Seniors wishing the glovebox had a physical button to open

[Michelle_eriw]

I find it amazing how often some people use their glovebox. I use mine twice a year. To replace the insurance and registration papers.

Where do you store your tire pressure gauge? Where do you store your facial tissues? Where do you store your pistol?

 

[Michelle_eriw]

Your example is silly, if the passenger wants to open the glove box they can just touch the on screen button. You must be like 1:100,000,000 that is always in their glovebox. WTH.

I have a friend who gets motion sickness if she tries to touch anything on the screen.

 

[Michelle_eriw]

Okay old man, clearly your purely anecdotal "evidence" of never having been in a collision supercedes decades of research. Classic boomer mindset "sure I drink and drive, but I have never been in a crash and therefore it is safe to do so, don't lecture me because I'm old". That's your argument deflected back at you. A 2014 Chrysler has physical knobs to use as well as the screen. If you can't manage to figure out how to use the physical options by memory that's on you.

Learn how to read for comprehension, boy. Maybe when you get some maturity, you will understand what he actually wrote, and you would be able to react to it instead of what you had wished he had written. In other words, grow up.

Oh, and while you're at it, learn how to spell "supersede".

 

[Scoutniagara]

Push the button. "Open Glove Box".

 

[MrABRanch]

To use the Wipers press the left stalk in, (not up or down) it will wipe and bring up the wiper menu, can set speed/auto/off from the menu, longer press the left stalk to get screen wash and a few wipes, it's really easy.

I think though that some buttons are too small and should be able to have their size changed, all the screen buttons, AC fan speed, etc are too small, even the indicator flashing icon is too small, I keep leaving the indicator on, as the music means I can't hear the dinger.

I am impressed with the technical acumen detailed here. It saddens me, though, because it is just one more piece of evidence to me that Tesla autos are not for the senior set (of which I am a reluctant member).

I own a Model 3 and drive it only infrequently ... especially now during the Covid-19 crimp on places to go. Now I'm sure all you young'uns out there will puzzle over how I could possibly lose some sharpness in my senior years; after all, you (and I, too, when I was a young'un) are bright, quick on your feet, sharp memory, and all the rest of the admirable characteristics of not-old humans, AND YOU'LL NEVER GIVE IN TO THE RAVAGES OF AGE, EITHER. Am I not right?

The Tesla autos have sometimes been called, with pride, "a computer on wheels." However, when I describe my M3 that way to others, it's with an inward groan. Why? It is so difficult to do anything, even simple things like open the glove box. In all the ICE cars I've ever driven, it's been easy. A/C? Sure, just reach over WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD and make the adjustments by touch. No way to do that in my computer on wheels.

(btw, I fully expect there will be many crash descriptions of seniors taking their eyes off the road too long and crashing into some innocent car, guard rail at the edge of a cliff, or oncoming fully loaded semi.)

Or, say you want to flip on the windshield wipers to wash off a bug flattened right in your line of vision. If you’re like me, you’ll have to pull over to the side of the road and browse through the logical decision tree on the touch screen (that saves a lot of weight, I’m sure) before you can home in, minutes later, on the part of the algorithm that gives you several choices for windshield wiper activation.

This retired aerospace engineer, who helped design the control system of the GPS satellite decades ago, longs for the simplicity of an old ICE car! Same for my wife, who refuses to drive the M3 because it is “Too complicated.”

Elon! Here’s a demographic that you might not reach until you design a simple ecar: The really senior cohort that really doesn’t need 0 – 60 in 3 seconds. (I tried to think of a name for a senior-appropriate Tesla that could be added to the S3XY lineup, but I nodded off. Maybe after my nap.)

 

[AdamMacDon]

Learn how to read for comprehension, boy. Maybe when you get some maturity, you will understand what he actually wrote, and you would be able to react to it instead of what you had wished he had written. In other words, grow up.

Oh, and while you're at it, learn how to spell "supersede".

Old people trying to pull rank because they completed more rotations of the sun without dying is always cute. Especially when they are incorrect. I provided a source to an actual study showing that distracted driving caused by touch screens is in fact a documented issue. He provided a lame anecdote that is rather irrelevant.

Also, so you don't embarass yourself more in the future, "supercede" is a British variant of "supersede". In case you silly yanks don't know, Britain is the home of the English language and has many old colonies throughout the world, such as here in Canada. I attached an image for reference regarding this.

In this instance, I would suggest you "act your age" since you look plenty old enough to know better.

To sum up my previous point, touch screens are proven to be less effective and more dangerous than physical buttons. Tesla did not go with the "lack of buttons" design choice because it is safer or better, but because they wanted to cut costs as much as possible. Running wiring harnesses is expensive and currently very manual. Anyone who thinks different is frankly delusional.

 

[CMoZ]

It may be costly to write the software to make the touch screen possible, but once written, software can be reproduced at zero additional cost. Because I have written software for a wide variety of applications, including accounting, industrial control, and systems, I am well aware of how costly developing software is, how little it costs to copy it, and how little it costs to connect things to computers.

Sorry disagree completely. This may have been true in the day of write the product put it on disks and ship it, but as a current software developer I can say the cost of maintaining an active piece of software is exceedingly expensive with bug fixes, feature additions and other ongoing maintenance. And as this is happening the codebase grows until it becomes unmaintainable and is re-written completely or dies. Software is not an upfront cost in 2020 it's an ongoing cost

 

[AdamMacDon]

Sorry disagree completely. This may have been true in the day of write the product put it on disks and ship it, but as a current software developer I can say the cost of maintaining an active piece of software is exceedingly expensive with bug fixes, feature additions and other ongoing maintenance. And as this is happening the codebase grows until it becomes unmaintainable and is re-written completely or dies. Software is not an upfront cost in 2020 it's an ongoing cost

Agreed 100%. Technical debt is a very real debt and it can accrue quite rapidly if you are not careful. I'd say autopilot is the best example of this. To the point where they are talking about rewriting large portions of the code base.

That being said if they had enough cars on the road, the scaling effects could make it worth it to go the software route. There is a break even point at which the software focused approach could be cheaper.

 

[TEZLA3]

Not a senior yet, only 75 YO.

All those arguments are IMHO fallacious. Why, as a senior with reduced driving capabilities, are you opening your glove box while driving? Actually, even in a vehicle with a button release, see the above.

The climate control is very effective. Where you fiddling with it all the time in your ICE vehicle? Why?

The wipers are automagic. Leave them alone. They'll perform better than you will. Remember, you're a senior now with all the wonderful physical ramifications that come with aging.

Tell the car what you want. You're telling us.

If all the wonderful Tesla stuff bothers you, go buy a f'n Audi or Jaguar EV since you want to be green. Wait until you see the myriad buttons, knobs and sliders in those vehicles. You get to adjust them to your heart's content while taking your eyes off the road. Sadly, you'll be lacking the Tesla safety features though.

 

[TSammy]

Hey Seniors,
This is not a problem. Buy a Model X.
It is MUCH easier to get in and out, has a nice button for the glove box, a super roomy console and all kinds of setup options.
Plus it is the safest vehicle you can find.
Love my 2016 X60D, won't trade it till the Cybertruck comes out.
Oh and by the way, we are proud that Tesla is an American company. That is why the cars all come with Tires and brakes instead of tyres and breaks.

 

[brur]

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!

I love the model 3.
Only thing I have trouble with is getting the superchargers on the map. Nav might choose a charger a bit further away than I wish. I know there is an invisible button on the screen but it isn't intuitive.

 

[smatthew]

Learn how to read for comprehension, boy. Maybe when you get some maturity, you will understand what he actually wrote, and you would be able to react to it instead of what you had wished he had written. In other words, grow up.

Oh, and while you're at it, learn how to spell "supersede".

WTF? You do know the racial connotations behind calling a man "boy" in the USA?

completely unacceptable in modern civilization.

and before you say I'm too young and modern and sensitive, I showed my 72yr old mother the post, and she was horrified as well.

 

[Michelle_eriw]

WTF? You do know the racial connotations behind calling a man "boy" in the USA?

completely unacceptable in modern civilization.

It was in response to his writing, "Okay old man"; I was giving him a taste of his own medicine. And since I don't know his race, there was no racial connotation.

 

[Michelle_eriw]

Old people trying to pull rank because they completed more rotations of the sun without dying is always cute. Especially when they are incorrect. I provided a source to an actual study showing that distracted driving caused by touch screens is in fact a documented issue. He provided a lame anecdote that is rather irrelevant.

Also, so you don't embarass yourself more in the future, "supercede" is a British variant of "supersede". In case you silly yanks don't know, Britain is the home of the English language and has many old colonies throughout the world, such as here in Canada. I attached an image for reference regarding this.

In this instance, I would suggest you "act your age" since you look plenty old enough to know better.

To sum up my previous point, touch screens are proven to be less effective and more dangerous than physical buttons. Tesla did not go with the "lack of buttons" design choice because it is safer or better, but because they wanted to cut costs as much as possible. Running wiring harnesses is expensive and currently very manual. Anyone who thinks different is frankly delusional.

Yeah, you posted that and pointed it out, but that did not address what he wrote. That is what I was pointing out to you, you ageist twit.

Oh, and as for the spelling of "supersede", check this out: Supersede: A Spelling Conundrum for the Ages

I would quote my OED, but it's still packed from my move.

 

[SVMike]

By Rotating the Air in the Tires.

Not needed. The car automatically rotates the air one time for each wheel rotation

 

[SVMike]

Also, so you don't embarass yourself more in the future, "supercede" is a British variant of "supersede". In case you silly yanks don't know, Britain is the home of the English language and has many old colonies throughout the world, such as here in Canada..

Are you saying that the British spelling supersedes the American spelling...just because Britain is older?

 

[AdamMacDon]

Yeah, you posted that and pointed it out, but that did not address what he wrote. That is what I was pointing out to you, you ageist twit.

Oh, and as for the spelling of "supersede", check this out: Supersede: A Spelling Conundrum for the Ages

I would quote my OED, but it's still packed from my move.

You mentioned age first, don't get triggered because someone fires back at you. Despite you claiming that my reading comprehension is weak, you somehow managed to miss that his posts are not backed up by facts or research, but by useless anecdotes and hyperbole. Go read it again if you still can't grasp that, the evidence is clear. Statements such as:

"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!"

Anecdotes not backed up by the multitude of research showing that touch screens are NOT safer than physical buttons, in fact the opposite. You can have your opinion that this is not true, but you are most likely wrong. Here are some sources you should educate yourself with:

Age-Related Differences in the Cognitive, Visual and Temporal Demands of In-Vehicle Information Systems - AAA Foundation

(PDF) Can In-Vehicle Touch Screens be Operated with Zero Visual Demand? An exploratory driving simulator study

Motorists using touchscreens in cars are being distracted

So far all you seem to be able to bring to this discussion is nit-picking about a potential spelling error. If you manage to unpack that dictionary, I recommend you reference the word "pedantic". As for me, I think this "debate" is rather pointless and a waste of time. Until peer reviewed data comes out proving they are safer than physical buttons, I tend to agree with the body of research that shows they are a lesser control system. Tesla clearly went with the touchscreen system to save money, not because it is proven safer.

 

[AdamMacDon]

Are you saying that the British spelling supersedes the American spelling...just because Britain is older?

Hah... I see what you did there. And I'm Canadian, we were a British colony that spells "color" with a "u" added in and "supersedes" with a "c". The travesty!

 

[Joggerjohnny]

I am impressed with the technical acumen detailed here. It saddens me, though, because it is just one more piece of evidence to me that Tesla autos are not for the senior set (of which I am a reluctant member).

I own a Model 3 and drive it only infrequently ... especially now during the Covid-19 crimp on places to go. Now I'm sure all you young'uns out there will puzzle over how I could possibly lose some sharpness in my senior years; after all, you (and I, too, when I was a young'un) are bright, quick on your feet, sharp memory, and all the rest of the admirable characteristics of not-old humans, AND YOU'LL NEVER GIVE IN TO THE RAVAGES OF AGE, EITHER. Am I not right?

The Tesla autos have sometimes been called, with pride, "a computer on wheels." However, when I describe my M3 that way to others, it's with an inward groan. Why? It is so difficult to do anything, even simple things like open the glove box. In all the ICE cars I've ever driven, it's been easy. A/C? Sure, just reach over WITHOUT HAVING TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD and make the adjustments by touch. No way to do that in my computer on wheels.

(btw, I fully expect there will be many crash descriptions of seniors taking their eyes off the road too long and crashing into some innocent car, guard rail at the edge of a cliff, or oncoming fully loaded semi.)

Or, say you want to flip on the windshield wipers to wash off a bug flattened right in your line of vision. If you’re like me, you’ll have to pull over to the side of the road and browse through the logical decision tree on the touch screen (that saves a lot of weight, I’m sure) before you can home in, minutes later, on the part of the algorithm that gives you several choices for windshield wiper activation.

This retired aerospace engineer, who helped design the control system of the GPS satellite decades ago, longs for the simplicity of an old ICE car! Same for my wife, who refuses to drive the M3 because it is “Too complicated.”

Elon! Here’s a demographic that you might not reach until you design a simple ecar: The really senior cohort that really doesn’t need 0 – 60 in 3 seconds. (I tried to think of a name for a senior-appropriate Tesla that could be added to the S3XY lineup, but I nodded off. Maybe after my nap.)

AGREE wholeheartedly with one exception; simple isn't only better for seniors. I think if asked, most drivers would certainly prefer to open their glovebox by hand among other things. While Tesla has done a lot of things right (mostly related to the powertrain) the gimmicks are a turnoff that eventually might come back to hurt them as others catch up and decide to keep things simple (stupid).

 

[Gasaraki]

Why would one want to change the A/C temp while driving?
Perhaps the miles left is decreasing too fast and one wants to turn off the A/C to make it possible to reach one's destination.
Perhaps one the sun has come out making it feel hotter.
Perhaps a passenger is complaining that it is too cold.
Perhaps one's memory is imperfect and one forgot to set the temp before venturing out.

Opening the glove box while driving?
Perhaps a passenger wants to get something out of the glove box.

I herewith invite others to find additional reasons.

If they really had a passenger in the car, then they should be the one looking for the glovebox opener. Too cold, have the passenger turn up the temperature on their side.