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Underwhelmed by the technology

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#21
rcc said:
+1 on not wanting big distracting graphics. Prius graphics are total overkill.

My first reaction on driving a Prius: "This is a car, not the Starship Enterprise."

HVAC, defrost, etc. power consumption could be a nice thing to see but I only need to see if it I'm right on the edge wrt range.
Click to expand...

+1 on being able to see the HVAC power separated from the engine power (right now they appear to be combined in the power display in the car since turning on the defrost while stopped in traffic bumps the power use up).

I'd also like to see a battery temperature reading. That would be helpful on cold mornings as well as giving you advanced warning if you're driving it too hard before it throws the over temp error (although I've never been able to drive the car hard enough to see that error just yet).

I absolutely love the power meter and digital speedometer. But I find the analog speedometer completely useless except for setting the cruise control. Why not just make the cruise control setting digital as well and then use the left side of the gauge cluster for battery temp and HVAC power?
 
#22
While this started as a look at energy consumption it's really about information consumption. I go back and forth between digital and analog displays. A digital display gives you precision without reference, the analog sacrifices precision for reference. It's a lot easier for me to quickly glance at an analog speedometer and know where I am in relation to my usual driving patterns. I really don't care whether I'm going 78 or 80 miles an hour. Plus, you get a great opportunity to use "bugs" such as the marker for cruise control when analog. In my mind, the "tape" display on modern glass cockpits are the worst of both worlds. No real visual reference on a vertical tape.

While driving I want a quick scan that gives me the information I need ... speed, distance, range remaining, energy consumption ... in an easily digestible format. Model S doesn't have it perfect yet but it's pretty good. Agree with everyone who calls out the need to analyze energy consumption patterns more deeply, though.
 
#24
I hated the Prius displays. Ok, wonderful that it is showing me the direction of power and where it is coming from and going to. But no quantitative data.
In addition, the Prius is much more complicated with the addition of an engine.
With the S, you have power coming from the batteries to the motor, or from the regenerative braking to the batteries. That's it, so the existing display seems sufficient, and gives more quantitative data than the Prius.

I would agree though, that quantitative data on HVAC power use would be excellent.
 
#25
You know what else would be useful? If the internal measured temperature of the car interior displayed somewhere other than having to start up the iPhone app while driving to see that the HVAC interior temperature is now 77 (even though its set to "68", don't get me started with the "Improved HVAC performance in 4.3") is annoying.

I've had several Priu, still have a 2012 Advanced PiP, it does have some features the Model S is missing, such as DRCC "Dynamic Radar Cruise Control" (radar that measures and keeps you a safe following distance from the car in front of you), my Prius is easier to get in and out of (more clearance between the door bottom and top), probably a few other things. But I wanted to go all electric, so I accepted that I could live without them. The display in the PiP is similar to other Priu, but it has telemetry, so you can vew your driving history with their app.
 
#26
wraithnot said:
+1 on being able to see the HVAC power separated from the engine power (right now they appear to be combined in the power display in the car since turning on the defrost while stopped in traffic bumps the power use up).

I'd also like to see a battery temperature reading. That would be helpful on cold mornings as well as giving you advanced warning if you're driving it too hard before it throws the over temp error (although I've never been able to drive the car hard enough to see that error just yet).
Click to expand...

I've made both these points to Tesla on several occasions. Both of these would really help in terms of understanding and optimizing winter performance.
 
#27
okay, fair enough... looks like i'm in the minority when it comes to wanting more full-motion sparkly animated graphics.

what about other information? for instance, the Ford Mustang relays a LOT more info about real-time lateral g forces, torque curves, 0-60 info, yaw, etc etc etc.

i guess, just in general, there is so much technology in the Model S and so LITTLE information about it is translated to the driver. and I don't buy the "distraction" excuse. if that were the case they wouldn't put a bloody web-browser there.
 
#30
rcc said:
+1 on not wanting big distracting graphics. Prius graphics are total overkill.
Click to expand...

No, the energy screen is very helpful when learning to pulse and glide. You're only looking for:

1. No arrows if below 41 mph.

2. Only red and green arrows when accelerating (assumes no Scangauge--if you have one, then you only use the screen for #1).

3. When stopped you want the wheels to be still or you are wasting energy from the creep feature. If the wheels are moving you aren't pressing the brake hard enough.

In the Model S, the two main things on the 17" display are the rear view camera and the map (but you really only look at that map when you are stopped.
 
#31
kinddog said:
i guess, just in general, there is so much technology in the Model S and so LITTLE information about it is translated to the driver. and I don't buy the "distraction" excuse. if that were the case they wouldn't put a bloody web-browser there.
Click to expand...

If Tesla was totally unconcerned about certain distractions it wouldn't have disabled video on the web browser.

Larry
 
#37
Teriyaki88 said:
Sorry. I bought this car because it was fun to drive. Not because of the resolution of the main screen or fancy graphic representation of energy consumption. The fact it's 'green' and cool looking was bonus. :)
Click to expand...
I must admit that if the screen had an abysmal resolution by modern standards (like CGA), I would have had second thoughts.
 
#38
The genius of Tesla is the way they have communicated the important pieces of information in a clean, easy to understand format. I absolutely hate that goofy Prius graphic. We have several of them in our corporate fleet and all I ever hear people say is "I have no idea what the heck that crazy screen is trying to tell me with all those arrows and stuff." I think it looks really cheesy. Almost all key info being shown on that screen is being displayed much more eloquently on the Model S speedometer.

As far as animated EQ graphics for the music goes I say NO FREAKING WAY. The only place you see crap like that is on a $99 aftermarket car stereo.
 
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