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Tesla is also far ahead in the software game. It will become more and more important as a way to differentiate EVs from the competition and younger generations

Tesla is also far ahead in the software game. It will become more and more important as a way to differentiate EVs from the competition and younger generations are prioritizing software a lot higher in general. People are used to iOS & Android levels of UX, and when you step into most cars, it's - well not pretty. It will break some well established car manufactures, because it's a world they don't understand and can't adapt. Like when a lot of old media companies simply died due to the advent of the internet. The only one that seems to be paying attention is Daimler, they must have seen the transition coming and have been making huge investments into developing their digital services for a while now.

notahacker 5y ago
I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that achieving Android/iOS levels of UX is an easier step for car companies than achieving VW standards of car production for tech startups.
- Isinlor 5y ago
  Both are extremely difficult. Especially, that going towards good UX involves vertical integration, and whole legacy car business is based on extensive supply networks.
robbiep 5y ago
I’ll start by saying that I’m not a Tesla owner and have only been in a few but frankly I think the peak of the UX experience in cars is having iOS/Android connectivity and plugging that fucker in and having full access to your phone. I don’t want some custom interface and I’m pretty sure I don’t want a big touchscreen (in fact I’m a Mazda driver and I love their stance against touchscreens). And I think until we reach level 5 that’s where we need to be because it’s distracting and dangerous. I think that any gap between VW/BMW/Merc today and whatever is meant to be magic about Tesla is insignificant. The battery capacity however… different story! Edit: it occurred to me maybe you mean their self driving tech - I think the reality is they and everyone else is really sooooo far away from this, it’s basically as far away as fusion power - just another 5 years. When a electric car can navigate my shitty rural roads or the streets of Rome, were there. Highway driving isn’t it and frankly I think the evidence is still out as to whether the high level driver assists are actually beneficial compared to something like lane warnings and that modulating cruise control which makes my regular 9 hr drives a breeze
- voisin 5y ago
  > plugging that fucker in I am thankful that there are new vehicles coming out that support this wirelessly, along with the already existing wireless charging. I have gone through so many USB cables of various lengths, materials and prices and they all seem to fail after a few months of use. Something about the cold/hot/constant movement causes them to not last. It always felt to me to be very retro for this to not all be wireless. The annoying thing is that the shift to wireless is not just a software update. Apparently it requires an entirely new hardware solution, despite the existing solution already supporting Bluetooth for everything but CarPlay/AndroidAuto.
  - robbiep 5y ago
    I’ve been watching with interest the wireless shift - funnily enough I am still on my original cable after 4 years but I understand completely, I must have somehow fluked a cable that batched 5 standard deviations from the mean. I think startup times will be interesting here but I imagine for a good while both cabled and wireless will be supported

notahacker 5y ago

I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that achieving Android/iOS levels of UX is an easier step for car companies than achieving VW standards of car production for tech startups.

Isinlor 5y ago
Both are extremely difficult. Especially, that going towards good UX involves vertical integration, and whole legacy car business is based on extensive supply networks.

robbiep 5y ago

I’ll start by saying that I’m not a Tesla owner and have only been in a few but frankly I think the peak of the UX experience in cars is having iOS/Android connectivity and plugging that fucker in and having full access to your phone. I don’t want some custom interface and I’m pretty sure I don’t want a big touchscreen (in fact I’m a Mazda driver and I love their stance against touchscreens). And I think until we reach level 5 that’s where we need to be because it’s distracting and dangerous. I think that any gap between VW/BMW/Merc today and whatever is meant to be magic about Tesla is insignificant. The battery capacity however… different story! Edit: it occurred to me maybe you mean their self driving tech - I think the reality is they and everyone else is really sooooo far away from this, it’s basically as far away as fusion power - just another 5 years. When a electric car can navigate my shitty rural roads or the streets of Rome, were there. Highway driving isn’t it and frankly I think the evidence is still out as to whether the high level driver assists are actually beneficial compared to something like lane warnings and that modulating cruise control which makes my regular 9 hr drives a breeze

voisin 5y ago
> plugging that fucker in I am thankful that there are new vehicles coming out that support this wirelessly, along with the already existing wireless charging. I have gone through so many USB cables of various lengths, materials and prices and they all seem to fail after a few months of use. Something about the cold/hot/constant movement causes them to not last. It always felt to me to be very retro for this to not all be wireless. The annoying thing is that the shift to wireless is not just a software update. Apparently it requires an entirely new hardware solution, despite the existing solution already supporting Bluetooth for everything but CarPlay/AndroidAuto.
- robbiep 5y ago
  I’ve been watching with interest the wireless shift - funnily enough I am still on my original cable after 4 years but I understand completely, I must have somehow fluked a cable that batched 5 standard deviations from the mean. I think startup times will be interesting here but I imagine for a good while both cabled and wireless will be supported