v7 firmware with autopilot and new UI first impressions

[robert774]

I got my new firmware today and I must say I am VERY impressed. The new autopilot features are amazing! The autosteer worked perfectly for me on a 15 mile stretch of highway here in Houston, including automatic lane change. I did not need to put my hands on the steering wheel at all, but of course I stayed alert and ready to do so. I find the approach to the new Autopilot UI to be very clean and useful as well.

After reading all the doom and gloom posts about the Beta UI on TMC I was prepared to be disappointed there. However I must say I like it a lot. The clean interface works for me and I appreciate having more screen real estate available to the apps on the big screen.

I feel like I have a new car again :smile:

 

[T.blomer]

Photo's please!!

 

[robert774]

Photo's please!!

 

[T.blomer]

Thanks, looks good. Now let the waiting begin.

 

[rainman50]

Is there any way of seeing the day and date without going through much effort?

 

[glhs272]

For me with my old "Manual Drive" Tesla, this new user interface makes me sad. I see how this can be a very useful interface for AP cars, but still don't see any value in this UI for my car. Mostly just a loss of functionality. Perhaps this is where the "classic" Model S cars diverge from their AP brethren?

 

[robert774]

Is there any way of seeing the day and date without going through much effort?

No I think not. As others pointed out in the beta threads, you can see the number date on the calendar app icon but I see no full date with day of the week. Maybe in the clock app, which I don't care for and will likely never use. I am just glad digital time and temperature are always displayed.

- - - Updated - - -

For me with my old "Manual Drive" Tesla, this new user interface makes me sad. I see how this can be a very useful interface for AP cars, but still don't see any value in this UI for my car. Mostly just a loss of functionality. Perhaps this is where the "classic" Model S cars diverge from their AP brethren?

I am certainly sympathetic to your point, however I think you may like the other UI changes, especially the better use of real estate on the large screen.

 

[notAmeenPerson]

Is there a significant difference between medium and early forward collision warning in your opinion?

 

[Nevek]

Be ready to take the wheel when passing freeway exit ramps when you are in the inside lane. On I5, my car tried twice to follow the exit rather than go straight. Not a big deal if you are aware of it, a pucker moment of you are not.

 

[gsxdsm]

Is there any way of seeing the day and date without going through much effort?

The calendar icon - is it dynamic? I see it shows 15 (for Oct 15th). I wonder if it will show 16 tomorrow?

 

[dsm363]

For me with my old "Manual Drive" Tesla, this new user interface makes me sad. I see how this can be a very useful interface for AP cars, but still don't see any value in this UI for my car. Mostly just a loss of functionality. Perhaps this is where the "classic" Model S cars diverge from their AP brethren?

I wouldn't be sad. The UI in the non AP cars looks a little different and has the old style speed/power center dial that we are used to. There are some changes but not bad.

 

[trils0n]

For me with my old "Manual Drive" Tesla, this new user interface makes me sad. I see how this can be a very useful interface for AP cars, but still don't see any value in this UI for my car. Mostly just a loss of functionality. Perhaps this is where the "classic" Model S cars diverge from their AP brethren?

I'm torn. The instrument cluster is a serious downgrade for the non autopilot cars. Primarily, the most important gauge, the power meter, now appears useless. I probably won't update for this reason. The 17 inch screen looks amazing however, very sharp, and way more real estate without the useless borders taking up space.

 

[DFiveK2]

I'm working in a small village so haven't had to take it out on the highway... but it drove it around the village and out on some well-marked 55mph undivided 2 lane roads.

Verdict:
UNBELIEVEABLE! Love it.

It seems like the best situation for the car is to be following another... it really likes that. If you're driving down a non-well marked road (like faded lines)... then it won't let me turn it on until better lines appear.
The hardest part is to believe that its going to work as you're drifting towards the center-line with a semi coming the other direction. But it works.

I forgot to test the parallel park I was so excited.

There were some interesting alarms and sounds when some cars in front of me starting slowing down quickly. But it worked in that scenario too.

Back out for more testing.

 

[glhs272]

I wouldn't be sad. The UI in the non AP cars looks a little different and has the old style speed/power center dial that we are used to. There are some changes but not bad.

Really? That would make me very happy. Having the old style speed/power center dial is what I want. From what I can tell, the rest of V7.0 looks great.

 

[robert774]

Is there a significant difference between medium and early forward collision warning in your opinion?

I have never taken it off medium so I cannot say!

 

[deonb]

I wouldn't be sad. The UI in the non AP cars looks a little different and has the old style speed/power center dial that we are used to. There are some changes but not bad.

Could you post a pic?

 

[David99]

Can the center of the dash board display be customized? Kind of odd to have the game style view on your car right in the center not really providing any useful data other than, you have your lights on.

 

[invisik]

Could you post a pic?

Yes please, really want to see what it looks like on "Manual Pilot" cars.... as I'm uncertain about the changes too.

Thanks....

-m

 

[sorka]

I wouldn't be sad. The UI in the non AP cars looks a little different and has the old style speed/power center dial that we are used to. There are some changes but not bad.

I wish they'd show the old style(better and cleaner in my opinion) center gauge when AP is not engaged. But then you'd have redundancy in the UI if you picked the new energy app because that also shows the kw meter.

If it were up to me, I would have left the old apps the same in the driver cluster display and only change the center to the new display when AP is enabled and have it be the old when when AP is off.

 

[liuping]

I'm torn. The instrument cluster is a serious downgrade for the non autopilot cars. Primarily, the most important gauge, the power meter, now appears useless. I probably won't update for this reason. The 17 inch screen looks amazing however, very sharp, and way more real estate without the useless borders taking up space.

I agree the 17" console is an improvement and overall I really like it.

The only thing I don't really like about it is the black on the top with the floating icons. It does not fit with the rest of the windows and borders in day time mode.