Possible support for cut top steering wheel theory / interesting gesture controls in Model 3?

[DrivingTheFuture]

Many months ago I posted Franz's design sketches of model 3 and noted the design of the steering wheel. The other day Panasonic uploaded a YouTube video of new automotive technology, and since they are Tesla's largest partner in manufacturing, I must admit this makes me think something similar may end up in Model 3...

 

[Sparky22]

looks cool, but I don't think $35000 car would have all this technology. Model 3 will be simple car with big screen and HUD and that's it.

 

[Trips]

That video was released the day before M3 preorders began. I also think the 3D touch could work nicely with the empty space that has been shown.

 

[Bokonon]

I'm not sure where I see "further confirmation" of anything with respect to Model 3 here, but it's an interesting concept. I still take Elon at his word about the "spaceship" controls, for whatever that's worth.

One thing I can say as a former first-generation Volt driver: you really, really don't want capacitive driver controls in a car, and especially not on the steering wheel. It's very difficult to differentiate between buttons and confirm whether you've pressed the right one (or pressed one at all) without taking your eyes off the road. (Wearing gloves -- assuming they're capacitive -- makes it all the more difficult.) With physical buttons, you can easily do both by feel alone.

 

[gregd]

Really hope not some of the details... Capacitive switches, especially, are a disaster when trying to drive with your eyes on the road. I can feel around for a switch, even hold my finger on it without activating it until needed. Can't do either with a capacitive device (and don't try to sell me a "haptic" interface either - I need real switch travel).

I understand that perhaps some of these interfaces are less expensive - fewer switches and wires, for example. But we can't lose sight of usability and simplicity in operation in support of undistracted safety.

EDIT: Bokonon beat me to the "post" button by 2 min... Edit my post to "Ditto!"

 

[DrivingTheFuture]

Well apparently this video I just now watched from an article on Electrek.co's website that was a recent one is very old as one of the commenter's already noted, and yes one of our cars is a volt and I agree the touch features in the video are not to my liking, however the steering wheel and gesture control are... I also thought this HUD video was interesting (and it is actually recent):

 

[aronth5]

I'm not sure where I see "further confirmation" of anything with respect to Model 3 here,

Agree

 

[alseTrick]

looks cool, but I don't think $35000 car would have all this technology. Model 3 will be simple car with big screen and HUD and that's it.

And I don't even want eye recognition or hand gesture features. I don't even want buttons to make phone calls on the steering wheel. But a HUD (or standard binnacle) and center touchscreen (or standard knobs, etc) are absolute musts.

 

[S'toon]

And I don't even want eye recognition or hand gesture features. I don't even want buttons to make phone calls on the steering wheel. But a HUD (or standard binnacle) and center touchscreen (or standard knobs, etc) are absolute musts.

I've been extremely unimpressed with hand gesture stuff in cars. The stuff they put into cars because it strikes someone as "cool" strikes me as really dumb.

 

[peakay]

Without getting into the weeds of individual switchgear, etc. what jumped to my mind is the screen and steering wheel on the demo cars are just placeholders: the content of the screen will move to a HUD and the wheel will be very advanced with some innovative controls. I'm not willing to say what we see here is dumb or won't work - Tesla will not put something in the car that is not usable.

My $.02

 

[Dan Detweiler]

Being a Volt driver for the last 4 years, I would agree that capacitive controls on it are awkward. That being said, that is 4 year old technology in the Volt. Who knows what it is like now. My opinion would be that the features in these videos that have the most chance at making it into the Model 3 are the HUD features. I like the way that it could be cusomizable. You could have as much or as little infor on the screen as you like. For me, I kind of like the menu selection controls on the steering wheel. I think it is much more intuitive and keeps one from having to look down to find what you're looking for...but that's me.

Dan

 

[Garlan Garner]

Many months ago I posted Franz's design sketches of model 3 and noted the design of the steering wheel. The other day Panasonic uploaded a YouTube video of new automotive technology, and since they are Tesla's largest partner in manufacturing, I must admit this makes me think something similar may end up in Model 3...

Where is the confirmation?

 

[dsvick]

I can't see how a steering wheel with no top section would be very widely accepted. I don't see it being very practical. It might look cool but that'll only last until you try to actually make a turn with it.

 

[CT200h]

One feature I did not see demonstrated in the video that solves the issues everyone has with capacitive switches is called tracing. The older Prius and one Lexus model had tracing for the switches on the steering wheel and it worked well especially with a HUD. When you touch a portion of a switch an image of the corresponding switch is highlighted in the HUD and you can see what your finger is on. Helps keep your eyes on the road and you know what you are pressing. Take a look at this video on the hs250h and at 3:10 you will see the tracing feature.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Where is proof of the title of this thread.

Sounds like a click bait title.

 

[dsvick]

I'm not sure about all the hand gestures either, I can see a lot of accidental music track changes, volume adjustments, map scrolling, and screen swapping. I guess you can alleviate that by making the gestures have to be pretty precise, but that loses a lot of the convenience then.

Either way, tech changes this drastic will certainly show up in the Model S prior to the 3 so we should have a decent idea of how they work in real life before the 3 starts shipping.

 

[Jason Bourne]

I can't see how a steering wheel with no top section would be very widely accepted. I don't see it being very practical. It might look cool but that'll only last until you try to actually make a turn with it.

I would also say that many people, advisable or not, put one hand at the top of the steering wheel as they drive which would be impossible with this shape. They might have to rename it from a steering wheel to a steering U.

 

[ecarfan]

Thread title: "Further Confirmation of cut top steering wheel / interesting gesture controls in Model 3"

I would not describe that Panasonic video as providing "Further confirmation" that the Model 3 will have that steering wheel style or that it will have gesture controls. At this point there is no confirmation from Tesla at all as to what the production Model 3 driver interface will consist of except for the fact that the horizontal center display will be standard. That was stated by the Tesla test ride drivers at the Model 3 reveal. Nothing else has been "confirmed" beyond Elon's suggestive tweet saying the prototype Model 3 steering wheel is not the production steering wheel design and that the controls would be like a "spaceship", whatever that means.

Instead I would describe that video as "New Panasonic advanced driver interface video suggests future direction for Tesla".

This thread title is misleading in my opinion.

 

[alseTrick]

I can't see how a steering wheel with no top section would be very widely accepted. I don't see it being very practical. It might look cool but that'll only last until you try to actually make a turn with it.

Agreed. But couldn't drive by wire make complete turns of the steering wheel unnecessary?

 

[eisbock]

This thread title is misleading in my opinion.

This guy's has been on point with misleading thread titles lately.