The latest video by Bjørn Nyland rallies the Tesla community on suggestions to usability enhancements for the next Firmware 7.1. There’s likely no other Tesla owner that has spent as much time performing deep-dive analyses of the Model S as Bjørn has. With Version 7.0 having been out for several weeks now, Bjørn has had ample time to form constructive criticism for what he’d like to see in the next 7.1 over-the-air update. It’s worth noting that his review is based on 7.0 on a non-Autopilot rear wheel drive Model S.
Instrument Cluster Suggestions
Move Battery Status and Drive Mode Back to the Center
Bjørn overlays the previous user interface design (6.2) with the latest 7.0 that saw a flatter design and changes in where information is displayed. His main criticism comes down to the fact the old display (pre-7.0) had better logical placement for the battery status and drive mode indicator – keeping everything within the main center unit. Where as now, the information is tucked away on the left and right sides of the instrument cluster thus requiring your eyes to scan back and forth to find the information related to driving. In place of the previous battery status icon is the odometer which Bjørn finds kind of irrelevant. We’d have to agree here.
Tesla v7 on non-Autopilot rear wheel drive Model S [Source: Rob M]
Among other notable suggestions:
- Bring back the temperature display and date + time (include day and year)
- Make better use of the speed dial
- Do not reset the trip meter every time the door is open
Center Touchscreen Suggestions
Bjørn’s main suggestion for the center touchscreen is to include a real-time Tesla Supercharger status in the Nav. He describes a use case where a Model S owner can depress a Supercharger location on the map and see a color-coded status indicator for each charging bay. The colors would denote whether a charger is in active use or free to use.
Bjørn Nyland suggests real-time Supercharger status for Firmware 7.1 [Source: Bjørn Nyland YouTube]
Other notable suggestions for Firmware 7.1:
- Put back battery status icon
- Ability to schedule climate control
Judging by the number of comments Bjørn’s video has prompted, many early Model S owners seem to agree with him, and have even included suggestions of their own. Tesla is good at listening to what their customers have to say so let’s join in the effort and leave your suggestions for Firmware 7.1 in the comments below .
