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My wife owns a Model 3 and I had the same thought going in, but after using it for a couple months it isn't a problem at all and actually I prefer it FAR more t

by mdeeks 8y ago

My wife owns a Model 3 and I had the same thought going in, but after using it for a couple months it isn't a problem at all and actually I prefer it FAR more than my 2018 Audi A4 interface for example. Almost all of what you want to do in the Model 3 is one or two taps away. It is very rare to have to dive down deep into menus (except mirrors!) I paid attention to how I drove for a while and realized the most common things I do are just these: 1. Look at a map to navigate 2. Adjust the AC/Heat (temp, speed, vents) 3. Adjust the radio (volume, change station, next track) 4. Check speed #1 & #2. These first two are worse cognitive load in my Audi. The Audi navigation system and map are atrocious and the maps are horribly cluttered. The voice navigation is awful unless you only ever tell it to "navigate home". All of the AC controls are physical buttons but with digital displays that you have to look down at anyway to see what they are set to. Navigation in the Model 3 is Google Maps. It is clean and the voice navigation is excellent. I can speak a street address to it and it'll get it. The AC is just as much cognitive load as my Audi (high). #3 Radio: The model 3 has steering wheel controls for volume and next/previous just like other cars. Same cognitive load unless you go to browse for content and then both are high. #4 Speedometer. I notice I rarely actually check this. Most people drive by feel. When you have to check it is only momentary and it is just slightly off to the right of your eye line. In other cars I often have to move my hands out of the way to see it. Also every dash in modern cars is loaded with garbage I don't care about. I would guess that 98% of people never look at their tachometer and yet it takes half the dash. Why is my speedometer even a dial? I just want the number in big font and easy to see.

switch007 8y ago
> #4 Speedometer. I notice I rarely actually check this. Most people drive by feel. On what do you base that assertion? It's funny also that modern cars IMHO have far less "feel" than older cars. And it must be nice to live somewhere with no speed cameras! "It felt like 30" while doing 37 is not a valid excuse round these parts :D
- mdeeks 8y ago
  I asked a bunch of people and they all agreed. I didn't run a study or anything :) But when ~20 people all agree it does say something. I'm not saying doing it is right, just saying it is at least somewhat common.
- londons_explore 8y ago
  I don't seem to have the ability to judge speed to within ~5% required to not break the speed limit and not frustrate other drivers. Hence, I need to use the speedometer frequently.
- jinushaun 8y ago
  I drive by feel. You have a lot of visual, auditory and mechanical cues as you drive faster. You also have other cars on the road so you know if you’re going faster or slower. If you drive everyday, you also notice other aspects of the car and when anything is slightly different the driving feels “off”. I would argue this intuition happens for any activity you do regularly after several years. Like accidentally putting your fingers on the wrong keys in the home row. It’s also different per car, so I rely on the speedometer more when renting. Older cars definitely feel faster than newer cars, and I think that is mostly due to weight and improved shock absorption. These things throw off your cues.
perl4ever 8y ago
My first car was an early 90s Honda Civic, and all of the controls for the heat and a/c could have their settings detected through your fingertips. I think it's a significant step backwards that you have to look at everything to know what mode it's in in more modern cars. It's the sort of thing that makes me doubt progress in general, like when Apple decided that they were going to make window controls only distinguishable by color in OS X.

by mdeeks 8y ago

switch007 8y ago

> #4 Speedometer. I notice I rarely actually check this. Most people drive by feel. On what do you base that assertion? It's funny also that modern cars IMHO have far less "feel" than older cars. And it must be nice to live somewhere with no speed cameras! "It felt like 30" while doing 37 is not a valid excuse round these parts :D

mdeeks 8y ago
I asked a bunch of people and they all agreed. I didn't run a study or anything :) But when ~20 people all agree it does say something. I'm not saying doing it is right, just saying it is at least somewhat common.
londons_explore 8y ago
I don't seem to have the ability to judge speed to within ~5% required to not break the speed limit and not frustrate other drivers. Hence, I need to use the speedometer frequently.
jinushaun 8y ago
I drive by feel. You have a lot of visual, auditory and mechanical cues as you drive faster. You also have other cars on the road so you know if you’re going faster or slower. If you drive everyday, you also notice other aspects of the car and when anything is slightly different the driving feels “off”. I would argue this intuition happens for any activity you do regularly after several years. Like accidentally putting your fingers on the wrong keys in the home row. It’s also different per car, so I rely on the speedometer more when renting. Older cars definitely feel faster than newer cars, and I think that is mostly due to weight and improved shock absorption. These things throw off your cues.

perl4ever 8y ago

My first car was an early 90s Honda Civic, and all of the controls for the heat and a/c could have their settings detected through your fingertips. I think it's a significant step backwards that you have to look at everything to know what mode it's in in more modern cars. It's the sort of thing that makes me doubt progress in general, like when Apple decided that they were going to make window controls only distinguishable by color in OS X.