The Tesla dashboard design team

[SageBrush]

Not sure if anyone's said it, but if you look at tesla's website, it's all exterior pics. I think a good indicator that the interior is not close to final like the exterior.

How many angles would you like to see photos of the steering wheel from ? ;-)

Seriously though, minimalist design is much better appreciated live.

 

[Scifi_tv_fan]

If they do implement a HUD, I think something like Microvision's HUD would look really good in this car!

This is an example of Microvision HUD concept I came across in an article on Electrek

 

[Candleflame]

I like roadster's simple mechanical indicators. Learned to adapt to all LCD displays in Model S. But this model 3 dash I just can't force myself to like. Exterior design looks great, but it feels like little thought was spent inside. As if Tesla only cares about how their brand looks to others on the road. I really hope they place second small display behind the wheel in final version. The way M3 looks now, I would rather spend $50K on used MS.

That's another possiblity. Tesla has been focusing all their energy into getting a cd < 2 exterior with enough space for a certain battery lenght that they completely neglected the interior. Maybe some small team was meant to come up with a low cost HUD or LCD screen for the dashboard and they couldn't do it....

 

[Douglas Sims]

I definitely want a normally placed instrument cluster, in addition to the larger center screen.

I do too, but I'm thinking that even if Tesla doesn't provide that, it wouldn't be that hard to make an aftermarket binacle that mounts in front of the steering wheel and provides speed, range, and a minimal set of essential driver information.

Perhaps it's just a question of getting used to the center touchscreen, but it almost seems like a safety issue - driver shouldn't have to move eyes so far from the road and process so much information to get updates on essential information.

 

[graphix25]

If they do implement a HUD, I think something like Microvision's HUD would look really good in this car!

This is an example of Microvision HUD concept I came across in an article on Electrek

I have a windshield projection based HUD in my 2015 BMW. Doesn't work at all with my polarized sun glasses which are common in our society. I can only see the HUD at night with my regular glasses. Even then it really is not that great. You can see a shadow box around the display at night with the clarity and color definition of a 1980 LED display. The one above is a step or two better then what is in my BMW. Transparent OLED might be a better option rather then a projection system if going with a augmented reality approach. That sounds pretty state of the art and expensive for a $35k car in it's first generation.

My future vision of a car is everything is a display. The windshield, dash all interactive displays. Tesla has made the car a gadget with lots of sensors. I want lots of information like radar details, road-maps, energy consumption statistics displayed all around me in glorious high definition. Creating a small bump and slipping in a OLED in that dash doesn't look to difficult. The GUI and displays are an area they wanted to keep close to the vest as it will be center to the experience of the Model 3. That is no doubt the thing to be "added" that Elon spoke too. If you picked anybody walking down the street and asked them what is missing in the car they showed they would all say a instrument cluster.

A information and technology advanced car with a single center display just doesn't seem likely. Keep the faith as I'm sure the driver experience will be fully digital and awesome in the production car.

 

[souslik]

What would bother me most if that was the production dashboard is the lack of buttons on the steering wheel. I'd even prefer to have the speed indicator right on the steering wheel, along with some model x prototype like display/touch buttons. That said, I'm sure I'll be more than happy with whatever they choose for the final dashboard design. I bet that what we've seen last Thursday will only change in details, not in its basic concept.

 

[ecarfan]

The Model 3 will have some sort of cluster.

two reasons:

1. Only the safety features of AutoPilot (AEB and TACC) will be standard, so we will still be driving these cars ourselves, even if we pay to have AP 2.0 enabled.

2. Some things are still mandated. High-beam indicator, speedometer, turn indicators. On the finished product, I still expect a small screen of some sort. They fought DOT and IIHS about mirrors, and yet....we still see side mirrors. So unless the laws change, there still has to be something there.

I was not aware there was a US DOT requirement that those items had to be displayed DIRECTLY IN FRONT of the driver. Unless you can quote a US government source for your statement, I remain unconvinced. They have to be displayed, but there exact location is not specified because cars have been sold in the US where they are displayed in the center of the dash.

And for those who get the full AP option in their 3, I see no reason for that to mean that a driver side display is needed. The car is doing the driving and it can display relevant information to the driver on the center display. The difference between glancing straight down to see information versus glancing down and slightly to the right is insignificant, in my opinion.

Model 3 test drive videos posted on YouTube include comments by the Tesla drivers to the effect that the 3 will only have the center display, that is the "design direction". You are welcome to believe that before the car goes into production Tesla will change the "design direction", but I think it unlikely.

We can agree to disagree and in a year and a half or so we will know for sure.

 

[ecarfan]

What would bother me most if that was the production dashboard is the lack of buttons on the steering wheel. I'd even prefer to have the speed indicator right on the steering wheel, along with some model x prototype like display/touch buttons. That said, I'm sure I'll be more than happy with whatever they choose for the final dashboard design. I bet that what we've seen last Thursday will only change in details, not in its basic concept.

Putting a display on the steering wheel showing things like speed puts it much too close to the driver, especially for older people who have decreased ability for close focusing.

I expect the production 3 steering wheel will have some buttons, but it is possible it will not for cost saving reasons.

 

[nd4spd569]

How many angles would you like to see photos of the steering wheel from ? ;-)

Seriously though, minimalist design is much better appreciated live.

Oh I'm not against it. I like it. Even more if it had a HUD. Always wanted one if those but option was so expensive.

 

[Nb1277]

Are we taking the cost savings re: the dash too far?

My thought is we are. The 15 inch size of the display makes sense to me given the proportions of the car relative to the S but what are the cost differences between a 15 and 17 inch display? Minimal.

More to the point, the decision on whether to integrate the display into the center console seems to be much more aligned to design and space savings than cost savings. Again, how much money does the "floating" rather than integrated approach save (if any)?

Lastly, I'm less confident about the cost of a HUD directly in front of the driver but if Tesla's objective is to cut the price of the car roughly in half relative to the S, wouldn't they focus interior cost savings on things like premium trim, material etc. rather than commodity displays?

Of course, the size of the vehicle and battery have the most significant impact on costs (and ultimately price) but, as far as the interior goes, it see,s like designing the dashboard as it is out of concern for costs would be pinching pennies...

 

[nd4spd569]

Putting a display on the steering wheel showing things like speed puts it much too close to the driver, especially for older people who have decreased ability for close focusing.

I expect the production 3 steering wheel will have some buttons, but it is possible it will not for cost saving reasons.

At least volume and station changing buttons hopefully. I use those all the time.

 

[Nb1277]

Putting a display on the steering wheel showing things like speed puts it much too close to the driver, especially for older people who have decreased ability for close focusing.

I expect the production 3 steering wheel will have some buttons, but it is possible it will not for cost saving reasons.

The cost savings idea in this instance also seems misguided. I drive a 2011 Honda Civic with steering wheel buttons for audio source type, volume and cruise control. It seems unreasonable not to include these in a $35K car purely to cut costs.

 

[I debug]

My 2 bits for a display redesign.

Integrate the main screen into the dash in a portrait configuration like the Model S. Then across the top above the main stretching across from driver side to passenger second screen +/- 6" high and the full width of the dash that would look or meld if you will, into the main screen. Thus creating a T or with some design work a Tesla "T" configuration. The driver side portion could be used to display a speedometer, Auto drive sensor info or what ever the driver prefers. Right side would be for the passenger use, Navigation / web search, Environmental... what ever might be useful. The main center be for the whatever Tesla deems critical. Navigation map, Radio, Exterior lighting / door status.... similar to the Model S. Another advantage, from a manufacturing point of view. This design would physically be the same for both right and left drive cars. Barring possibly, an angle for the main display to face the driver ?? The UI for this design would be assignable / configurable by the owner, similar to your present personal tablet. Going forward there could be new skins for this display to change the design look. Create some interior lighting scheme.

Side Note. For you wall street types, this dash wide display could steam stock quotes or financial news. Or for family trips, Scrolling song lyrics for Karaoke. Bottom line with all that digital real estate. The sky is the limit. in car entertainment. I think things like this will be a nice feature. Especially when autonomous drive becomes the norm.

 

[ByranS]

Look at these design sketches Elon posted on Twitter. Looks like the "floating" screen is very intentional. My guess is it won't change much.

 

[yesup]

Look at these design sketches Elon posted on Twitter. Looks like the "floating" screen is very intentional. My guess is it won't change much.

Exactly, that's what I have been saying all along.
But people simply would not believe. There may be some evolutionary or minor changes - but the sketch above clearly illustrates how they want the dash would look.

 

[James Anders]

Notice the interior doesn't even have A/C vents. It's mostly a placeholder. It will evolve.

But if you had time behind the wheel of an S you'd recognize that anyone who DOESN'T have a large touchscreen is just behind the times. The large screen is infinitely better.

In watching the test drive videos it was mentioned that the dash is pretty much done. Apparently the air vents are one continuous vent stretching across the entire dash. The Tesla driver spoke about air flow, etc.

 

[Stoneymonster]

Where we're going, we don't need "instruments".

 

[souslik]

Putting a display on the steering wheel showing things like speed puts it much too close to the driver, especially for older people who have decreased ability for close focusing.

They could make the numbers real big ... but yeah, I guess you're right. It's just that the traditional dash does have it's own disadvantages like elements being obstructed by the steering wheel depending on wheel setting and driver height.

 

[mspohr]

At least the Model S and X had other things on the dash to take away the attention from that monstrosity, but if this is going to be the dash (with some small alterations) of the Model 3, it is really, really ugly. Please reconsider Tesla.....take some inspiration from Mercedes for example:

This looks more Tesla than Tesla. Even the screen has a "T" shape and is perfectly integrated into the ensemble and is more than adequate size, for a car screen. A dashboard of a car is not ment to be a copy of my desk. I am not at my desk, and I'm not in a 70s sci-fi set inspired living room either. I'm in a car. I'm going somewhere, I'm traveling, I'm looking at stuff in my surroundings, at the real world. It's one of the main points of driving and traveling, or is this a wrong assumption? I can live without a giant screen while in a car. I see those everywhere already.

To me, this cockpit and dashboard is ugly, cluttered and dated. No way would I want to see this in my car.

 

[mspohr]

They could make the numbers real big ... but yeah, I guess you're right. It's just that the traditional dash does have it's own disadvantages like elements being obstructed by the steering wheel depending on wheel setting and driver height.

I have always had problems seeing the "traditional dash" on every car I have owned. To me, it's much better to move the data out from behind the steering wheel.