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Tesla Model 3 First Drive Reviews

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Good honest review. I'd love to see Elon do something about the A/P interface, I can see Roy's point.
I thought it was really fair and objective, too.

The AP interface is an interesting challenge. Right now, most people commenting upon it/giving feedback are used to the S/X interface. We've all been trained on 'where to look for things'. But I'm not sure that someone brand new to Tesla will have the same issues.

Admittedly, data point of just one, but three days of watching my sister navigate the new UI & getting comfortable with it - her only complaint was that she wants the navigation directions on the left side of the map, not the right. She used AP a lot and I didn't see a struggle with it.
 
She used AP a lot and I didn't see a struggle with it.
I have a little experience in cockpit design, where complex time-critical information needs to be displayed appropriately, and we have to be careful here. Just because the users may not see an issue doesn't mean one doesn't exist.

To really assess the interface, we'd need to put a bunch of users in a driving simulator and repeatedly have them make fast decisions to disable autopilot and drive avoidance maneuvers. The autopilot interface can't be fully assessed during normal driving conditions.
 
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I have a little experience in cockpit design, where complex time-critical information needs to be displayed appropriately, and we have to be careful here. Just because the users may not see an issue doesn't mean one doesn't exist.

To really assess the interface, we'd need to put a bunch of users in a driving simulator and repeatedly have them make fast decisions to disable autopilot and drive avoidance maneuvers. The autopilot interface can't be fully assessed during normal driving conditions.
I carefully noted it was just a data point of one. I didn't claim it wasn't an issue - though I'm not sure what you think is in the interface that is time-critical ... steering and brakes are all under the driver's control, at all times, with the *interface* we've all learned from the first time we got behind the wheel. (Meaning the brake pedal is where we expect it and the wheel turns the way we expect it to turn. :) )

But I agree to really assess the right UI, it takes more data. And not just 'a bunch of users'. I'd be curious on the differences between those who own an X or an S (and have one set of expectations), vs. brand new owners. Age. Gender. Culture. Previous vehicles owned. Eyesight. Bifocals required or not. And so on.
 
I thought Alex's review was spot on, especially on the AP interface - and specifically around the need to use UI to increase and decrease the speed by a mile or 5 miles. The S has that feature in the stack and was extremely easy to use. It was so easy and to lower my speed when I am approaching stopped traffic at high speeds.

Moving that control to UI is DUMB
 
Here's what Tesla must do to solve the Model 3's Autopilot UI problems:
  1. Move the cruise follow distance control to the left scroll button on the steering wheel;
  2. Move the cruise speed control to the right scroll button of the steering wheel;
I think I would leave the volume/track/station audio system controls on the left wheel and use the right wheel for TACC/AP. (It would be bad if someone got confused and thought they were adjusting volume and instead adjusted speed.) Scroll up/down to change speed and push left/right to change following distance. The software could detect a rapid wheel scroll and change speed by +/- 5 (limited to a single 5 unit change per scroll action, so you don't accidentally jump by 25 or something). I suppose a push in on the right scroll wheel could cancel TACC/AP (a la pause audio on left wheel).

Voice control could just stay on the screen, or they could add a listen mode where you say "Hey, Tesla" or whatever, to initiate a command. The only other thing I can think of that might be nice to use the scroll wheels for is the wipers. As long as the auto-wipers work well, this is less important.
 
I think I would leave the volume/track/station audio system controls on the left wheel and use the right wheel for TACC/AP. (It would be bad if someone got confused and thought they were adjusting volume and instead adjusted speed.) Scroll up/down to change speed and push left/right to change following distance. The software could detect a rapid wheel scroll and change speed by +/- 5 (limited to a single 5 unit change per scroll action, so you don't accidentally jump by 25 or something). I suppose a push in on the right scroll wheel could cancel TACC/AP (a la pause audio on left wheel).

Voice control could just stay on the screen, or they could add a listen mode where you say "Hey, Tesla" or whatever, to initiate a command. The only other thing I can think of that might be nice to use the scroll wheels for is the wipers. As long as the auto-wipers work well, this is less important.

I like your suggestions re using the scroll wheel for AP.

Perhaps to minimize the chance of someone getting confused and using the wrong scroll, the right/AP scroll wheel could require a press before being scrolled up/down or pushed left/right. This could have the option of having a distinctive tone sound to confirm readiness for AP instruction (tone would also serve as an alert to avoid a potential unintended AP change).

As to Roy's comment re improving the visibility of the feedback AP is giving the driver as to what it is seeing. It occurs to me that the NAV menu is really critical only as you are within a mile or two of your next NAV instruction. Why not have an option to set the UI so that NAV is a smaller portion of the screen (and the AP UI a larger portion) unless within X miles of a new NAV instruction. X miles being customizable. It could be done so that the NAV/AP images can be restored to the current default sizes by double tapping on any portion of the NAV display.

Perhaps this discussion should have a separate thread... Impressions on 3 AP UI vs. Model S/X, and Suggestions to Improve
 
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I carefully noted it was just a data point of one. ... I'd be curious on the differences between those who own an X or an S (and have one set of expectations), vs. brand new owners. Age. Gender. Culture. Previous vehicles owned. Eyesight. Bifocals required or not. And so on.

I'm probably an outlier - Roadster owner who never owned an S/X (and only drove each for less than a day). I'm puzzled at Roy's emphatic insistence that AP in Model 3 "sucks." I think he's got it completely wrong in many areas:

1) He says it's OK to have driving-important information like the speedometer and fault telltales in the center screen, but not the status of the AutoPilot. That's ridiculous! If anything he has it backwards. When auto-piloting, one doesn't need to be on top of every detail like one does when manually driving, so it's less important to have the feedback right in front when auto-piloting. So when he complains about the "hands on the wheel" alert not being in the cluster, yet is OK with Speedometer and critical faults, he's flat-out wrong, IMHO.

Matter of fact, I'd argue that since everything is on the touchscreen now, it's better because you only have 1 place to look for information, not two different ones.

2) He says Model 3's AP is a step backwards "because semi-autonomous driving systems require human interaction. The more complex and capable a semi-autonomous system, the more critical the human-machine interface (HMI)." Again, in my view he has it backwards. The more capable the AP system is, the less you need to mess with the controls while auto-piloting. Which brings us to the next item:

3) After saying how fine it is that normal driving controls are now all on the touchscreen ("I felt liberated from the tyranny of traditional car dashboards full of knobs and buttons."), Roy goes on to complain about the lack of hard controls for AutoPilot. I find that bizarre. While Auto-Piloting I want to be tweaking controls less than when manually driving.

And that's the heart of the matter as to why I think Alex Roy's Auto-Pilot critique is completely wrong. He thinks there shouldn't an an "Auto" in Auto-Pilot, that it's important for drivers to get the results they want by changing the parameters by which Auto-Pilot works. That's silly. I go into Auto-Pilot precisely so I don't have to be constantly tweaking controls, whether it's pedal and steering, or stalks to flip and twist. I don't want to be telling Auto-Pilot to do its job differently while it's doing that job.

Think about it, why would I want to be switching, as Roy says, between 3 and 4 second follow distances on the same road? Why would I want to adjust the max speed, as Roy says, by 5 or 10 MPH increments on the same road? We don't need quick shortcuts to those parameters, because we shouldn't be changing them. The only reason I can fathom why someone would want to continuously tweak them is because Auto-Pilot isn't doing its job. What could be going on is that Roy just can't let go. He wants Auto-Pilot to drive the car like he would, but that's not it's goal. The goal is to drive the car more safely than people would. If that means a second longer follow distance, so be it - once we're all on AP traffic won't jam up as much and we'll get there faster anyway.
 
I'm probably an outlier - Roadster owner who never owned an S/X (and only drove each for less than a day). I'm puzzled at Roy's emphatic insistence that AP in Model 3 "sucks." I think he's got it completely wrong in many areas:

1) He says it's OK to have driving-important information like the speedometer and fault telltales in the center screen, but not the status of the AutoPilot. That's ridiculous! If anything he has it backwards. When auto-piloting, one doesn't need to be on top of every detail like one does when manually driving, so it's less important to have the feedback right in front when auto-piloting. So when he complains about the "hands on the wheel" alert not being in the cluster, yet is OK with Speedometer and critical faults, he's flat-out wrong, IMHO.

Matter of fact, I'd argue that since everything is on the touchscreen now, it's better because you only have 1 place to look for information, not two different ones.

2) He says Model 3's AP is a step backwards "because semi-autonomous driving systems require human interaction. The more complex and capable a semi-autonomous system, the more critical the human-machine interface (HMI)." Again, in my view he has it backwards. The more capable the AP system is, the less you need to mess with the controls while auto-piloting. Which brings us to the next item:

3) After saying how fine it is that normal driving controls are now all on the touchscreen ("I felt liberated from the tyranny of traditional car dashboards full of knobs and buttons."), Roy goes on to complain about the lack of hard controls for AutoPilot. I find that bizarre. While Auto-Piloting I want to be tweaking controls less than when manually driving.

And that's the heart of the matter as to why I think Alex Roy's Auto-Pilot critique is completely wrong. He thinks there shouldn't an an "Auto" in Auto-Pilot, that it's important for drivers to get the results they want by changing the parameters by which Auto-Pilot works. That's silly. I go into Auto-Pilot precisely so I don't have to be constantly tweaking controls, whether it's pedal and steering, or stalks to flip and twist. I don't want to be telling Auto-Pilot to do its job differently while it's doing that job.

Think about it, why would I want to be switching, as Roy says, between 3 and 4 second follow distances on the same road? Why would I want to adjust the max speed, as Roy says, by 5 or 10 MPH increments on the same road? We don't need quick shortcuts to those parameters, because we shouldn't be changing them. The only reason I can fathom why someone would want to continuously tweak them is because Auto-Pilot isn't doing its job. What could be going on is that Roy just can't let go. He wants Auto-Pilot to drive the car like he would, but that's not it's goal. The goal is to drive the car more safely than people would. If that means a second longer follow distance, so be it - once we're all on AP traffic won't jam up as much and we'll get there faster anyway.
I agree with you - and when I tweeted out a link to his review, along with props, I noted there were some things I disagreed with. As you've so eloquently outlined.

The real proof, though, will be after there are thousands of Model 3s on the road and user feedback abounds. You're a first gen Roadster owner, by definition that makes you a pioneer. You're also technical. Those two attributes will mean you interact differently with the UI than someone who has avoided getting even a smart phone. I'm curious as to how this all plays out.
 
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...someone who has avoided getting even a smart phone...

I hope the Delivery Specialists are keeping track of how many Model 3s they deliver to people who don't have smartphones, since part of the delivery process is pairing the car to your phone. Obviously, one would expect the number to be really small, but if not that might be an indication of Model 3 having truly broad appeal.
 
The goal is to drive the car more safely than people would. If that means a second longer follow distance, so be it - once we're all on AP traffic won't jam up as much and we'll get there faster anyway.

I think this is spot on. Day one reservation non owner here. I've considered CPO but have already been drawn into AP2. I expect and plan to use EAP on my (45mi each way) commute knowing full well the car will be driving less agressively. I expect 55-65 minutes each way to increase at least five minutes,

While i am in (and into ;-) tech, my wife most definetly isn't. This will become my commute and also our primary car used for trips together. I'll be curious how long it takes for her to be willing to try EAP and also let me use it when she rides with me. We haven't completely worked out who drives when...
 
I hope the Delivery Specialists are keeping track of how many Model 3s they deliver to people who don't have smartphones, since part of the delivery process is pairing the car to your phone.

Make that recent smartphone, My wife and are currently settliing into new Essential phones. I am finally retiring smartphone from 2013 (Galaxy S4 generation) just now after learning in July more requirements for the Tesla app than I was expecting.

I.e. Preperations now include L2 outlet or better, and upgraded smartphone, and ...

Edit: typo
 
Tesla model 3 test drive: review

CNN first drive review. Not a thorough review but he likes many things but ends on a somewhat negative note -- apparently because he's frustrated that all the controls are on the center panel.

I think most buyers will just get used to it and the smart phone generation will feel right at home with that. He doesn't explain that that is a small and likely short lived frustration, and putting all controls on panel allows Tesla to save mfring costs with a much simplified dash and over the air updates.
 
I think most people who are complaining about the screen controls on the 3 are just being nitpicky. These days most people are controlling stuff on their phones, and if they're controlling anything on the car, it's just the volume or the temperature.
 
Tesla model 3 test drive: review

CNN first drive review. Not a thorough review but he likes many things but ends on a somewhat negative note -- apparently because he's frustrated that all the controls are on the center panel.

I think most buyers will just get used to it and the smart phone generation will feel right at home with that. He doesn't explain that that is a small and likely short lived frustration, and putting all controls on panel allows Tesla to save mfring costs with a much simplified dash and over the air updates.
I love it when reviewers have nothing else to criticize than a design characteristic the manufacturer has purposely chosen. In a couple of years the one center panel solution may be the industry standard.
 
I love it when reviewers have nothing else to criticize than a design characteristic the manufacturer has purposely chosen. In a couple of years the one center panel solution may be the industry standard.

I found it to be an objective review providing an independent opinion. He said the car was good but not something that he would buy hands down over any other car in its class. That’s fair. This car is not likely for everyone. What car is?
 
I found it to be an objective review providing an independent opinion. He said the car was good but not something that he would buy hands down over any other car in its class. That’s fair. This car is not likely for everyone. What car is?

Fair enough, but that's like the people who said, iPhone isn't for everyone because it doesn't have physical keyboard.
 
I found it to be an objective review providing an independent opinion. He said the car was good but not something that he would buy hands down over any other car in its class. That’s fair. This car is not likely for everyone. What car is?
I agree, although it was pretty short, but he didn't seem prejudiced an that's why I made my remark. If it had been a typical let's-bash-Tesla-review, we'd not be showing or discussing it here. We'd simply smiled and walked away. :cool: