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Comment by s1k3s | Hacker News Reader

It's funny that the reasoning seems to be drivers not being able to run the cars properly. I assume most of them are Teslas, which makes me wonder how things would've looked like if Tesla didn't decide to do everything backwards in terms of driver-car interface.

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As a Tesla owner, couldn't agree more. The interface of the car itself is actively hostile to new users. Without instruction, most people cannot get into or out of a Model 3 without significant struggle. Regular door handles and a regular gear selector would go a long way. And they seem intent on making it worse. Why would I EVER want the car to decide if I should be going forward or back? Happy to have helped (however little) in making electric cars more mainstream. Doubt I'll buy another Tesla.

Yes, so true! I listened to the lady at the counter rent out a Tesla and she had no training or clue on how to even open the car, much less operate. I'd pay money for the video of this poor couple, once actually in the car, trying to operate it. When you buy a Tesla, you want to figure out all the features. When you rent a car, you just want to get to the dang hotel before you pee yourself.

Handles are different for efficiency. Just be glad they weren't able to get rid of the side mirrors for the same reason.

I do wonder how much impact those door handles really have on drag vs the ergonomic problems.

Put your hand out of a window at speed and you can really feel it.

But most door handles do not stick out. Now, side mirrors really do stick out.

And then there are those ski racks that I see on cars driving down the freeway in June. totally streamlined.

Other car brands manage to make retracting door handles that aren’t as confusing.

Just like they can make instrument clusters separate from the main infotainment touch screen.

Hyundai already sells EVs with cameras for side mirrors in regions of the world where it is legal to do so (it ain’t in NA) Those models have dedicated screens on the A pillars instead.

Tesla designers subscribe to the software school of design, where purpose follows form, rather than the other way around, and it shows.

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