How Tesla Ruined Center Consoles

(Image sourced from Tesla’s official website)

When entering a Tesla, one of the first things you may notice is how the infotainment unit could be described as a tablet stuck onto the dashboard. The contrast of the simplistic design makes the headunit stick out much more than everything else, and there is seemingly no effort put in integrating the screen anywhere.

For most, there is no issue. It works as intended and does what it needs to do as a touchscreen. Other manufacturers followed suit, producing a new trend within manufacturers; a competition on which brand could fit the biggest screen on their cars, vertically and horizontally. As an individual with no experience or will to try new cars, I can’t help but think that not only is it a pain to witness, it also takes away the practicality of some features in some situations.

(Image sourced from GridOto, captured by Aditya Pradifta)

In the days where it was the norm to separate A/C controls and the entertainment system, physical buttons ensured functionality and were operational under most circumstances. Contrary to Tesla-style ‘headunits’, where all features rely on one section. Should it be unable to display the needed information or become unresponsive, one may find it frustrating to have no access to certain functions. Not being able to turn on the A/C in the summer or the heater in the winter thanks to a malfunction in the infotainment system would be frustratingly inconvenient.

Aesthetics is subjective, but seeing a well-integrated headunit on a dashboard is a blessing in these times. Not solely for the looks, but to have physical access to a car’s functions should be prioritized. Besides, how much energy does it really take to rotate and/or push a few buttons?