I'm super happy with the idea of removing the stalks, but not with the execution. The alternative conceived by Tesla so far is everything but intuitive.
First, it takes a while to realize the obvious: the designer apparently aimed to preserve the same directional logic of the stalks (wait, this comes back later) while stacking the left-right arrows on the left of the wheel. Wouldn't it be more obvious placing them side by side? Yes, and the number of times you will flash cars instead of putting the right arrow will prove it.
This is why the flashing button should have been placed on the bottom right of the left dial, also to make it more accessible to people with hands smaller than a gorilla.
But real genius comes into play when applying the opposite logic with forward/reverse: are they in the same position as you would move the stalk (i.e. down for D, up for R)? No, exactly the opposite. "Because the direction is displayed". Yes, but ergonomics / usability prescribe that motor programmes must be intuitive and unconscious, not conscious and aided by sight. So, how many times you already went the opposite direction that you intended, or at least were risking to (when hearing the rear electronic buzz, which interestingly you cannot hear almost anymore due to better noise insulation)?
Solutions
For the arrows, there is only a solution without requiring a full recall of driving wheels: allow users to swap them with the forward/backward music control.
Better using the dial left-right and limiting the use of those arrows to music, than complicating the current way.
Other than that, a "real" recall is just a matter of when.
For the driving direction, there are actually two solutions:
- same logic: allow users reversing the directions, as with any software simulator would allow.
- allow users to keep the top panel always back-lit when the car is next to a halt, so that as with many other electric cars the PRND buttons can be used
Recall redesign hypothesis
- Buttons are too far away from the wheel perimeter, they should be closer to the thumbs.
- Also back-triggers would work, actually, especially for flashing (left) and wipers (right).
- A right back-trigger could actually serve as forward-reverse switch
First, it takes a while to realize the obvious: the designer apparently aimed to preserve the same directional logic of the stalks (wait, this comes back later) while stacking the left-right arrows on the left of the wheel. Wouldn't it be more obvious placing them side by side? Yes, and the number of times you will flash cars instead of putting the right arrow will prove it.
This is why the flashing button should have been placed on the bottom right of the left dial, also to make it more accessible to people with hands smaller than a gorilla.
But real genius comes into play when applying the opposite logic with forward/reverse: are they in the same position as you would move the stalk (i.e. down for D, up for R)? No, exactly the opposite. "Because the direction is displayed". Yes, but ergonomics / usability prescribe that motor programmes must be intuitive and unconscious, not conscious and aided by sight. So, how many times you already went the opposite direction that you intended, or at least were risking to (when hearing the rear electronic buzz, which interestingly you cannot hear almost anymore due to better noise insulation)?
Solutions
For the arrows, there is only a solution without requiring a full recall of driving wheels: allow users to swap them with the forward/backward music control.
Better using the dial left-right and limiting the use of those arrows to music, than complicating the current way.
Other than that, a "real" recall is just a matter of when.
For the driving direction, there are actually two solutions:
- same logic: allow users reversing the directions, as with any software simulator would allow.
- allow users to keep the top panel always back-lit when the car is next to a halt, so that as with many other electric cars the PRND buttons can be used
Recall redesign hypothesis
- Buttons are too far away from the wheel perimeter, they should be closer to the thumbs.
- Also back-triggers would work, actually, especially for flashing (left) and wipers (right).
- A right back-trigger could actually serve as forward-reverse switch