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Tesla’s new touchscreen drive selector doesn’t violate the rules, NHTSA says

15 points by CarCooler 6y ago

nickik 6y ago
I think there is still a mechanism on the steering wheel I read somewhere.
sschueller 6y ago
This is absolutely brain dead. If you have to go through a touch screen to put the car in park you will have bad accidents. Additionally I doubt that an automatic selection no matter how smart of an AI can correctly read my mind. I, on multiple occasions had to quickly put a car in park or neutral (plus hand break) in order to quickly exit and not have it run over someone. If you want to add automation fine. But leave a stalk or physical override of some sort.
- ianai 6y ago
  Agreed. Just give people an option at least. Their current approach seems very divisive through being extreme.
- mindslight 6y ago
  I prefer driving stick, abhor touchscreens, and dislike "AI" [0], but this doesn't seem all that bad to me. The selector is basically only meant to be used when the car is stopped. I would much rather have this be on the touchscreen, than the music controls! I'd be most annoyed at not being able to easily downshift into "2" or "1" on a hill, but that isn't needed with an electric drivetrain. For needing to quickly act, wouldn't switching the car off do the same job? And a seat occupancy sensor should take care of forgetfulness. [0] I prefer well-defined state transitions that I can model to know exactly how something will respond to a given input.
- Kirby64 6y ago
  Except, it already does this in a Tesla right now. If you stop the car, unbuckle your seatbelt, and open the door, it'll automatically put the car in park. No need to hit park. What scenario are you needing to use the park function to prevent running someone over? That's what the brakes are for.
  - toomuchtodo 6y ago
    Also does the same in reverse with the door open fwiw (hard to back up with the door open looking back).
- moistbar 6y ago
  Current Teslas don't creep forward when you take your foot off the accelerator, instead applying the foot brake until you hit the accelerator again.
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throwaway0a5e 6y ago
Pretty much everybody who isn't an automotive bean counter that gets existed over reduced part count hates the gear selector FCA knob. Everybody who isn't a pencil pusher for a safety agency hates that you can't open the doors on (all?) modern cars with it in gear (because the FCA knob sucks and people would run themselves over not realizing the vehicle was in gear). In what universe is taking it a step further and going to a touch screen a good idea?
foepys 6y ago
Bold move from Tesla. This could end very badly, though. The Jeep Grand Cherokee used (maybe still uses?) an unconventional design for its drive selection (the knob always returned to its initial position) and it confused a lot of people, including actor Anton Yelchin who died because his Grand Cherokee rolled and pinned him against a pillar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Yelchin#Lawsuit_and_recalls https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Yelchin#Lawsuit_and_reca...
exabrial 6y ago
How's touch screens are even "legal" blows my mind still.
mancerayder 6y ago
Is there still a physical drive control button or knob on Model 3's? I'm reading mixed things about a button on a steering wheel versus not. I can't tell who's speculating and who's angry and who owns one of these in the comments for this and The Verge.

15 points by CarCooler 6y ago

I think there is still a mechanism on the steering wheel I read somewhere.

This is absolutely brain dead. If you have to go through a touch screen to put the car in park you will have bad accidents. Additionally I doubt that an automatic selection no matter how smart of an AI can correctly read my mind. I, on multiple occasions had to quickly put a car in park or neutral (plus hand break) in order to quickly exit and not have it run over someone. If you want to add automation fine. But leave a stalk or physical override of some sort.

ianai 6y ago
Agreed. Just give people an option at least. Their current approach seems very divisive through being extreme.
mindslight 6y ago
I prefer driving stick, abhor touchscreens, and dislike "AI" [0], but this doesn't seem all that bad to me. The selector is basically only meant to be used when the car is stopped. I would much rather have this be on the touchscreen, than the music controls! I'd be most annoyed at not being able to easily downshift into "2" or "1" on a hill, but that isn't needed with an electric drivetrain. For needing to quickly act, wouldn't switching the car off do the same job? And a seat occupancy sensor should take care of forgetfulness. [0] I prefer well-defined state transitions that I can model to know exactly how something will respond to a given input.
Kirby64 6y ago
Except, it already does this in a Tesla right now. If you stop the car, unbuckle your seatbelt, and open the door, it'll automatically put the car in park. No need to hit park. What scenario are you needing to use the park function to prevent running someone over? That's what the brakes are for.
- toomuchtodo 6y ago
  Also does the same in reverse with the door open fwiw (hard to back up with the door open looking back).
moistbar 6y ago
Current Teslas don't creep forward when you take your foot off the accelerator, instead applying the foot brake until you hit the accelerator again.

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throwaway0a5e 6y ago

Pretty much everybody who isn't an automotive bean counter that gets existed over reduced part count hates the gear selector FCA knob. Everybody who isn't a pencil pusher for a safety agency hates that you can't open the doors on (all?) modern cars with it in gear (because the FCA knob sucks and people would run themselves over not realizing the vehicle was in gear). In what universe is taking it a step further and going to a touch screen a good idea?

foepys 6y ago

Bold move from Tesla. This could end very badly, though. The Jeep Grand Cherokee used (maybe still uses?) an unconventional design for its drive selection (the knob always returned to its initial position) and it confused a lot of people, including actor Anton Yelchin who died because his Grand Cherokee rolled and pinned him against a pillar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Yelchin#Lawsuit_and_recalls https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Yelchin#Lawsuit_and_reca...

exabrial 6y ago

How's touch screens are even "legal" blows my mind still.

mancerayder 6y ago

Is there still a physical drive control button or knob on Model 3's? I'm reading mixed things about a button on a steering wheel versus not. I can't tell who's speculating and who's angry and who owns one of these in the comments for this and The Verge.