The Tesla Model 3 Has Just One Display, And It's Not In Front Of The Driver

Being able to quickly glance at your road and engine speeds, fuel level or engine temperatures is taken for granted, but Tesla seems to want to make it a whole lot more difficult

Matt Kimberley

29 Mar 2017

The Tesla Model 3 Has Just One Display, And It's Not In Front Of The Driver

Fans of common sense should look away now. The Tesla Model 3 is going to have no displays other than a giant tablet device attached to the middle of the dashboard.

That means no speedometer, rev counter, fuel gauge, temperature gauges or even a damn clock in front of the driver. Elon Musk has confirmed that all the Model 3’s readouts will be confined to the central screen, which could easily be compromised by glare in daylight.

Anyone who’s driven an old Citroen C4, or another car that relocates the crucial info away from the driver, will know what a colossal ballache this can be. It takes longer to read the necessary data, turns your eyes away from the road and just feels… wrong.

Tesla is making the move to boost the futuristic, minimalist interior feel of the new Model 3, focusing on providing a layout that works for Autopilot mode, but in the process it sacrifices the everyday practicality of having multiple dials and screens. It could even be down to cost-cutting as Tesla scrambles to make a profit.

Tweets from Elon Musk also confirm that the Model 3 won’t be getting a head-up display of any kind, either. It means drivers really will have to deal with just the one screen, which, when the sun is in the wrong place, will be completely illegible. Is it just us, or is this an astonishingly bad idea if you’re driving the car yourself?

Comments

The new Tesla model 3. Now with a tablet* for you to read all the crucial information.

*additional fees may apply.

I own a C4 and its the best system. First makes the rest of the passengers aware of the speed the car is doing. Second you have the info near the window, more peripheral view is kept.

And you would want your passengers to know how fast your going why…?

I can’t help but feel ‘minimalist’ is just their excuse for spartan interiors. At their price point and given how long the Model S has been in the market, their interiors are still too basic for a luxury brand IMO.

This is fairly common in cars that are sold as left and right hand drive. The manufacturer places the speedo in the center to reduce cost as you dont have to make a different wiring harness for different countries. But, its not preferred by the general consumer.
Examples: Mini, Toyota Etios, Tata Indica Vista from about 2009-2012.