Tesla Model X Owner Has Had Enough Of Minimalism, Adds Physical Buttons::Tesla Model X owner from China has attached a panel of physical buttons to the vehicle's main control unit for quicker access to some key functions.

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[–] 239 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Anytime I need to click on a touch button / non physical button I need to take my eyes off the road so I don’t click on other buttons wrongly… physical buttons in car is the way !

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  • [–] 71 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    I still misclick. It's so dangerous.

    Back when I was a teen I'd text and drive with T9 on a Nokia without needing to look at anything but the road. Now I have to concerntrate and time bumps to get try turn the demister on.

    Physical buttons are just so much safer and easier since you don't need take focus off driving.

    I've thought about making an APK I can get going through Android Auto that simply converts my requests via LLM to commands for the car. But I imagine getting the manufacturer's command lists is near impossible and then there's all the shit blocking an APK permissions to control car components. It would otherwise be super easy.

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  • [–] 25 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I'd be very surprised if they let an APK that wasn't signed in some way by the manufacturer access any vehicle functions. A rogue app could do silly dangerous things. Wait a second, it's Tesla and Musk we're talking about here. No, I'd actually not be surprised upon reflection.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago

    You could have an ESP32 connected to your phone. The ESP could control some relays or simply raise/lower pins to connect to whatever this physycal board is connected to. You make your own API from there.

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  • [–] 50 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I want jackknife switches for every function, all wired to go chokBZAK and throw sparks at me every time I use my turn signal. Mad science maximalist aesthetics.

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  • [–] 37 points 2 years ago (1 child)
  • [–] 20 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Thanks for the visual. This helps

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  • [–] 16 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    I'm imagining a dashboard bristling with these, to control everything from door locks to wipers.

    Maybe a few big red buttons and flashing toggle buttons too, case depending.

    It'd be a horrible experience to drive, which is itself a net benefit.

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  • [–] 25 points 2 years ago* (2 children)

    and flashing toggle buttons too

    Don't forget the safety covers

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  • [+] 115 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)
  • [–] 29 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    I dont think removing the screen complete is the right way around this. Having something that can display maps and more information is good. But it should have never become the only thing.

    You need buttons and easy access to functions that are always available in easy to remember places. So that you aren't spending attention away from the road when you want to change the fan control.

    Fuck this bullshit touchscreen only nonsense, actual physical buttons are superior in a car.

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    [–] 100 points 2 years ago

    (author) "...but it obviously defeats the whole purpose of minimalism. "

    Fucking dumbass, A single button to do one thing IS minimalism. A screen area to many ISNT

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  • [–] 67 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Ngl I want my dash to look like a fucking airliner. I love that my MINI interior looks like a personal space ship from a 90s movie. Give me moar toggles!

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  • [–] 64 points 2 years ago (4 children)
  • [–] 33 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Although it’s been this for a long while now

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  • [–] 32 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I know, I intentionally bought a 2017 so I would have physical buttons 😂

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    [–] 63 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    Honestly surprised that Tesla allowed him to modify his car without charging him a $30,000 fine or something.

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  • [–] 54 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    This seems like a great idea to me. Touch screens are a terrible way to operate controls while driving. Some car companies have begun backing off from the trend and are moving back to buttons for some functions.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago

    Touch screens are great for dynamic interfaces, but terrible for anything that involves feedback or a tactile experience.

    My vehicle - though not a Tesla - still pisses me off that all the stereo controls except the power button are touch-based (even power appears to be a software-activated button as it failed once when the unit locked up). The saving point on my vehicle is that the steering controls (volume, prev/next) do still exist as physical buttons.

    At the very least, they're should be a physical on/off, and physical dials/controls for volume and heating adjustments so a driver can change those without taking eyes off the road.

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  • [–] 40 points 2 years ago* (3 children)

    I fully expect that aftermarket buttons for dashboards will become a range of popular products, from things like this all the way up to a full dashboard replacement.

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  • [–] 33 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    Physical buttons will now be a paid option on vehicles...

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  • [–] 37 points 2 years ago

    One of the biggest non-problematic problems I have with newer cars is the lack of physical buttons. I also really dislike the trend of everything becoming minimalist, so I 100% support these types of modifications so long as they can be safely implemented.

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  • [–] 28 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Minimalism can be nice, but Tesla seems to do this just for cost savings. Didn't they remove some "important" physical buttons from the steering wheel recently?

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I wonder how he did it. Can you program your Tesla ?

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    [–] 9 points 2 years ago

    I really want a formula one steering wheel. Give me a bunch of useful and programmable controls right next to my damn fingers.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago

    No doubt in my mind they'll remove you from the fast charge network if you plug this in the U.S. Even more now as this is making rounds online.

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