My wife and I are both 71 and have no problems using our Model 3 (dual motor, long range). It is white because we both thought that red was not worth $2000.
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Seniors wishing the glovebox had a physical button to open
- Thread starter WattBeatsGas
- Start date
SAronian
Member
Other than TV Remotes and Mobile Phones with big buttons, I never considered seniors would prefer real vs virtual buttons. And I'm both a senior and a designer.
My first reaction to the Model 3's consolidation of controls was, this better be well done and logical. I find it more than impressive, it's almost magical. The interface is so clearly superior that I struggle to imagine the mindset that finds elements unusable while driving.
Especially compared to what most other cars have to offer. See samples below:
My first reaction to the Model 3's consolidation of controls was, this better be well done and logical. I find it more than impressive, it's almost magical. The interface is so clearly superior that I struggle to imagine the mindset that finds elements unusable while driving.
Especially compared to what most other cars have to offer. See samples below:
The Model S and X Have glove box buttons. But I echo another person’s advice to try using voice commands for opening the glove box and many other things.
As someone who has grown up with computers (been using them since I was a tween), I'll point out that I'd be perfectly happy with a CLI instead of a GUI for some features, 100% text based menus (I think in text, not pictographs), or at least the ability to have my own custom menus so I can put the stuff that I use in one place and can ignore the 90% of the menus that I rarely if ever use...
Oh, and as another poster mentioned, the ability to enlarge fonts on some things as I too don't think switching to my computer glasses is a good idea while driving.
And no, the voice commands sometimes blow it and try to do something nothing like what I wanted or are not implemented last I checked (low/high beams and disabling auto high beam)
Oh, and as another poster mentioned, the ability to enlarge fonts on some things as I too don't think switching to my computer glasses is a good idea while driving.
And no, the voice commands sometimes blow it and try to do something nothing like what I wanted or are not implemented last I checked (low/high beams and disabling auto high beam)
This topic is bizarre to me. I have a Model 3 and a newer Ford F-350 super duty. The windshield washer is almost identical to trigger or spray fluid. I never ever open either glove box while driving but the Tesla is easier, push right steering wheel scroll and say “open glove box”
you can click and say “Set temperature to 68”
You can click and say “call wife’s mobile”
you can turn on autopilot and mess with the screen 1 million times more safely than the Fords clumsy interface. The Ford has a few voice commands, they are so rigid and off putting they seldom work. The Tesla voice commands work almost every time.
my Ford has dozens of buttons with odd symbols that make no sense. None are in my language, unlike Tesla that switches language and uses that language for the on screen buttons. 1000x better
you can click and say “Set temperature to 68”
You can click and say “call wife’s mobile”
you can turn on autopilot and mess with the screen 1 million times more safely than the Fords clumsy interface. The Ford has a few voice commands, they are so rigid and off putting they seldom work. The Tesla voice commands work almost every time.
my Ford has dozens of buttons with odd symbols that make no sense. None are in my language, unlike Tesla that switches language and uses that language for the on screen buttons. 1000x better
Absolutely right, and the buttons on my Ford are nonsensical.
first image when I google for it is a “what is this button?” My dash and console are filled with these, even the hazard lights switch is worse on the Ford.
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Maybe it's better now, but when I last tried to use voice controls, I just gave up in disgust. Like "What's the time?" - something even Alexa knows. No answer from M3 - not even "I don't know/understand/care" - just nothing. Maybe it's just my South African accent - wait, isn't Elon ex-SA? I'll have to try it again.
I agree, there are several controls one should not need to adjust while driving. You only need to know where the glovebox button is when the missus asks "How do I open this damn thing?" Then I have to pull over to look for it.
Not that it's much of a problem - my missus refuses to even be a passenger. Autopilot simply does not drive like a senior. Doesn't slow down gracefully enough approaching a bend, and consequently sometimes climbs the kerb on the offside! Nothing more certain to set her teeth on edge as her fingernails sink into the seat upholstery. Blithely ignores an oncoming vehicle that's too close to the centre line, where a human driver would make allowances and move slightly offside from the middle of the lane. Terrifying for an elderly front seat passenger who's not used to that kind of driving.
A few others also, when you didn't realise they were not what you would have wanted when you drove off, and now have to find a pull-off place to find out how to change them.
Old eyes can't accommodate that well (yeah - it's coming for you too). Having to swap between pairs of glasses is a pain, not to mention dangerous when driving, to look at the screen text. Is it too much to ask for font size to be adjustable?
But I still like my car (not at the "love" point just yet).
I agree, there are several controls one should not need to adjust while driving. You only need to know where the glovebox button is when the missus asks "How do I open this damn thing?" Then I have to pull over to look for it.
Not that it's much of a problem - my missus refuses to even be a passenger. Autopilot simply does not drive like a senior. Doesn't slow down gracefully enough approaching a bend, and consequently sometimes climbs the kerb on the offside! Nothing more certain to set her teeth on edge as her fingernails sink into the seat upholstery. Blithely ignores an oncoming vehicle that's too close to the centre line, where a human driver would make allowances and move slightly offside from the middle of the lane. Terrifying for an elderly front seat passenger who's not used to that kind of driving.
A few others also, when you didn't realise they were not what you would have wanted when you drove off, and now have to find a pull-off place to find out how to change them.
Old eyes can't accommodate that well (yeah - it's coming for you too). Having to swap between pairs of glasses is a pain, not to mention dangerous when driving, to look at the screen text. Is it too much to ask for font size to be adjustable?
But I still like my car (not at the "love" point just yet).
SSonnentag
埃隆•馬斯克
I'm pretty sure that left button is Ford's version of Fart Mode.
...or to enable/disable the exhaust brake.I don't get this at all. I too am a member of "the senior set" and I find everything about my Model 3 completely intuitive and dead simple to use. This almost sounds like a Tesla nay-sayer trying to make them look bad. Pull off the road to browse through a logical decision tree to turn on the wipers? Or to adjust the temperature, which is right there in front of you always? Really?? Maybe you should just stay home and try to figure out how to turn on your new-fangled TV.
Took delivery of my 3 just before my 85th bday recently Love its simplicity, lack of knobs and switches all over the place and the ability to do almost anything by voice command. That’s so much easier, simpler and safer
Over the years I have had many cars, but nothing compares to the joy and elegance in this car.
The acceleration is for showing off and even my 22 year old grandson shrieked “oh s—t” when I partially floored it from a dead stop
Love the car, and it keeps getting better,with software updates.
Over the years I have had many cars, but nothing compares to the joy and elegance in this car.
The acceleration is for showing off and even my 22 year old grandson shrieked “oh s—t” when I partially floored it from a dead stop
Love the car, and it keeps getting better,with software updates.
For those that really want a "button" for their glovebox it could be wired in electrically. But then you can't lock it for "valet" mode. So then you would want a key as well. Follow the logic along with controls for wipers, AC and you get farther and farther from what a Tesla is and begs the question one had to know of these things before buying so why not get a more classic type ICE, or even EV car. There are plenyt with physical controls.
Wanting something that Tesla is, is not wanting a Tesla.
I'm not quite middle aged yet but what I grew up with, what I'm learned to accept as common, standard, and typical are no longer the case. The younger generation thinks and acts differently and products evolve the changing standard.
Wanting something that Tesla is, is not wanting a Tesla.
I'm not quite middle aged yet but what I grew up with, what I'm learned to accept as common, standard, and typical are no longer the case. The younger generation thinks and acts differently and products evolve the changing standard.
I left the X3 running once because the stupid autostop turned the motor off when I parked. I just assumed it was off and got out.
When I came back out I was thinking 'why is this thing running?'...
AdamMacDon
Member
I'm not even that old at 28 (although lord I am starting to feel it) and some of the design decisions annoy me too. The glovebox is one. Want to reach in from the passenger side to grab your insurance documents? Good luck, got to pretty much sit in the passenger seat, hit the mic button, yell "OPEN GLOVE BOX" at the mic and wait 5 seconds. Not very efficient and kind of awkward if you're around others. The heaven forbid one of your friends ask why you're yelling at the car and the mic pics them up and then doesn't understand the command.
The wipers are another one. Would adding a dial to the turn signal stalk like 99% of American cars have really be so hard or expensive? They managed the button for the swipe/washer spray. It'd be a different story if the auto wipers used a conventional sensor and were actually remotely competent. The use of the autopilot cameras to detect moisture is just brutal, and I can't imagine when the M3 first came out and this wasn't even an option AT ALL. With the current firmware I get max wiper speed in slight misty days that smears my windshield to the point of being dangerous. Then in monsoon like rain, it goes on the slowest speed. Still really frustrating and dangerous after a year plus of ownership.
Thankfully voice commands have come to mitigate (although not completely solve) most of the issues with using the touch screen. It's still much slower and obnoxious than using a physical button, but also much safer than using the touchscreen. Having to interrupt my passengers (and/or music) to say "turn auto wipers on" or "set temperature to 20 degrees" is quite a poor user experience and seems like some kind of weird flex to a lot of them. I much prefer not having to interrupt the conversation and just use muscle memory to turn a dial or flick a switch. I'm sure some fanboy will yell at me and call me an idiot or a boomer, but that's my two cents
The wipers are another one. Would adding a dial to the turn signal stalk like 99% of American cars have really be so hard or expensive? They managed the button for the swipe/washer spray. It'd be a different story if the auto wipers used a conventional sensor and were actually remotely competent. The use of the autopilot cameras to detect moisture is just brutal, and I can't imagine when the M3 first came out and this wasn't even an option AT ALL. With the current firmware I get max wiper speed in slight misty days that smears my windshield to the point of being dangerous. Then in monsoon like rain, it goes on the slowest speed. Still really frustrating and dangerous after a year plus of ownership.
Thankfully voice commands have come to mitigate (although not completely solve) most of the issues with using the touch screen. It's still much slower and obnoxious than using a physical button, but also much safer than using the touchscreen. Having to interrupt my passengers (and/or music) to say "turn auto wipers on" or "set temperature to 20 degrees" is quite a poor user experience and seems like some kind of weird flex to a lot of them. I much prefer not having to interrupt the conversation and just use muscle memory to turn a dial or flick a switch. I'm sure some fanboy will yell at me and call me an idiot or a boomer, but that's my two cents
Backpacker42
Member
LOL I had forgotten there's a glove box! Suffering from A.G.E. syndrome! Only access it to put the insurance papers in, and to store a pressure guage, which of course is not necessary on this car. I prefer push button controls (both my other cars have only physical switches), but I also love the spartan dashboard of my Tesla 3 (My 69 wagon has only two switches and two levers - very uncluttered). My two major criticisms - 1) wiper controls should not be in a menu - voice control is not reliable enough (And since I do not use voice commands very often I forget how to activate it) and auto setting is also not reliable (though better than it was). 2) why can't I adjust font size and icon locations (and what is displayed/not displayed) like every other OS I use (Linux (Mint,Raspian), IOS, Android, Win10)? I could even do it in MAC OS and Win XP what, 15-20 years ago? Presbyopia currently affects nearly 25% of the population - and affects almost everyone eventually. Come on Tesla - help us out!
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CyberGus
Not Just a Member
I just checked with QAnon, they said this is part of Elon's plans to force everyone to get a Neuralink implant so that he can read your thoughts with the Starlink satellites
Why couldn't it? A dedicated button doesn't preclude its actuation from being mode-locked.
Futuresystem
Member
Well I’m a senior, and honestly couldn’t be much happier with everything on my 3. After 12 months of ownership I’m totally in love with the car! The voice control does most things (though still needs to improve it’s accuracy) and the screen is very simple and logical. If I actually need to do things on the screen whilst driving (which is rare), I make sure that autopilot has the wheel for those seconds that I have my eyes off the road. Even my wife who is literally about the least technical person I know has mastered the important aspects on the Model 3 (including opening the glove box LOL - though she will occasionally need to ask me for something used only rarely.) Amazingly though, she can even plug it in to charge- but has not filled the tank on an ICE vehicle in maybe 20+ years!
On the other hand, when I get in my 2014 Jeep (which is rare, and now mainly only for towing) I really struggle to find some controls, and regularly get nagged by my wife for wandering in the lane if looking for a particular control, adjusting the music windscreen wiper or A/C etc.
The Model 3 is about 1,000 times better, and safer!
- though she will occasionally need to ask me for something used only rarely.) Amazingly though, she can even plug it in to charge- but has not filled the tank on an ICE vehicle in maybe 20+ years!On the other hand, when I get in my 2014 Jeep (which is rare, and now mainly only for towing) I really struggle to find some controls, and regularly get nagged by my wife for wandering in the lane if looking for a particular control, adjusting the music windscreen wiper or A/C etc.
The Model 3 is about 1,000 times better, and safer!
I'm north of 70 myself. So far so good. ; ) Been using computers for 45+ years. One thing I find difficult with ICE cars is locating the right buttons. There is no consistency where things are located in ICE cars. Still end up looking for flashers, dimmers, etc. with every car I get into. Even in our 2003 Acura MDX. Just got my MY two months ago. I had watched many M3 YouTube videos before delivery and essentially got into the MY and started driving. At least I know where to look for the "buttons". I'm perfectly happy and comfortable with the Tesla tech. Would not have paid 60 large if I had any doubt. Not for everyone I suppose and that's fine. Us dinosaurs will be gone soon and the next generation can enjoy FSD. Best wishes, WattBeatGas!
