Would you buy an option to add controls?

[Beckler]

What if Tesla just creates an option to add physical controls - buttons, switches etc.? After watching the Edmunds youtube video, it's a bit absurd honestly. You adjust cruise control speed by using the touchscreen? Come on. Ridiculous. (I assume you can map it to the steering wheel controls but you might want those for something else).

This whole thing makes no sense. Strategically having sufficient dedicated controls for things you need to adjust by touch while driving, without looking to the touchscreen, is required - it's not opinion or preference. It's not fully autonomous yet so that's an irrelevant argument. There's no reason to have done it this way and it goes against the general Tesla strategy - do stuff that makes sense.

Anyway thought I'd ask who would buy the option if it existed - to add some amount of controls to supplement the existing touchscreen. Having different and more controls on steering wheel, etc., is something seen generally on different car trim levels anyway - so this would be in a way normal to have that option.

 

[ummgood]

I think with future software releases what you can map and control with the steering wheels will hopefully be configurable. So you can put things you desire to change often there. Yes it would be nice to have some items available all the time but as they get the "Auto" stuff working you'll need less and less buttons.

 

[brkaus]

Easy access to cruise control up/down is all I ask. I like TACC, but there are so many cases I’m not currently comfortable with it’s choices that I tend to manual +/- frequently.

Examples-
- coming up on stopped traffic
- traffic stopped in next lane over. Hate to blast by at 65.
- passing anovevyhe speed limit

 

[mwenn1]

i think it is fine, software updates in will most likely allow you to adjust these things with the steering wheel controls

 

[privater]

No, I need a firmware updates to fully utilized control knob, right now it's pretty much useless.

 

[Beckler]

i think it is fine, software updates in will most likely allow you to adjust these things with the steering wheel controls

Ok but that's not good enough. You will want something else at the same time or you will need to switch back & forth between assigned function, or... It needs a dedicated control. It's objectively more efficient and there's no reason not to have it. Even if one argues most people don't or can't operate controls efficiently and without looking, all the more reason for Tesla to do it better and make that more likely. Not the other way, i.e. doing it worse. But I would suggest that if one can't operate traditional cruise control buttons on the steering wheel (or stalk) by feel alone, as intended, they lack the skill to even be driving.

 

[gregincal]

Easy access to cruise control up/down is all I ask. I like TACC, but there are so many cases I’m not currently comfortable with it’s choices that I tend to manual +/- frequently.

Examples-
- coming up on stopped traffic
- traffic stopped in next lane over. Hate to blast by at 65.
- passing anovevyhe speed limit

I prefer the +/- on the screen over the stalk. It's quicker to tap a few times than the awkward pushing of the stalk a few times (I only drove the Model S AP once, but I find the +/- buttons on the 3 to be really convenient).

 

[strykeroz]

Maybe it's because we've been watching this car now for 2 years, driving our current ICE with their washing-machine panel of switches and dials mildly irritates me. It's not intuitive, I still need to look down to work out which switch to use for anything that's on the dash so it's not an advantage imo. It's parity at best with the touch screen you have to look across to.

Even cruise control I tend to throttle up, then re-engage cruise to change speed as it's more convenient than the +/- on the steering wheel.

As many previous posters have remarked, context sensitive steering wheel rockers are as easy as a software change to have happen. I expect that will give the best of both worlds...but I'll still probably use the pedals and reengage to set the speed.

 

[Beckler]

A bit surprised currently only 5 would want additional controls option, 20 wouldn't. I guess this is a Model 3 forum where 'Tesla can do no wrong' people are rampant. (I'm one of them! Actually not entirely. This is a fairly simple point and I think completely logical but people can't see it apparently.)

I still need to look down to work out which switch to use for anything that's on the dash so it's not an advantage imo. It's parity at best with the touch screen you have to look across to.

I would have to disagree because this would assume every control is always visible on screen, which they can't be. Wheras they are in a traditional car - albeit generally badly done. Which was my secondary point, that this could be hugely improved upon with a little thought; instead of making it worse in Model 3 by needing even more looking away/fiddling while driving.

 

[azred]

What if Tesla just creates an option to add physical controls - buttons, switches etc.? After watching the Edmunds youtube video, it's a bit absurd honestly. You adjust cruise control speed by using the touchscreen? Come on. Ridiculous. (I assume you can map it to the steering wheel controls but you might want those for something else).

This whole thing makes no sense. Strategically having sufficient dedicated controls for things you need to adjust by touch while driving, without looking to the touchscreen, is required - it's not opinion or preference. It's not fully autonomous yet so that's an irrelevant argument. There's no reason to have done it this way and it goes against the general Tesla strategy - do stuff that makes sense.

Anyway thought I'd ask who would buy the option if it existed - to add some amount of controls to supplement the existing touchscreen. Having different and more controls on steering wheel, etc., is something seen generally on different car trim levels anyway - so this would be in a way normal to have that option.

I'm sure lots of people considering S and X have your concern too and if so I hope they buy BMWs, Porsches etc. They will be happier.

When I got my S tires rotated yesterday I noticed two techs fiddling with the middle screen. They were looking for the jack setting. I tried to help but we learned that my car doesn't have that setting since it doesn't have air suspension. Was it a bit of a hassle hunting through the screen menus? Sure but so is fiddling with knobs in a car. You will quickly learn how to perform routine tasks. And if certain routine settings are a major hassle, it is very possible that functionality will be improved by one of the almost monthly updates.

If I have any complaint about Teslas' design it's that the cars are made to look too much like familiar ICE vehicles. Given the mechanical simplicity of electric cars, they could have developed innovative, unique shapes (not to be confused with bizarre, fugly shapes like some hybrids). But given the pushback on internal controls, imagine the cries if Teslas didn't resemble familiar shapes like Porsches.

 

[Beckler]

I'm sure lots of people considering S and X have your concern too and if so I hope they buy BMWs, Porsches etc. They will be happier.

When I got my S tires rotated yesterday I noticed two techs fiddling with the middle screen. They were looking for the jack setting. I tried to help but we learned that my car doesn't have that setting since it doesn't have air suspension. Was it a bit of a hassle hunting through the screen menus? Sure but so is fiddling with knobs in a car. You will quickly learn how to perform routine tasks. And if certain routine settings are a major hassle, it is very possible that functionality will be improved by one of the almost monthly updates.

If I have any complaint about Teslas' design it's that the cars are made to look too much like familiar ICE vehicles. Given the mechanical simplicity of electric cars, they could have developed innovative, unique shapes (not to be confused with bizarre, fugly shapes like some hybrids). But given the pushback on internal controls, imagine the cries if Teslas didn't resemble familiar shapes like Porsches.

I know I will learn. I'm not pushing back because of what I'm used to. It's purely based on efficiency. Humans are very simple and primitive creatures that can only look at and think about one thing at a time. So when this is in the context of distracted driving essentially, it's actually v. important then to determine human control efficiency.

I challenge Tesla to actually measure it between their system and a standard one. But I already know looking away and jumping thru a g*damn menu to select cruise then choose speed by tapping the button is less efficient than a single push of a steering wheel button without looking. That's just one example and I know you'll be able to map it to steering wheel. But however good they can get with a touchscreen later on, I can get far better by well-designed tactile controls to supplement it. You can argue preference but human efficiency/ergonomics (or lack thereof) can't be debated - we're simple ape-like creatures with generally 10 fingers and singletasking brains. (The latter is often absent entirely in some segments.)

Good point about shapes. I like how they updated the Model S nosecone from the really stupid-looking (IMO) original, clearly an intentional grille emulator, to something even more ridiculous! Actually more clean obviously but overall I dislike it about as much - just seems distinctly ugly rather than elegant. Rest of Model S exterior shapes are extraordinarily good.

 

[gregincal]

A bit surprised currently only 5 would want additional controls option, 20 wouldn't. I guess this is a Model 3 forum where 'Tesla can do no wrong' people are rampant. (I'm one of them! Actually not entirely. This is a fairly simple point and I think completely logical but people can't see it apparently.)



I would have to disagree because this would assume every control is always visible on screen, which they can't be. Wheras they are in a traditional car - albeit generally badly done. Which was my secondary point, that this could be hugely improved upon with a little thought; instead of making it worse in Model 3 by needing even more looking away/fiddling while driving.

The fact that they aren’t always visible on the screen is exactly the advantage of a virtual buttons. For instance, the buttons that control autopilot speed only appear when you engage autopilot, rather than cluttering the console all the time. A well designed GUI can be faster and easier to control than physical buttons that can’t change. This really does sound like the people who felt the iPhone would always be inferior with a physical keyboard. After 5 years with the Model S I really believe that a well designed GUI with select controls on the steering wheel is the best. Having physical buttons that aren’t on the steering wheel would make things worse.

 

[Sandiegodoug]

Musk said everything will be controlled by voice. Maybe able to control cruise speed by voice.

 

[DriveMe]

Apparently Model 3 was designed with autonomy of Level 3 and above in mind.
Unfortunately the Autopilot software wasn't ready in-time for the launch. Behind by at least a year.
It will all start making sense once the Autopilot gets a major update...

 

[FreeOfPge]

No way. Current layout is perfect. Would buy a key fob, thats a physical button of sorts.

 

[jsmay311]

Musk said everything will be controlled by voice. Maybe able to control cruise speed by voice.

Voice controls are not a substitute for easy-to-use physical controls, nor an acceptable excuse for omitting those controls.

They're slower, less reliable, they force any audio to be paused, and they're awkward/annoying to use when you have passengers in the car.

 

[gregincal]

Apparently Model 3 was designed with autonomy of Level 3 and above in mind.
Unfortunately the Autopilot software wasn't ready in-time for the launch. Behind by at least a year.
It will all start making sense once the Autopilot gets a major update...

Um, having most of the controls on the touch screen started with the Model S before they had any idea of self driving cars. The controls on the Model 3 are only slightly different than those on the Model S.

 

[DriveMe]

The controls on the Model 3 are only slightly different than those on the Model S.

I disagree. Model S has a perfect balance of physical controls, the instrument cluster and the touch screen display. I wouldn't change a thing.
Model 3, on the other hand, seems to be missing some very basic stuff. It seems odd to have to look to the right even to check the speed or to adjust the cruise control via the touch screen.
However, if the Autopilot accurately recognized the speed limit signs and adjusted your speed accordingly you wouldn't have a need to check your speed all the time or to adjust the cruise control. Just an example.

 

[WileyTheMan]

Between potential future software tweaks to the UI and enhancing voice commands, the need for a multitude of physical buttons and switches really is diminished, IMO. We got over it with smartphones, we will get over it with this.

 

[thegruf]

I disagree too inasmuch as I detest the mechanical cruise control stalk on the MS.
So much so that I have even considered designing it out with a modified control of my own.
It's a nasty legacy item that is just a carry over from decade and more old ICE designs.

I can't speak for the M3 interface as I have not used it, but moving away from the awful MS control has to be positive.
No doubt however that Tesla are looking for feedback from early adopters so if improvements are requested then speak up and hopefully be heard. Just do not even mention going back to the MS style stalk please