V9 Shrink Nav? Split Screen?

[goneskiian]

The new Version 9.0 Tesla software upgrade solves a lot of problems and offers some wonderful additions to the Tesla driving experience.


However, there is one feature that should be traded in for the older model. Version 9.0 downgrades the big beautiful Tesla S and X touchscreens to the functionality of a VW navigation screen. Whereas the Tesla S and X screen itself measures 17 inches diagonally, the new upgrade reduces the actual operative screen size to a skimpy area at the bottom measuring about 9 inches.


Before 9.0 we could use the entire 17-inch screen for either 2 apps running at the same time, or one huge app expanded to full screen. Now Tesla only runs one app at a time down at the bottom of the touchscreen while the screen’s upper area constantly runs the navigator as a kind of background. And now as well, the buttons to launch apps are hidden behind another newly added button. The driver is now required to search and push, then search again, and push again.


Firstly:


An endlessly running navigator seems to use more battery energy. Before 9.0 the driver could shut off the navigator when not needed. Now the navigator is constantly re loading and re-drawing maps, performing location and other search functions such as traffic, surrounding businesses, vehicle charging station locations, and other information in a constant updating process. When needed, this is all very valuable. But when not needed it is a real drain on the energy budget and actually affects the range of the Tesla.


Secondly:


Reducing the screen to a one-app-at-a-time window means having to open and close apps twice as often. Before drivers with 2 apps running simultaneouslyneeded to open apps half as often. Now to achieve the same thing the driver must open a second app, obtain the information then re-open the first app to return to the original configuration. Plus, now with the app launch buttons hidden behind a second button, there is two times the button pushing. App opening and closing increases the distracted driving by a factor of 4 -- or 400%; twice the app opening and closing, times twice the button pushing. The process became four times as complex. The old way was much simpler. Then the driver remained more focused on the road. Now more app juggling and button pushing means more distracted driving.


Thirdly:


Before 9.0 the driver could increase the app to full screen. Then, it took far less time to focus and see information on the screen. Since the apps could be made bigger on the old big screen, it was also far easier to find a desired pressure point. Now the search occurs in a much smaller area. The driver must spend more time squinting, focusing, finding, and then pressing, missing and re-pressing a much smaller point, trying to find a much more reduced target. Since this requires more touchscreen focus, it also requires more distracted driving.




Fourthly:


It’s simply a gyp. Tesla S or X owners pay a hefty premium price for, among other things, a big beautiful 17-inch premium touch screen. That Tesla touchscreen really is the star of the show. Then suddenly it’s effectively reduced to the economy-car size of a VW navigator. The Tesla owner is left with a big useless screen displaying tiny little apps in a tiny little area at the bottom.


What a waste!


Please give us back the touchscreen functionality we had before the 9.0 update. Is it really that hard? Macs and PCs do this with the greatest of ease. There apps can be opened simultaneously and be sized and arranged side by side or one over the other.


· Let the driver shut off the navigator. Put it back into the list with the other apps to be open and closed by the driver.


· Just go back to the divided screen system, where two apps can be open at the same time; one on top the other on the bottom.


· Allow the apps to take over the entire screen again; no squinting and searching or fat finger button pushing.


· And un-hide the app buttons. Please put them back on the top level. Let’s return to one tap functionality.


And oh, yeah. If we are going to do the app-windows-on-a-background look, then how about letting us upload whatever image we’d like to use as our background?


Upgrades are great. But not at the cost of downgrades at the same time.

Yup. This. Agree with all of it.

 

[K3Man]

Well, I took the leap.

Updated from 8 to 9 with 2018.40 45f3c18

 

[Blastphemy]

Does the V9 media player pick up where you left off when playing from the USB? In V8, once I turn off the car, it completely forgets that it was playing music or an audiobook from the USB source and loses the position entirely. Did V9 fix this?

 

[DCGOO]

Does the V9 media player pick up where you left off when playing from the USB? In V8, once I turn off the car, it completely forgets that it was playing music or an audiobook from the USB source and loses the position entirely. Did V9 fix this?

I cannot get the V9 media player to play anything from the USB stick. So that problem has been solved (doesn't work at all).

 

[mep]

I just received the following email from Tesla:

Just heard... Update rolling out now..

Finally, in response to customer feedback, this update brings back the Dual App view for Model S and Model X.

I am holding my breath but it seems that Tesla again has listened to its owners and has modified V9 for us S and X owners.
I also had told them that I would not update until this is fixed. Now, I will give it a try once I receive the update.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Woah. Let's hope so.

 

[unpollo2]

It's more like allowing you to display 1 additional window above the media player pop-up. In the mini player mode you can have that plus camera plus nav shown. When you expand media player little more everything gets pushed up and nav is very small sliver at top. If you fully expand media player it erases the camera screen and nav stays in the top.

See images here
another update? 2018.42.2

 

[mep]

Correct. I tested this new update today at the store and I do not like it.
Too bad I had my hopes up.

 

[mep]

Here is what I mailed to Tesla today:

Dear Tesla,
I am a huge fan but I do not like what the new V9 update does to my interface.
I have an AP1 MX VIN: xxxx.
Before that I owned a MS (2013-2016).
I do not like the fact that Tesla took away one of my most beloved features, the split screen in my model X.
Here is how I drive my car - every day. I have the camera on always and on top of the screen and the map at the bottom.
I can either switch to music or I use the music app in the display of the instrument cluster in front of me.
For me an AP1 owner having the camera at the top of the screen is an important safety feature as I never have to worry about a blind spot and I like to see what is going on behind me when I am at traffic light or in a parking lot etc. I need it to be at the top of the screen for safety reasons.
Now, I understand that software evolves and software engineers always try to give equipment a fresh new look. So, I did not say anything when a few years back the outside temp display was moved from the center screen to the instrument cluster where my wife cannot see it anymore (she is still complaining about this every time!!).
I also did not complain when you removed the ability to see the fan speed and whether the AC is on or not on the climate buttons. Now I have to tap on that button every time when I want to know what the status is.
But this time I do not want to update my car. I really hate what you did with this V9 update.
I need that rear view camera display at the top of the screen and the map below!
In the first V9 version (2018.40) there was no way to move this up. I know that this was adjusted a bit by allowing to move the camera window up a bit in 2018.42. Two issues: First, this window is still not at the top of the screen and second and most annoying: When moving the camera window up it opens the music app and now blocks the map. Who asked for that?
For me as an owner of an AP1 car I am not gaining much by updating to V9 but I loose a lot of functionality.
Easy fix I think you should reconsider: Let the user move the camera window up without the music app pulling up, and I mean all the way up to the edge of the screen. That would leave the map at the bottom as I am using it. In addition, why not let the user then slide the music app manually just a bit so that I can actually use the camera on top, the map below and still see the music at the bottom. This could even be an improvement to the previous version. That would be something.
Cars are about emotions and Tesla cars even more so. I know a lot of owners right now that develop really negative emotions to the car because of this messed up “update”.
I would suggest implementing what I suggested to rectify this. It does not look like a big deal to me and you would make a large number of first adopters happy and this should be in everybody's interest.
Many thanks for reading.
Marcus

PS: One more suggestion:
I do not see why the two bottoms for the window heaters have to be on the right close to the passenger side. I use the windshield heater all the time when the car fogs up. Why do I now have to reach over more to hit this bottom? Less convenient and less safe.
How about letting the users arrange the order of the buttons in the menu bar at the bottom, similar to Apple's iOS?

 

[kennybroh]

I did not like the original V9 interface at all. But I think this latest release is much improved. I haven’t lived with it long enough to understand all of the nuances but having camera, media and nav all open is something I couldn’t do with the original split screen.

It would be nice if media and camera weren’t the only two apps that can share the screen, but this is a good start.

Putting aside the split screen issue, in many little ways this new interface is superior to the old one. Change is never easy.

I don’t agree that the placement of the window heater icons is an issue. If I have my elbow on the center armrest it’s as easy to press the control icon on the left as the volume control on the right. But maybe someday they’ll let us drag those icons wherever you want them.

But my overriding issue is still more fundamental holes in the interface. Why no phone favorites list? Why no access to messages? Why such a lame browser? Etc.

 

[kennybroh]

Just noticed the phone, calendar and phone apps can also share the screen with media.

 

[mep]

...and I noticed that the date (on the calendar app icon) is also no longer visible on the screen. I am still looking at it very day. This is not just about change. It is taking away a lot of things I am currently using.

 

[Ali’sMax]

I’ve been driving around the latest update for couple days now.
The lastest update I like the tri split screen option. The nav will always be there but now you can have two screens overlaying nav screen.
I’m happy that now you can choose how much nav screen takes up the space, I have camera in the middle and music at the bottom.
Thanks Tesla for listening to users and came up with this new screen format!

My husband tested the auto pilot with its mad MAX option on his S and he said it’s pretty good.
We’ll be testing auto pilot out more on our weekly trip to central coast with my X