RHD specific issues with v11 UI changes

There are multiple threads about the v11 short comings on TMC, and several within the UK sub-forum alone. However, I think there is a discussion worth having about things which are particularly bad on the RHD cars. And if I'm wrong, and this doesn't need an entire thread, thank you in advance to the moderators who may end up merging it):

Wiper control and stalk button in RHD
Tesla puts the wiper button on the end of the left hand stalk, which means in a LHD car you can press the button with your left hand while holding the wheel. Your other hand (the right hand) is used to fine tune the wipe speed or whatever on screen - and you can have that in position ready. However, on a RHD car, the left hand must do both - it will take slightly more time to move your hand from the stalk to the screen (and you have to use your eyes at that point). I was finding the timing tighter than I would like - so would increase the timeout for the wiper controls disappear for RHD.

(In fact, I'd rather the wiper controls stay on screen until something else pops up, because the odds are if the automatic wipe controls are not good enough in the current weather conditions, you're going to be doing plenty more manual adjustments - or at least I find that driving in the UK.)

RHD indicator stalk vs blindspot camera display placement
Same background problem here, Tesla always puts the indicators on the left stalk. That means on a LHD car, your left had will be moving the stalk near the car door, so not blocking your view of the central screen. The right hand might be, but that's a different issue.

The problem with a RHD car is the left hand moving the indicator will be at about position 9 on the clock (even if you usually hold the steering wheel elsewhere for your personal comfort or best view of the screen), which means for me and probably quite a lot of RHD drivers, your left hand/wrist/arm will be obscuring the bottom near side of the screen where the blind spot camera is displayed.

A possible fix for this is to put the blind spot camera above (or instead of) the car visualisation. That might be a popular choice for many drivers (LHD or RHD) depending on how they position their seat and hands?

 

[Overworked]

I agree with both

 

[Wol747]

What I DO find is that I don't find it easy to touch the tiny icons along the bottom accurately enough. I'm VERY right handed and fine movements aren't my strong point. OK, that's MY problem - but making the icons so small in a moving and bumpy vehicle is just - stupid. It's not easy, either, touching and swiping on a vertical screen.

 

[GlynG]

I may be the only one but I quite like V11, always find it interesting when the car updates to see what's been added and I'm not particularly fussy if something i got used to has moved - all part of the journey with Tesla. If I wanted the usual or traditional, predictive layout where nothing changes I would have gone for a mainstream manufacturer.
I don't particularly care either that some minor things don't seem to get fixed with the priority one may expect - like the wipers, or any real advancement with FSD - its an "interesting" development and I for one am content with enjoying the car foibles all included.

A car isn't tailored to just one person - if you would like that kind of development then consider Bentley who will install "ball" rests if you want them. Cars are made to satisfy the majority or at least not annoy the majority and judging by Tesla sales they clearly have got it about right. Tweaks can and should be suggested by owners to make their cars a better fit but just why there is so much criticism and anger at what is at the end of the day a slight software change is beyond me.

I too find using a touch screen difficult to use when driving - my fingers hover over the screen, looking between the road and then the screen and making a stab at the right icon - and usually missing it, Physical buttons are much easier to use - but again its a feature of a Tesla. I set pretty much everything up prior to driving, if i want a new route on the sat nav I stop and do it - but usually have to search for what i want as updates have shifted things again - all the fun of owning this incredible car.

 

[Fury1]

What I DO find is that I don't find it easy to touch the tiny icons along the bottom accurately enough. I'm VERY right handed and fine movements aren't my strong point. OK, that's MY problem - but making the icons so small in a moving and bumpy vehicle is just - stupid. It's not easy, either, touching and swiping on a vertical screen.

I find the best way around this whilst moving is to hook my fingers under the screen to steady my hand and press with my thumb, not ideal but works for me

 

[Wol747]

I find the best way around this whilst moving is to hook my fingers under the screen to steady my hand and press with my thumb, not ideal but works for me

Not so easy in the model S.

 

[Sparkeur]

Wiper control and stalk button in RHD
Tesla puts the wiper button on the end of the left hand stalk, which means in a LHD car you can press the button with your left hand while holding the wheel. Your other hand (the right hand) is used to fine tune the wipe speed or whatever on screen - and you can have that in position ready. However, on a RHD car, the left hand must do both - it will take slightly more time to move your hand from the stalk to the screen (and you have to use your eyes at that point). I was finding the timing tighter than I would like - so would increase the timeout for the wiper controls disappear for RHD.

(In fact, I'd rather the wiper controls stay on screen until something else pops up, because the odds are if the automatic wipe controls are not good enough in the current weather conditions, you're going to be doing plenty more manual adjustments - or at least I find that driving in the UK.)

RHD indicator stalk vs blindspot camera display placement
Same background problem here, Tesla always puts the indicators on the left stalk. That means on a LHD car, your left had will be moving the stalk near the car door, so not blocking your view of the central screen. The right hand might be, but that's a different issue.

The problem with a RHD car is the left hand moving the indicator will be at about position 9 on the clock (even if you usually hold the steering wheel elsewhere for your personal comfort or best view of the screen), which means for me and probably quite a lot of RHD drivers, your left hand/wrist/arm will be obscuring the bottom near side of the screen where the blind spot camera is displayed.

A possible fix for this is to put the blind spot camera above (or instead of) the car visualisation. That might be a popular choice for many drivers (LHD or RHD) depending on how they position their seat and hands?

As someone with a LHD in France, the whole wiper palaver seems crazy whatever side you are on. Last week, doing the college-run in the dark it starts to rain. The auto wipers can't handle it - they are wiping about once every two or three seconds in heavy rain. So, I have to change from 'Auto' to the highest speed. Oh, wait. There's been a software change. Instead of being in front of me (still pretty awful), the controls for that are now on the far side of the screen. I have to faff around getting the correct page while driving and peering at the screen with cars passing the other way, a couple of metre's from me - in my view, that's as dangerous as using a mobile phone. Tesla should put wiper controls on the stalk or at least instead of a camera, use a proper screen sensor - like every other manufacturer.

The blind-spot with cameras is also a problem in LHD because of its placement. My right arm partly blocks the image whether I'm turning left or right. Like you, if I want to look at it, I have to look down when I should be looking up and out. The most obvious place, as you suggest, is at the top of the screen closer to the driving eye-line.

 

[Wol747]

When you design things sitting before a 32" HD monitor in Fremont and using a mouse it all seems so easy to use the touchscreen.
The first rule of any design is make it simple for the user, not the designer.

 

[Sparkeur]

The first rule of any design is make it simple for the user, not the designer.

Perhaps a metaphor for Tesla software...

 

[Katic1972]

agree with the above and also the radio channels list (say on favourites) paginate to the left. If the pagination goes the right they’d be within much easier to reach from the drivers seat. Seems a small area to land on successfully whilst driving and changing radio stations.

I’m sure someone will suggest that there are voice commands that’ll work but I’m Scottish (see the Bunistoun video Voice recognition lift on YouTube) for an idea of the issue.

Eleven

 

[DenkiJidousha]

Good point that most people being right handed, having to use our left hand on the touch screen in a RHD Tesla is already harder than in a LHD.

 

[MrT3]

Last week, doing the college-run in the dark it starts to rain. The auto wipers can't handle it - they are wiping about once every two or three seconds in heavy rain. So, I have to change from 'Auto' to the highest speed. Oh, wait. There's been a software change. Instead of being in front of me (still pretty awful), the controls for that are now on the far side of the screen. I have to faff around getting the correct page while driving and peering at the screen with cars passing the other way, a couple of metre's from me - in my view, that's as dangerous as using a mobile phone. Tesla should put wiper controls on the stalk or at least instead of a camera, use a proper screen sensor - like every other manufacturer.

In is situation it would be better to press the wipe button, which would clear the windscreen and also display the wiper controls popup which is on the near side of the screen for you to turn them on manually.

I agree that having to look down at the bottom of the screen to find and press the little car icon and then reach across the screen is a UI design failure.

 

[Fury1]

Not so easy in the model S.

Ah my bad, thought it was model 3

 

[Sparkeur]

n is situation it would be better to press the wipe button, which would clear the windscreen and also display the wiper controls popup which is on the near side of the screen for you to turn them on manually.

Many thanks! I hadn't seen that - probably because it was hidden under my right arm
Just used it on a drive - much better.

 

[DenkiJidousha]

In is situation it would be better to press the wipe button, which would clear the windscreen and also display the wiper controls popup which is on the near side of the screen for you to turn them on manually.

I agree that having to look down at the bottom of the screen to find and press the little car icon and then reach across the screen is a UI design failure.

Yes, and my point is the left hand which just pushed the stalk button now has to move to the screen (and take your eyes off the road) quickly enough to make those adjustments before the pop up vanishes.

 

[DenkiJidousha]

I was asked about photos of this, so for those with a LHD car or otherwise curious...

This is me parked with the left indicator on, camera right in front of my eyes in my normal driving position, and left hand having just used the indicator stalk - blocking half the blind spot camera

 

[roadcred]

The screen which has always been in the wrong place for right handed RHD drivers was made much more difficult when they increased the size of the car visualization which I consider should be removable. It is of no use to me whatsoever when either stationery or on the move. If anything it is a distraction. The screen apart from the normal ICE driving necessities like speed distance temperature range etc should be reserved for only controls which you use as part of driving. eg lights, wipers stats and information which does not need to be touched while driving.
From experience I can tell you that driving the LHD is much easier for a RH person.
Given a choice I would totally redesign the controls to have a lights and wiper stick and replace the screen info while driving with a waze screen. In my other EV which has become my car of preference anywhere but on the motorway. I permanently have Waze and use it all the time. It is so more advanced than the Google maps and its poor route and traffic info and absence of hazard info. Its info on speed traffic zones in large UK cities is 100% accurate, Google has huge deficiencies particularly in the 20mph zones which crop up more frequently all the time. The reason I use Waze instead of my other EVs sat nav is for exactly the same reason.

 

[bingbongbing]

I was asked about photos of this, so for those with a LHD car or otherwise curious...

This is me parked with the left indicator on, camera right in front of my eyes in my normal driving position, and left hand having just used the indicator stalk - blocking half the blind spot camera
View attachment 755981

yes but do your hands block the mirrors? that's the one part that needs to work, the cameras are an additional factor. would you ever move lanes by just using the cameras?

 

[DenkiJidousha]

yes but do your hands block the mirrors? that's the one part that needs to work, the cameras are an additional factor. would you ever move lanes by just using the cameras?

No, but Tesla didn’t meddle with the mirrors in the v11 update - like traditional physical buttons they stay put

 

[Filbert1884]

There are multiple threads about the v11 short comings on TMC, and several within the UK sub-forum alone. However, I think there is a discussion worth having about things which are particularly bad on the RHD cars. And if I'm wrong, and this doesn't need an entire thread, thank you in advance to the moderators who may end up merging it):

Wiper control and stalk button in RHD
Tesla puts the wiper button on the end of the left hand stalk, which means in a LHD car you can press the button with your left hand while holding the wheel. Your other hand (the right hand) is used to fine tune the wipe speed or whatever on screen - and you can have that in position ready. However, on a RHD car, the left hand must do both - it will take slightly more time to move your hand from the stalk to the screen (and you have to use your eyes at that point). I was finding the timing tighter than I would like - so would increase the timeout for the wiper controls disappear for RHD.

(In fact, I'd rather the wiper controls stay on screen until something else pops up, because the odds are if the automatic wipe controls are not good enough in the current weather conditions, you're going to be doing plenty more manual adjustments - or at least I find that driving in the UK.)

RHD indicator stalk vs blindspot camera display placement
Same background problem here, Tesla always puts the indicators on the left stalk. That means on a LHD car, your left had will be moving the stalk near the car door, so not blocking your view of the central screen. The right hand might be, but that's a different issue.

The problem with a RHD car is the left hand moving the indicator will be at about position 9 on the clock (even if you usually hold the steering wheel elsewhere for your personal comfort or best view of the screen), which means for me and probably quite a lot of RHD drivers, your left hand/wrist/arm will be obscuring the bottom near side of the screen where the blind spot camera is displayed.

A possible fix for this is to put the blind spot camera above (or instead of) the car visualisation. That might be a popular choice for many drivers (LHD or RHD) depending on how they position their seat and hands?

Not sure, as you say, that this needs a separate thread, both issues have been mentioned many many times in the V11 thread. Don't quite agree with you re wipers, I don't see it as an issue, the wiper pop up is fine, and stays on screen long enough IMO, however as I've me turned in the V11 thread, positioning of the blindspot cam is poor.