Tesla Model S centre console gets a 17" touch screen!

[ajprice]

http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/tesla-model-s-t...



So the centre console of the Tesla Model S saloon car is basically just going to be a big screen, controlling the air con, sounds and sat nav. The instrument panel will be a 12" screen, similar to the Range Rover/Jaguar systems I suppose. I wonder how readable it will be in bright sunlight though?

[rossyIIa]

Surely that's going to use far more power than a load of switches, and power isn't something the Tesla can afford to spare.

[BeeRoad]

In an electric car that runs out of charge after 40 miles if you're hooning it, you'd think they'd want the dash consuming less juice, not more wouldn't you?

[Mafioso]

Won't that be a huge drain on the batteries?

[GKP]

Gosh, if only someone at Tesla had consulted the wisdom of Pistonheads before going ahead with this they could have saved themselves the potential embarrassment of a flat battery.

[thinfourth2]

Old tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Move heater lever to screen, turn fan to max.


New tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Menu, sub menus option, menu select , menu, radio comes on, arse, menu, sub menu, radio off, menu sub menu option chris moyles, arse feck menu sub menu,

OH fk IT PASS ME A BLOODY CLOTH

[northernmonkeyx]

thinfourth2 said:

Old tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Move heater lever to screen, turn fan to max.


New tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Menu, sub menus option, menu select , menu, radio comes on, arse, menu, sub menu, radio off, menu sub menu option chris moyles, arse feck menu sub menu,

OH fk IT PASS ME A BLOODY CLOTH

Good response, people seem to shout off on here before obtaining facts! Think we need an 'electricheads' forum

[Mr Will]

thinfourth2 said:

Old tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Move heater lever to screen, turn fan to max.


New tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Menu, sub menus option, menu select , menu, radio comes on, arse, menu, sub menu, radio off, menu sub menu option chris moyles, arse feck menu sub menu,

OH fk IT PASS ME A BLOODY CLOTH

That's why a big feck off touch-screen is a pretty good idea:

New Tesla
1. Touch "Aircon" button - Display reconfigures itself automatically to show a full set of virtual aircon controls, including twirly knobs, sliders and anything else the designer want to include.
2a. Press "Demist"
2b. If you are too much of control freak to trust an auto-demist, Move (virtual) heater control to screen, turn (virtual) fan to max.

Basically I can see it using the top half of this as an actual screen, but most of the time the bottom half will be virtual controls, rather than information, giving a much better interface than the menu driven systems currently in use.

[busta]

I can operate every function in my car without taking my eyes off the road (well, apart from unscrewing the fuel cap and opening the boot, but you get the idea). Replacing physical switches with a touch screen just means more time searching for the right bit to tap and less time looking at the road and enjoying driving.

It does look fancy though.

[blueg33]

Mr Will said:

thinfourth2 said:

Old tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Move heater lever to screen, turn fan to max.


New tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Menu, sub menus option, menu select , menu, radio comes on, arse, menu, sub menu, radio off, menu sub menu option chris moyles, arse feck menu sub menu,

OH fk IT PASS ME A BLOODY CLOTH

That's why a big feck off touch-screen is a pretty good idea:

New Tesla
1. Touch "Aircon" button - Display reconfigures itself automatically to show a full set of virtual aircon controls, including twirly knobs, sliders and anything else the designer want to include.
2a. Press "Demist"
2b. If you are too much of control freak to trust an auto-demist, Move (virtual) heater control to screen, turn (virtual) fan to max.

Basically I can see it using the top half of this as an actual screen, but most of the time the bottom half will be virtual controls, rather than information, giving a much better interface than the menu driven systems currently in use.

The Audi MMi system sort of does this and its a pain if you want tyo have some control over which vents are in use. On Auto its fine, but trying to fine tune it whilst driving is tricky. Also as soon as you press a button on the heating controls the screen changes to the heating setting - good you may think - but not if you are using satnav or listening to a traffic announcement. In the former case you lose the map, in the latter it cancels the announcement.

I hope Tesla have thought it through!

[ajprice]

Clarkson has had a few cars on Top Gear with screens where he's lost the sat nav after pressing something else. The Nissan GTR in Japan was one, I think the other was the Ferrari 458 but not sure on that. It's got to be an issue with multi function screens controlling several things.

[Bullett]

I don't like touch screens when you are actually doing something else.
I have one in my car for changing the radio stations, I have to look at it to to make sure I've pressed it. To change to CD though is a proper button and I can feel I've done that. Likewise with the Harmony one, the 'soft' buttons on the screen I have to check I'm pressing them, the others I can feel.

My phone however, I'm fine with as generally if I'm using that it's the only thing I'm doing. Plus it vibrates when I press a 'key'

[busta]

One thing the should probably have kept from the elise- an interior befitting a small no frills electric sports car:

[BlueMR2]

Mr Will said:

thinfourth2 said:

Old tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Move heater lever to screen, turn fan to max.


New tech car

Mission demist windscreen

Menu, sub menus option, menu select , menu, radio comes on, arse, menu, sub menu, radio off, menu sub menu option chris moyles, arse feck menu sub menu,

OH fk IT PASS ME A BLOODY CLOTH

That's why a big feck off touch-screen is a pretty good idea:

New Tesla
1. Touch "Aircon" button - Display reconfigures itself automatically to show a full set of virtual aircon controls, including twirly knobs, sliders and anything else the designer want to include.
2a. Press "Demist"
2b. If you are too much of control freak to trust an auto-demist, Move (virtual) heater control to screen, turn (virtual) fan to max.

Basically I can see it using the top half of this as an actual screen, but most of the time the bottom half will be virtual controls, rather than information, giving a much better interface than the menu driven systems currently in use.

Wow only 20 years after my 1991 Toyota had the same ability.

[GKP]

ajprice said:

Clarkson has had a few cars on Top Gear with screens where he's lost the sat nav after pressing something else. The Nissan GTR in Japan was one, I think the other was the Ferrari 458 but not sure on that. It's got to be an issue with multi function screens controlling several things.

Either that or an issue with Clarkson?