A small stupid question

[ctenidae]

If you’re slowing down or going downhill, you’re regening. If you’re going uphill or accelerating, you’re using more energy than a steady speed on a flat surface.

The meters many want don’t really give any useful information.

The mi/kWh meter already tells the driver if they are driving in an efficient manner or not.

More visualizations are just more distractions for the driver.

All true. Still, odd to have something so innocuous be a differentiator between trims, especially if it's just a software switch.

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[generaltso]

The meters many want don’t really give any useful information.

For L1 and L2, your home charging rate should be known so it is just when charging not at home that a rate might be helpful.

These may not be useful to you, but it should be recognized that they may be useful to others.

 

[kdonnel]

These may not be useful to you, but it should be recognized that they may be useful to others.

It seems to me they must be edge cases though.

I can't think of a time in 3 years of EV ownership where I needed to know the L1 or L2 charge rate I was getting away from home. There have been times on vacation where I was taking advantage of L1 or L2 chargers and needed to know when the car would be charged to my set charge percentage. That information is provided.

The same goes for a regen meter. I have never needed to know that information. I know when going downhill or slowing I am gaining energy. I can't really change my route to include only downhills. The drive statistics card give you an idea of how efficient you are driving.

What are some real world scenarios where someone needs to know if they are regening or at what rate they are L1 or L2 charging? I am genuinely curious.

 

[generaltso]

It seems to me they must be edge cases though.

I can't think of a time in 3 years of EV ownership where I needed to know the L1 or L2 charge rate I was getting away from home. There have been times on vacation where I was taking advantage of L1 or L2 chargers and needed to know when the car would be charged to my set charge percentage. That information is provided.

The same goes for a regen meter. I have never needed to know that information. I know when going downhill or slowing I am gaining energy. I can't really change my route to include only downhills. The drive statistics card give you an idea of how efficient you are driving.

What are some real world scenarios where someone needs to know if they are regening or at what rate they are L1 or L2 charging? I am genuinely curious.

Because I want to see that information. I look at the power meter needle in my wife's RAV4 Prime all the time. And if I plug into a dumb charger somewhere, I want to see how fast it's charging. Doing the math based on the percentages shown in FordPass isn't overly accurate (when FordPass shows any numbers at all). Discounting what somebody wants just because you don't want it doesn't make much sense to me. I can want something without having to justify why. I believe the non-GT Mach-E is the only EV or PHEV in existence that doesn't have any sort of power meter to show when it's using power and when it's generating power. So I must not be the only one that finds that info useful.

 

[kdonnel]

I look at the power meter needle in my wife's RAV4 Prime all the time.

I see it as a safety issue.

I know I am guilty of being distracted staring at the sync screen while driving.

Auto manufacturers should only display needed information on the instrument cluster to minimize driver distraction.

Drivers are distracted enough by the giant sync screen, they don't need to be watching to see how much power they are gaining or losing while driving.

 

[generaltso]

I see it as a safety issue.

I guess the makers of every EV and PHEV in existence besides the non-GT Mach-E don't agree.

Do you see a tachometer in an ICE car as a safety issue?

 

[andyrross]

I glance at the regen status (behind the steering wheel) on my Honda Accord Hybrid when driving conditions permit. It helps me maximize my gas mileage. And it also becomes a bit of game to try to keep things green on the screen and not blue.
When I finally get my Mach E, I'll miss not having an indicator there.

 

[kdonnel]

I guess the makers of every EV and PHEV in existence besides the non-GT Mach-E don't agree.

Do you see a tachometer in an ICE car as a safety issue?

The tachometer is needed.

A power meter is useless.

And yes I think that all manufacturers need to be careful in the future as to what data they present to the driver while in gear.

If they want to present all sorts of detailed charts and graphs while the car is in park, great. But to create animations designed to distract a driver while driving, a bad idea.

 

[generaltso]

The tachometer is needed.

A power meter is useless.

You can't drive an ICE car without a tachometer? That's weird since my wife's RAV4 Prime doesn't have one. It does, however, have a power meter. I understand that you have opinions about what's needed and what's not. But that's an opinion, and others can have their own opinions that shouldn't be discounted because they don't align with yours. That's all I'm saying.

 

[kdonnel]

You can't drive an ICE car without a tachometer?

A manual transmission and a tachometer go hand in hand.

As you say not required, but its presence actually serves a useful purpose. It helps the driver know when to shift, helps improve fuel economy, and helps extend engine life.

 

[generaltso]

A manual transmission and a tachometer go hand in hand.

As you say not required, but its presence actually serves a useful purpose. It helps the driver know when to shift, helps improve fuel economy, and helps extend engine life.

Okay, I'm done. Have a great day.

 

[ctenidae]

What are some real world scenarios where someone needs to know if they are regening or at what rate they are L1 or L2 charging? I am genuinely curious.

Curiosity, mostly, I think. For L2 charging, it's useful to be able to put charge rates in your check ins at the chargers. At least, it's useful to the people who are looking for a place to charge away from home - nice to know if a L2 charger is going to work for you.

 

[ctenidae]

I see it as a safety issue.

I know I am guilty of being distracted staring at the sync screen while driving.

Auto manufacturers should only display needed information on the instrument cluster to minimize driver distraction.

Drivers are distracted enough by the giant sync screen, they don't need to be watching to see how much power they are gaining or losing while driving.

This safety issue is 100% on you. You are behind the wheel, you are piloting 4,000 pounds of steel around. You are responsible for the lives of everyone in your car and on the road with you. You. Not Ford, not the info screen, not your cell phone, not your kid yelling in the back seat, not your cup of coffee your fidget spinner or your radio. You. 100% you.

Not to get all high and mighty, but this is one I simply can not and will not abide. Distracted driving is the driver's fault. Totally and completely. If you can't keep your eyes on the road, then please, for the sake of all of us, get off the road. I'm totally serious here - you are a danger to all of us, and you must take responsibility for it. Change your behavior or call an Uber.

/end rant. Sorry for any hurt feelings.

 

[ctenidae]

A manual transmission and a tachometer go hand in hand.

As you say not required, but its presence actually serves a useful purpose. It helps the driver know when to shift, helps improve fuel economy, and helps extend engine life.

I'll mostly agree with that, but except in very rare circumstances I did not use the tach to determine shift points. Engine sound, speed, and planned maneuvers, yes. Looking at the tach? Never. I put a piece of tape over the shift light in my TSX way back when, because you couldn't turn it off. Super annoying.

 

[kdonnel]

This safety issue is 100% on you. You are behind the wheel, you are piloting 4,000 pounds of steel around. You are responsible for the lives of everyone in your car and on the road with you. You. Not Ford, not the info screen, not your cell phone, not your kid yelling in the back seat, not your cup of coffee your fidget spinner or your radio. You. 100% you.

Not to get all high and mighty, but this is one I simply can not and will not abide. Distracted driving is the driver's fault. Totally and completely. If you can't keep your eyes on the road, then please, for the sake of all of us, get off the road. I'm totally serious here - you are a danger to all of us, and you must take responsibility for it. Change your behavior or call an Uber.

/end rant. Sorry for any hurt feelings.

While the driver is ultimately responsible for driving, the manufactures have a duty to not create features or displays that distract the driver yet provide no discernable value.

Otherwise we would all be watching YouTube while driving.

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