16 ms·

Just wondering, have you had a chance to test drive the Model 3?

by Denzel 7y ago

ehnto 7y ago
No I haven't, I have heard that it's touchscreen provides a pretty good experience. Looking at the Porsche interior, I am doubting it could compare to the Tesla. Not enough real estate in easily visible screens. The biggest is down by your arm. There is no touch screen that could emulate the satisfaction of flipping a good toggle switch though.
- Denzel 7y ago
  I agree with you, I think Porsche’s approach is terrible. I just like to ask about the Model 3 because usually when I hear touch screens won’t beat buttons, it’s from someone who hasn’t test driven a Model 3. And I say this because I thought exactly the same thing before I experienced it. Similar to how I thought I’d never enjoy a full touchscreen phone and that it’d never beat physical keys until alas I actually tried the iPhone. Tesla’s UX is really really good. And almost everyone has a change of heart when it’s actually in front of them. I recommend you at least give it a go if you’re interested.
  - henrikschroder 7y ago
    I never tried a Model 3, but I test-drove a Model S, and I was pleasantly surprised by the touch screen and controls. They are - by far - the best in the auto industry. But they're still not as good as physical buttons, because they are impossible to control without looking at them.
    - natch 7y ago
      Having a great touch screen does not rule out also having great buttons. I don't know how long your test drive was but you may have missed that there are plenty of physical controls in the S, including buttons, that cover most functionality.
  - tomatocracy 7y ago
    I also thought that about phone touchscreens. And although the extra screen real estate is useful for reading, I do miss the physical keys of the Blackberry. I could type so much more accurately (and therefore more quickly) on them. Haven't tried a Tesla but I have tried the recent Porsche controls and I preferred the old ones to be honest. My experience with car controls is that the nearer the steering wheel (preferably on the wheel) the better and the more tactile the better.
  - smt88 7y ago
    I still miss my BlackBerry Bold. Typing on a touchscreen is awful and almost impossible to do without looking at the screen. There are pros and cons to touchscreens. For phones, I can see someone preferring the larger screen to physical buttons. I'm not one of those people, but I can understand it. What are the pros in a car that outweigh the cons? Looking at your fingers while you fiddle with a phone is annoying. Looking at them while you drive a car is incredibly dangerous.
- ztjio 7y ago
  What you don't seem to realize is that during actual driving, you don't need to use the touch screen at all. Every meaningful, required interaction with the car (except arguably wiper speed setting I guess) is controlled with physical controls The 3 has a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, two 4-way physical switch/dials on the steering wheel front, a stalk on the left and a stalk on the right. On the left stalk you can lever it up down forward and back. On the right stalk just up and down. But stalks have two positions for levering in each up and down direction. Finally, each stalk has a button at the end. To engage drive mode (P, D, N, R) you use the right stalk by either lifting or pulling down for D or R, partially lifting or pulling down and holding it there for N, pressing the button at the end for P. On the left, you use it for signalling like normally. Partial levering signals 3 clicks, full levering signals continuously like normal. Pressing the button at the end partially activates the wipers, pressing fully and holding activates the fluid and wiper action. Levering away from the driver toggles high beam mode, levering towards and holding forces high beams on. The front 4-ways, the left one generally controls volume and track selection of the music while the right one controls driving settings relevant to the autopilot/TACC features. Specifically, clicking left/right adjusts the follow distance and rolling up or down controls the set target speed. As for mentioning the pedals it's because 1) single-pedal driving is a big thing with tesla drivers due to the strength of the regenerative braking, so your throttle has more impact on your driving than a classic pedal. Feels a bit like a combo clutch/throttle if you're experienced with manual cars. And the brake pedal has a dual purpose. When at a full stop, pressing it firmly activates "hold" mode which is basically and automatic parking brake. Pressing it firmly releases it allowing your vehicle to roll freely. Not quite like N drive mode because regenerative braking still happens. Anyway, long description I know. But the point is, everything relevant to driving is a physical control. During driving, the only thing I find myself going to the touch screen for that could possibly be "nicer" on the stalk is the wiper settings which I generally just leave on "Auto" anyway. This setting is made visible if you manually activate the wiper and is very close to the steering wheel. very easy to use. All other driving related things on the touch screen are things you use when not actively driving, unless you're some weirdo who wants to switch their lights on and off manually or something, idk. The UX of the Model 3 is impeccable. Edit: forgot to note, the 4-way controls on the steering wheel also click in, so left side is going to pause/play with that. And honestly off the top of my head I can't remember what clicking the right one does.
new_realist 7y ago
The Model 3’s “heads right display” is the worst of all cars in terms of safety and usability.
- varjag 7y ago
  BMW Mini also has central dash, and they carried that over to electric i3. But I concur it kind of sucks, on Model 3 too.
  - natch 7y ago
    It doesn't help that BMW decided to make it so small. It definitely does not suck on the Model 3.
    - varjag 7y ago
      shrug I had a test drive of model 3 in March. Would probably get used to it in a while, but it doesn't feel as convenient as driver side dash.
      - natch 7y ago
        If it’s convenience you’re after, I’d rank touch screens by themselves at the bottom, but that’s not what the Model 3 has. Driver side dash as you call it I would rank in the middle for convenience. There is also some convenience in having certain controls like sound and climate accessible by the front passenger, so most are driver side plus middle, but I’m accounting for that in my ranking. Even with that, still in the middle. At the top of the convenience scale would be a hybrid system with minimal multi-axis, multi-function buttons situated on or around the steering wheel, augmented by a touch screen for rarely used features. And for display. A screen that is not blocked by the steering wheel no matter what your height. And a screen robustly mounted so you can rest your hand on it while making selections, so any road shaking is mitigated. A screen big enough to read easily. A screen that never needs to be interacted with for most driving functions with the exception of tweaking the way the car is currently doing autopilot when it is. And a screen that lets a front passenger reach controls that are safe and useful for the passenger to use. That is the kind of system the Model 3 has. Not just a touch screen. If it’s convenience you’re after, driver side dash may be more convenient than your perception of the Tesla. But your perception is wrong, based just on what you have just said. I recommend to everyone that they test drive a Model 3 in order to feel how it drives, and feel how tight the control is, the driver’s connection between the wheel and the road. I don’t know how long your test drive was, but a test drive is generally too short to understand the full functionality of the easily accessible steering wheel multi-axis button controls and how driving works day to day in all situations.

Just wondering, have you had a chance to test drive the Model 3?

by Denzel 7y ago

Just wondering, have you had a chance to test drive the Model 3?

No I haven't, I have heard that it's touchscreen provides a pretty good experience. Looking at the Porsche interior, I am doubting it could compare to the Tesla. Not enough real estate in easily visible screens. The biggest is down by your arm. There is no touch screen that could emulate the satisfaction of flipping a good toggle switch though.

Denzel 7y ago
I agree with you, I think Porsche’s approach is terrible. I just like to ask about the Model 3 because usually when I hear touch screens won’t beat buttons, it’s from someone who hasn’t test driven a Model 3. And I say this because I thought exactly the same thing before I experienced it. Similar to how I thought I’d never enjoy a full touchscreen phone and that it’d never beat physical keys until alas I actually tried the iPhone. Tesla’s UX is really really good. And almost everyone has a change of heart when it’s actually in front of them. I recommend you at least give it a go if you’re interested.
- henrikschroder 7y ago
  I never tried a Model 3, but I test-drove a Model S, and I was pleasantly surprised by the touch screen and controls. They are - by far - the best in the auto industry. But they're still not as good as physical buttons, because they are impossible to control without looking at them.
  - natch 7y ago
    Having a great touch screen does not rule out also having great buttons. I don't know how long your test drive was but you may have missed that there are plenty of physical controls in the S, including buttons, that cover most functionality.
- tomatocracy 7y ago
  I also thought that about phone touchscreens. And although the extra screen real estate is useful for reading, I do miss the physical keys of the Blackberry. I could type so much more accurately (and therefore more quickly) on them. Haven't tried a Tesla but I have tried the recent Porsche controls and I preferred the old ones to be honest. My experience with car controls is that the nearer the steering wheel (preferably on the wheel) the better and the more tactile the better.
- smt88 7y ago
  I still miss my BlackBerry Bold. Typing on a touchscreen is awful and almost impossible to do without looking at the screen. There are pros and cons to touchscreens. For phones, I can see someone preferring the larger screen to physical buttons. I'm not one of those people, but I can understand it. What are the pros in a car that outweigh the cons? Looking at your fingers while you fiddle with a phone is annoying. Looking at them while you drive a car is incredibly dangerous.
ztjio 7y ago
What you don't seem to realize is that during actual driving, you don't need to use the touch screen at all. Every meaningful, required interaction with the car (except arguably wiper speed setting I guess) is controlled with physical controls The 3 has a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, two 4-way physical switch/dials on the steering wheel front, a stalk on the left and a stalk on the right. On the left stalk you can lever it up down forward and back. On the right stalk just up and down. But stalks have two positions for levering in each up and down direction. Finally, each stalk has a button at the end. To engage drive mode (P, D, N, R) you use the right stalk by either lifting or pulling down for D or R, partially lifting or pulling down and holding it there for N, pressing the button at the end for P. On the left, you use it for signalling like normally. Partial levering signals 3 clicks, full levering signals continuously like normal. Pressing the button at the end partially activates the wipers, pressing fully and holding activates the fluid and wiper action. Levering away from the driver toggles high beam mode, levering towards and holding forces high beams on. The front 4-ways, the left one generally controls volume and track selection of the music while the right one controls driving settings relevant to the autopilot/TACC features. Specifically, clicking left/right adjusts the follow distance and rolling up or down controls the set target speed. As for mentioning the pedals it's because 1) single-pedal driving is a big thing with tesla drivers due to the strength of the regenerative braking, so your throttle has more impact on your driving than a classic pedal. Feels a bit like a combo clutch/throttle if you're experienced with manual cars. And the brake pedal has a dual purpose. When at a full stop, pressing it firmly activates "hold" mode which is basically and automatic parking brake. Pressing it firmly releases it allowing your vehicle to roll freely. Not quite like N drive mode because regenerative braking still happens. Anyway, long description I know. But the point is, everything relevant to driving is a physical control. During driving, the only thing I find myself going to the touch screen for that could possibly be "nicer" on the stalk is the wiper settings which I generally just leave on "Auto" anyway. This setting is made visible if you manually activate the wiper and is very close to the steering wheel. very easy to use. All other driving related things on the touch screen are things you use when not actively driving, unless you're some weirdo who wants to switch their lights on and off manually or something, idk. The UX of the Model 3 is impeccable. Edit: forgot to note, the 4-way controls on the steering wheel also click in, so left side is going to pause/play with that. And honestly off the top of my head I can't remember what clicking the right one does.

new_realist 7y ago

The Model 3’s “heads right display” is the worst of all cars in terms of safety and usability.

varjag 7y ago
BMW Mini also has central dash, and they carried that over to electric i3. But I concur it kind of sucks, on Model 3 too.
- natch 7y ago
  It doesn't help that BMW decided to make it so small. It definitely does not suck on the Model 3.
  - varjag 7y ago
    shrug I had a test drive of model 3 in March. Would probably get used to it in a while, but it doesn't feel as convenient as driver side dash.
    - natch 7y ago
      If it’s convenience you’re after, I’d rank touch screens by themselves at the bottom, but that’s not what the Model 3 has. Driver side dash as you call it I would rank in the middle for convenience. There is also some convenience in having certain controls like sound and climate accessible by the front passenger, so most are driver side plus middle, but I’m accounting for that in my ranking. Even with that, still in the middle. At the top of the convenience scale would be a hybrid system with minimal multi-axis, multi-function buttons situated on or around the steering wheel, augmented by a touch screen for rarely used features. And for display. A screen that is not blocked by the steering wheel no matter what your height. And a screen robustly mounted so you can rest your hand on it while making selections, so any road shaking is mitigated. A screen big enough to read easily. A screen that never needs to be interacted with for most driving functions with the exception of tweaking the way the car is currently doing autopilot when it is. And a screen that lets a front passenger reach controls that are safe and useful for the passenger to use. That is the kind of system the Model 3 has. Not just a touch screen. If it’s convenience you’re after, driver side dash may be more convenient than your perception of the Tesla. But your perception is wrong, based just on what you have just said. I recommend to everyone that they test drive a Model 3 in order to feel how it drives, and feel how tight the control is, the driver’s connection between the wheel and the road. I don’t know how long your test drive was, but a test drive is generally too short to understand the full functionality of the easily accessible steering wheel multi-axis button controls and how driving works day to day in all situations.