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> Tesla has already brought minimalism to cars, I certainly wouldn't call that minimalistic. Do you mean the exterior surface? The controls, UI, etc. are compl

> Tesla has already brought minimalism to cars, I certainly wouldn't call that minimalistic. Do you mean the exterior surface? The controls, UI, etc. are complex and difficult. People can even open the door the first time they ride in one. The big screen and all its software are not minimalistic.

_ea1k 3y ago
If minimalism means intuitive, I no longer find the android/ios ui minimalistic either. They've gone to a system of gestures that aren't particularly intuitive. The buttons were far more discoverable.
rodgerd 3y ago
> I certainly wouldn't call that minimalistic. Surely you jest. A fart app is automotive minimalism!
xnx 3y ago
There's been a long term trend in Apple hardware of simplification (removal of buttons, ports, flourishes, etc.). The iPhone was a big jump in that direction from the Blackberry, but I can't imagine an Apple Car being that different from a Tesla/Rivian/BYD one.
- fragmede 3y ago
  a fully self-driving car need not have a driver's seat, so it might be quite different.
  - xnx 3y ago
    Eventually yes, but in the near future seats will probably stay forward facing for crash safety and motion sickness. Waymo's steering-wheel-less vehicle will be the Zeekr CM1e https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45711737/zeekr-cm1e-waymo-autonomous-taxi/ https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45711737/zeekr-cm1e-waymo...
resolutebat 3y ago
Tesla's hardware certainly is minimalistic though, and hence the Apple analogy. The software inside an iPhone is ferociously complicated, but the slab of glass, no buttons form factor is much simpler than the Nokias etc it replaced.
- throwboatyface 3y ago
  The difference is that Tesla's hardware is simpler in a way that's harder to use. Moving from indirect control to touch screens was great and intuitive for phones. Moving to touch screens in cars is more about cost savings than making them easy to use. If a touchscreen was the ideal way to interact with a car, why aren't acceleration and braking done through the touch screen? Why isn't steering on the touch screen?
  - resolutebat 3y ago
    You accelerate, brake, indicate etc all the time, so you need tactile controls for those functions, and Teslas do. But how do you find a Spotify playlist, adjust how you're notified if you exceed the speed limit and the margin you want, or check tire pressure readings with tactile controls?
    - superhuzza 3y ago
      I'm not arguing which is better or worse, but tactile buttons + screens (non touch) do exist. Like how most cars were before touchscreens. So a few tactile buttons/wheels/controls can handle those functions...
    - int_19h 3y ago
      With arrow keys and Enter? You can argue that this gets too unwieldy once the UI gets more complicated. But if the UI is too complicated to be navigable with arrow keys, I would say that it's too complicated for a dashboard of a fast moving vehicle. FWIW touch itself is not really a problem. Sometimes it is indeed more convenient. But when you can only e.g. adjust volume using touch, that becomes much more difficult to do while driving. Same thing goes for navigation and other such things. A good dashboard UX will let you do this using both touch and dedicated physical buttons.
matsemann 3y ago
> People can even open the door the first time they ride in one Found an iPhone in the snow on Sunday. Had to google how to unlock it / get contact information. "swipe up" it said on the screen. Nothing happened. It was a lie. You need to "swipe from the bottom of the screen". Not intuitive at all.
rpmisms 3y ago
It's minimalistic, as far as is possible in a vehicle. The best part is no part, the even better part is one you never have to think about. I don't have to turn my car on or off, don't have to change the oil, don't have to think about headlights or wipers, don't have to fiddle with climate control. The car is designed around being driven and nothing else.

_ea1k 3y ago

If minimalism means intuitive, I no longer find the android/ios ui minimalistic either. They've gone to a system of gestures that aren't particularly intuitive. The buttons were far more discoverable.

rodgerd 3y ago

> I certainly wouldn't call that minimalistic. Surely you jest. A fart app is automotive minimalism!

xnx 3y ago

There's been a long term trend in Apple hardware of simplification (removal of buttons, ports, flourishes, etc.). The iPhone was a big jump in that direction from the Blackberry, but I can't imagine an Apple Car being that different from a Tesla/Rivian/BYD one.

fragmede 3y ago
a fully self-driving car need not have a driver's seat, so it might be quite different.
- xnx 3y ago
  Eventually yes, but in the near future seats will probably stay forward facing for crash safety and motion sickness. Waymo's steering-wheel-less vehicle will be the Zeekr CM1e https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45711737/zeekr-cm1e-waymo-autonomous-taxi/ https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45711737/zeekr-cm1e-waymo...

resolutebat 3y ago

Tesla's hardware certainly is minimalistic though, and hence the Apple analogy. The software inside an iPhone is ferociously complicated, but the slab of glass, no buttons form factor is much simpler than the Nokias etc it replaced.

throwboatyface 3y ago
The difference is that Tesla's hardware is simpler in a way that's harder to use. Moving from indirect control to touch screens was great and intuitive for phones. Moving to touch screens in cars is more about cost savings than making them easy to use. If a touchscreen was the ideal way to interact with a car, why aren't acceleration and braking done through the touch screen? Why isn't steering on the touch screen?
- resolutebat 3y ago
  You accelerate, brake, indicate etc all the time, so you need tactile controls for those functions, and Teslas do. But how do you find a Spotify playlist, adjust how you're notified if you exceed the speed limit and the margin you want, or check tire pressure readings with tactile controls?
  - superhuzza 3y ago
    I'm not arguing which is better or worse, but tactile buttons + screens (non touch) do exist. Like how most cars were before touchscreens. So a few tactile buttons/wheels/controls can handle those functions...
  - int_19h 3y ago
    With arrow keys and Enter? You can argue that this gets too unwieldy once the UI gets more complicated. But if the UI is too complicated to be navigable with arrow keys, I would say that it's too complicated for a dashboard of a fast moving vehicle. FWIW touch itself is not really a problem. Sometimes it is indeed more convenient. But when you can only e.g. adjust volume using touch, that becomes much more difficult to do while driving. Same thing goes for navigation and other such things. A good dashboard UX will let you do this using both touch and dedicated physical buttons.

matsemann 3y ago

> People can even open the door the first time they ride in one Found an iPhone in the snow on Sunday. Had to google how to unlock it / get contact information. "swipe up" it said on the screen. Nothing happened. It was a lie. You need to "swipe from the bottom of the screen". Not intuitive at all.

rpmisms 3y ago

It's minimalistic, as far as is possible in a vehicle. The best part is no part, the even better part is one you never have to think about. I don't have to turn my car on or off, don't have to change the oil, don't have to think about headlights or wipers, don't have to fiddle with climate control. The car is designed around being driven and nothing else.