please forgive my ignorance but basic question

[efisher]

Using AA or carplay, it is likely that one will be able to play popular streaming services from your phone through sync4a.

You cannot use Netflix with Android Auto, (although I understand there are some hacks you can do to get around this restriction).

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[Psipunk]

My wife has a WiFi tablet, she would like to have WiFi in the car. She can look at whatever on her tablet while I drive. There are aftermarket entertainment systems with displays for the rear seat occupants to watch movies or whatever if that is desired.

This. And:

• Playing video on a driver visible screen while moving is a huge no-no, which is why Tesla only lets you play videos while parked.

I have kids, as well, and the make or break moment for me will be when I physically inspect the vehicle. If it doesn't have enough room for two car seats plus the ability to squeeze in a third person in the back, I probably won't buy it.

Moving back to the topic, initially I didnt like the horizontal orientation of the screen in the Mach-E and saw it as a disadvantage compared to the Tesla. However, tablets are a much more superior solution to this problem because:

You can carry the screen with you and you can watch it anytime. For a dad like me, I am not going to hack my vehicle so I can watch movies while driving. Besides, my kids are little (3 and 5) and they wouldn't be able to fully see the screen at the front driver position because they are in carseats in the back.

By the way, they can each watch whatever they choose. If my son wants to watch dinosaurs or the Mandalorian and my daughter wants to watch Mulan, then cool. No fighting and no issues over who gets to watch what they want.

Would it be nice for me to watch netflex while I am waiting in a parking lot somewhere by myself? Sure. Would it be nice to have landscape vs portrait for THAT particular function? Sure.

However, portrait orientation seems functionally superior to me vs landscape when needing to adjust things on the fly which is why you dont use a Settings menu on your phone in landscape orientation (at least I never do that and I dont see other people ever doing that either). Its way easier and faster to scroll up/down through menus. Dont forget this is a car and you need to be able to change settings quickly sometimes. I dont intend to live in my car.

Although, I would say about portrait its less true when considering mapping programs. Landscape is superior in that aspect.

Either way, honestly its a preferance thing and neither orientation is really "better" than the other. Each one has inherent advantages and disadvantages.

Its America. You have the right to choose. If the screen orientation is a deal breaker for you, then First World Problems and dont buy the car. Get a Tesla and watch all the movies you want in there.

I'll be chilling at the beach with my tabletz, thanks.

 

[kikibop]

If you say that display should not have things like Netflix that's would be pretty dumb thing to say.

I think for people who crave video games and streaming video in their car’s center stack, the Mach E is the wrong car for them. Nothing against those cool features but I’m not making a car purchase decision based on fart apps.

 

[kdryden99]

I would agree, but I do not think there should be a primary reason to have something constantly on a display - not while driving at least - I thought that's why Mach E has 10 inch display in front of the driver.

The nav, radio could on the top part and you could have the climate control on the bottom just like a normal car except in the case of the EV its a screen. This would not be ideal on the 10inch where speed, range, and safety info would appear.

 

[dbsb3233]

And regarding Netflix, etc, remember that it's usually illegal to have video entertainment distracting the driver while the car is moving.

https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/video-screens/

I suppose in BEVs it could be a bit more useful because you could be sitting there babysitting the car for 30+ minutes at a charger. But presumably video entertainment has to be disabled on the dash screens while moving, seriously reducing any value of putting it there "for the kids". That's why entertainment screens (if included) are usually placed for the rear seats.

 

[timbop]

OK fellas, enough said. Can we just dial it down and move on?

As for the original premise, the whole paradigm of OTA means that features can be added later. That doesn't mean the feature YOU"RE looking for will get added, but I am guessing that if enough people give feedback with interest in something like a native netflix/youtube/whatever app Ford will likely add one.

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