone and for the reasons you stated above it makes sense to do an app on the phone. I guess if Tesla ever updated their browser it would make more sense to do it on the car's browser but I don't think that will happen anytime soon.

 

[commasign]

iPhone app would be great.

 

[Zaxxon]

A vote for Android here.

 

[scott2613]

I like the app idea. It could also run on an ipad which would make it easier to see and use in the car. iphone user here.

 

[EVTripPlanner]

Here's something of a compromise solution I'm playing with: There is a website you go to on your phone or tablet which behaves basically like the screenshot above. It works a lot like an app, except since it is in the browser it works on iPhone and Android. How does that sound?

 

[woof]

How 'bout a webpage that runs on most mobile browsers? Then it should work on all brands of phones and tablets, computers and eventually Tesla's browser once it gets more compliant.

I'd skip the mobile app, unless you plan to charge for it, or if you want to learn mobile coding. Both are great reasons to go with an app over a webpage.

 

[efusco]

iPhone app. I'll use the in-car display for specific navigation programming.
and thanks for your work on this great product.

 

[rkinley]

Strongly want an iOS universal app. I do much of my trip planning enroute while charging and getting a meal or snack. Having it on iOS would be great!

 

[Half Dollar Bill]

Mid 2013 there was a TMC poll about Apple vs Other users. Only 150 replies but 3:1 were Apple.
I'd try to stay universal because I imagine updates and maintenance will become a pain.
There was talk of Tesla upgrading the cars to 4G but I'm unaware of any timetable and while that may improve responsiveness I don't think it will do anything for your geolocate issue.
I'd run a phone/tablet webpage. I'm Apple.
And thank you very much for your work!

 

[SW2Fiddler]

An iOS app version would tip the scales for me to get the 6+ instead of the smaller iPhone.
I don't use a lot of apps but charge planning is something I do a lot.

 

[wraithnot]

On the last long road trip we took, I looked up the elevation of the charging locations ahead of time and then I used an iPad app to get the current elevation in real time (the iPad was either used by my copilot or propped on my right leg when she was asleep). I'd then compare the distance to the destination on the nav screen to the rated range left in the battery and do the correction for the current elevation vs destination elevation in my head. An app that can run on my iPad that automatically does the same thing would be fantastic. I've been on some stretches of road with no cell phone signal so an app completely contained on the tablet rather than something that runs in a web browser would be ideal. But I'll be happy with any sort of improvement over my current method

 

[commasign]

Here's something of a compromise solution I'm playing with: There is a website you go to on your phone or tablet which behaves basically like the screenshot above. It works a lot like an app, except since it is in the browser it works on iPhone and Android. How does that sound?

If a browser based solution will have the same functionality as the current website, great. But thinking you could have a lot more capability built in using a native iOS and/or Android App. What would be really cool is if you could partner with MyCarma EV logger which uses OBD-II to grab real time data including energy usage. That would be the ultimate trip planning app (i.e. it could tell you moment to moment whether you're gonna "make it" or not).

 

[mathwhiz]

Model S firmware version 6.1 has shown me that I very much like were Tesla is going with in-car trip management. And I've been relying on EVTripPlanner for all my pre-trip planning, but I just wish I could find a way to transfer that plan for in-car use. Not sure how that may be realized, perhaps when Tesla opens up their SDK, who knows. But I'd be more supportive of a universal IOS-based trip planner, since I see no benefit to sitting in the car to do a plan of any complexity. If I need greater screen real estate, I can use an iPad (assuming native EVTripPlanner support), AirPlay or even HDMI... And for those who want to do minimal to moderate planning enroute, like while charging (per @rkinley) the universal IOS route would also be preferred.

We've simply heard nada recently from Tesla on their browser replacement, not to mention that we don't have a clue what greater power we'll see... Honestly, I don't think it makes sense to put any eggs is that basket until we have browser in-hand...

EVTripPlanner has been a great resource to me Ben, so I look forward to whatever you develop.

 

[tezzla]

I'd vote the car's browser.

 

[skboston]

Web app would be the best approach, since it's going to work with both iPhone and Android users.

I hope Tesla improves their browser altogether, it feels like Pentium 100Mhz with 16MB Ram and one of those 5400rpm 1GB hhd's.

 

[dsm363]

I'd vote iPhone and Android apps. Thanks!

 

[Gwgan]

Modern browser web app for planning on a home computer or iPad but with reduced functionality suited to the Tesla browser for following the planned route. Would need some sort of cloud account to save the planned route.

 

[eddie11228]

android app or mobile web browser app

 

[heosat]

An iOS app would be great as Australians don't have the in-car web browser.