Worried about that off centre speedo display?

[Futuresystem]

l keep reading reports, reviews etc. about people concerned by the off centre speed readout, and having to look off centre rather than through the steering wheel to see your speed readout. Some people even suggest it's potentially dangerous.
Funny, few have complained about many other cars with a similar setup, (eg: just one of many examples, the Toyota Prius.)

However, for the disbelievers here's something to try:
Follow another car at a steady speed and at a safe distance, then look through your steering wheel at your speedo, (assuming you have one there), and take note of how the car in front of you appears in your peripheral vision whilst still looking at the speedo.
Now do the same thing but look to the right of your steering wheel where the Model 3 speed reading is placed, assuming a LHD vehicle, (or to the left of the wheel if you're in a right hand drive vehicle.)

In both cases, whilst looking at the speedo, you then have the vehicle in front in your peripheral vision only, and guess what, it's the same whether you look down through the steering wheel or down and to the side of the steering wheel. That's right, no different at all (unless maybe you have a severe vision problem in which case you shouldn't be driving at all!)

If that doesn't prove that it's just simply not an issue, ask an ophthalmologist, they will confirm how your peripheral vision works, and then you can stop worrying about that off centre speedo display.

Cya

 

[seattlite2004]

Depending on the model year....the Prius speedometer is right at the window belt and slightly towards the center. Thus much less eye/head moment to look at spedo than looking at the Prius center multifunction display that controls AC, Nav, etc. More recent model year Prius's now include a HUD. I've driven a Camry and a Prius Prime with a HUD.....IMHO....it's the way to go....all info is right in front of the driver without the driver having to take their eyes off the road. Combine the HUD with steering wheel controls and the driver wouldnt need to go to the center multifunction display for commonly used tasks like audio, wipers, climate, defog....so more time with hands on wheel and eyes on road.

 

[TaoJones]

If I looked through my steering wheel at the IC consciously for all that long, I'd probably get crosseyed.

One thing I do look forward to, should the day come when I drive a Model 3 or similarly-configured vehicle, is the very nice benefit of having less bright light in the cabin at night whilst driving through the middle of nowhere. Less night blindness, I believe is how a Tesla engineer described it when queried at an SC while driving a Model 3 to Colorado.

For all of their UI/UX foibles, and there are quite a few, Tesla does embrace minimalism quite a bit - and I view the center screen as a continuation of that theme. Apparently, more vox commands are coming that hopefully will reduce the need to tap repeatedly. Try keeping the rear camera view in the bottom pane of the touchscreen in an S/X for an example of how annoying 6 taps can be instead of 3.

 

[Futuresystem]

Depending on the model year....the Prius speedometer is right at the window belt and slightly towards the center. Thus much less eye/head moment to look at spedo than looking at the Prius center multifunction display that controls AC, Nav, etc. More recent model year Prius's now include a HUD. I've driven a Camry and a Prius Prime with a HUD.....IMHO....it's the way to go....all info is right in front of the driver without the driver having to take their eyes off the road. Combine the HUD with steering wheel controls and the driver wouldnt need to go to the center multifunction display for commonly used tasks like audio, wipers, climate, defog....so more time with hands on wheel and eyes on road.

Yep, a HUD would be nice.
I have an aftermarket HUD which gives speed only (GPS based) in both our current vehicles, and would now hate to be without it.
Assuming we don't have the choice of a HUD in the Tesla by the time we get our M3 downunder (hopefully in early 2019), I will move the current add on HUD which I have in our ICE car, into the M3.

 

[T34ME]

More recent model year Prius's now include a HUD. I've driven a Camry and a Prius Prime with a HUD.....IMHO....it's the way to go....all info is right in front of the driver without the driver having to take their eyes off the road.

Yep, a HUD would be nice.
I have an aftermarket HUD which gives speed only (GPS based) in both our current vehicles, and would now hate to be without it.

I have a Prius with a HUD for over four years now. It was fun the first week we owned the car, then it became an annoying nuisance. We never use it now and just use the center display (no steering wheel binnacle). YMMV.

The center display has proven to be completely safe and the transition to the 3 UI will be an easy transition for us. We don't make a habit of staring at the speedometer and use it infrequently with our TACC.

 

[Futuresystem]

I have a Prius with a HUD for over four years now. It was fun the first week we owned the car, then it became an annoying nuisance. We never use it now and just use the center display (no steering wheel binnacle). YMMV.

The center display has proven to be completely safe and the transition to the 3 UI will be an easy transition for us. We don't make a habit of staring at the speedometer and use it infrequently with our TACC.

I agree, the centre display is indeed safe!

Some may like using a HUD display, some don't, which is not at all surprising. I like it, and having used one in aeroplanes as an Airline pilot for many years am very used to it.

I guess no two people are the same, EXCEPT that my original point about peripheral vision still stands. Your peripheral vision is no better, or worse, because you are glancing at a speedo down through your steering wheel, or slightly down and to one side of the steering wheel. For that brief timeframe you are relying on the part of your retina which does not give great detail.

It is still better though than when you're looking fully inside the car, say down at your console.
(And also as you say with adaptive cruise control, the need for looking at the speedo has indeed reduced a lot.)

 

[ölbrenner]

I will move the current add on HUD which I have in our ICE car, into the M3.

Which HUD do you have that will work in an M3? Thanks.

 

[T34ME]

I like it, and having used one in aeroplanes as an Airline pilot for many years am very used to it.

I will give you a free ride in my soon to be 3 (even let you drive it) if you give me a free ride in your airplane - I'll even go jumpseat ! Ever get to LAX or SNA?

 

[jelloslug]

Depending on the model year....the Prius speedometer is right at the window belt and slightly towards the center. Thus much less eye/head moment to look at spedo than looking at the Prius center multifunction display that controls AC, Nav, etc. More recent model year Prius's now include a HUD. I've driven a Camry and a Prius Prime with a HUD.....IMHO....it's the way to go....all info is right in front of the driver without the driver having to take their eyes off the road. Combine the HUD with steering wheel controls and the driver wouldnt need to go to the center multifunction display for commonly used tasks like audio, wipers, climate, defog....so more time with hands on wheel and eyes on road.

When sitting in the drives seat of the Model 3, the speedo is in the same relative location as it is in a Prius.

 

[T34ME]

When sitting in the drives seat of the Model 3, the speedo is in the same relative location as it is in a Prius.

Yes, approximately, plus the 3 speedo numbers are larger than Prius. Instrument location takes about 10 minutes to get used to for first time users.

 

[Zaxxon]

Yes, approximately, plus the 3 speedo numbers are larger than Prius. Instrument location takes about 10 minutes to get used to.

We used to have a 2013 Prius V, which had a center speedo:

I got used to it quickly. A week ago today, I got to drive You You's Model 3. It took me about a minute to get used to the center speedo again. I didn't measure, but I'm pretty sure the Model 3's is actually closer to the driver than the Prius's.

 

[jelloslug]

We used to have a 2013 Prius V, which had a center speedo:

I got used to it quickly. A week ago today, I got to drive You You's Model 3. It took me about a minute to get used to the center speedo again. I didn't measure, but I'm pretty sure the Model 3's is actually closer to the driver than the Prius's.

You are correct about it being physically closer. I was referring to it being in the same relative location in your eye line.

 

[jeffb]

Ive put a few hundred miles on our 3.....and it took zero adaptation to look at the speedo, its RIGHT THERE when you are driving, pretty high and close in your field of vision as well.

Far more of an adaptation is looking at numbers if you are used to looking at traditional gauges, or vice versa.....although that is also a non issue.

 

[favo]

I drive a Nissan 350Z with both a conventional analog speedometer on the right side of the steering wheel binnacle and a digital speedometer more centrally located above and to the right of the steering wheel. I literally never look at the conventional one. I can't remember having any issue getting used to it. I also drive a Camry and an Accord on occasion with speedos in the standard location. No issue switching back and forth between cars. Picture below shows RPM limiter, but I set this to speedo.

 

[Futuresystem]

Which HUD do you have that will work in an M3? Thanks.

Here is what we use in both our current cars, (not much use to you unless they ship internationally as we are in Australia).

https://www.4wdsupacentre.com.au/adventure-kings-heads-up-display.html


It needs only a cigarette lighter socket.
However, I’d be surprised if you couldn’t find something similar in your part of the world.

Cya

 

[Futuresystem]

I will give you a free ride in my soon to be 3 (even let you drive it) if you give me a free ride in your airplane - I'll even go jumpseat ! Ever get to LAX or SNA?

Sounds great! I’d love to take you up on that, only two problems. :-(

1. I’m in Australia, used to do international flying including LAX, SFO, JFK, on the 747, but now mostly domestic flying, (and all but retired).

2. We aren’t allowed any non employee on the jump seat, not even family, post 9/11 , bloody sad!

I was soooo tempted to buy a model S, very expensive here downunder, but just couldn't really justify the expense, so we are in for a long wait for our M3.
However we still love driving our PHEV in pure electric mode, (unfortunately only about 35 miles range before the ICE kicks in.)
:-(

Maybe if the wait is too long, I'll weaken and buy an S, but it's bigger than we need.

Cya

 

[aronth5]

When the display is thru the steering wheel you still have to take your eyes off of the road.
I drive a Prius with the center console pictured in post #11 and it dramatically better then my wife's Acura where the display is thru the setting wheel.
My guess is it will take about a day to adapt to the Model 3 display where the speed in essentially in the same line of sight as my Prius. Instead of glancing down I will simply glance to the right.
No need to move your head. I've never understand why so many people complain about this.

The other advantage not often mentioned is you can now adjust the steering wheel exactly to be in the most comfortable position to drive.
You no longer have to worry about adjusting the steering wheel to accommodate the display behind it.

 

[Crispix]

What’s really weird was driving the 3 at night for the first time. The area in front of the steering wheel is pitch black, I kept thinking I forgot to turn on my headlights!

I’m already getting used to it. It’s a fun car!

 

[Crispix]

The other advantage not often mentioned is you can now adjust the steering wheel exactly to be in the most comfortable position to drive.
You no longer have to worry about adjusting the steering wheel to accommodate the display behind it.

This is a really good point. Everyone keeps talking about the excellent visibility for the driver on the Model 3, and this is a big reason why. It's not just the glass roof, it's the entire unobstructed windshield.

 

[wraithnot]

l keep reading reports, reviews etc. about people concerned by the off centre speed readout, and having to look off centre rather than through the steering wheel to see your speed readout. Some people even suggest it's potentially dangerous.
Funny, few have complained about many other cars with a similar setup, (eg: just one of many examples, the Toyota Prius.)

However, for the disbelievers here's something to try:
Follow another car at a steady speed and at a safe distance, then look through your steering wheel at your speedo, (assuming you have one there), and take note of how the car in front of you appears in your peripheral vision whilst still looking at the speedo.
Now do the same thing but look to the right of your steering wheel where the Model 3 speed reading is placed, assuming a LHD vehicle, (or to the left of the wheel if you're in a right hand drive vehicle.)

In both cases, whilst looking at the speedo, you then have the vehicle in front in your peripheral vision only, and guess what, it's the same whether you look down through the steering wheel or down and to the side of the steering wheel. That's right, no different at all (unless maybe you have a severe vision problem in which case you shouldn't be driving at all!)

If that doesn't prove that it's just simply not an issue, ask an ophthalmologist, they will confirm how your peripheral vision works, and then you can stop worrying about that off centre speedo display.

Cya

We've had our model 3 for about a week and a half now and I haven't found dealing with the speedometer on the upper corner of the center screen to be a problem at all. But I do miss the other information displayed to the left and right of the speedometer in our model S (trip stats, turn-by-turn directions, current song etc.) Maybe a future software update can allow the owner to put at least some of this info on the left of the center screen if they want.

Driving at night is also a little weird when you look where you expect to see an instrument cluster and only see darkness. Maybe adding an optional light to illuminate the dash just a little bit would be a nice option.

But overall, I find the lack of a screen right in front of the driver less of an issue than I thought it would be. Definitely a reasonable compromise given the lower sticker price and improved air vents!