Sandy Munro Mach-E Episode 6: Wrap Up

[timbop]

Munro and the other guy want them to remove the side mirrors and replace them with cameras

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[snikt]

His wrap up videos just seem to be 90% talking without much actual content. All of the actual important summarizing probably could have been said in 5 min

 

[Electric Fusion]

Their criticisms are clearly from a perspective of early adopters and technophiles. They have no concept that 99% of the population is not, and wants to see familiar controls and have familiar experiences. I have almost 3000 miles on my car and still hate the stupid touchscreen fan controls - it requires far too much attention away from the road rather than just feeling a knob and turning it. Just tilting your eyes/head to the side to instantly see what's beside you in the mirror instead of having to look down, hit a button, and then see the camera view in a potential emergency is far superior.

Lol ?

 

[jeng]

I will have to respectfully disagree with all of the suggestions that Sandy and Sean made in that video. From my experience every time a company replaces a perfectly functional, mostly analog, thing on a car, it just adds to my frustration with the car (*cough* PaaK). I particularly like having the volume knob around. Yes it is a redundant feature, but it is also a redundant feature repeated in just about every other car for more than a decade. Sorry Sean I am not a baby boomer, you ageist prick, I just happen to enjoy adjusting my volume with exacting precision. I happen to find the steering wheel toggle switch a bit to clunky to use. The toggle switches on my Mom's Subaru are better. This is one of the reasons why you need redundancy, and why some times it improves the overall functionality of a product.

I am not sure why Sean is so proud or concerned about his redundancy issue. He sure took a bit of time in this video and his appearance on the Inside EVs podcast to voice his opinion. I mean complaining about the volume knob because it is redundant is quite short sighted and stupid. Take opening the front trunk as an example. There is already a latch for that reason. Then why should Ford add a button in the center screen and in the FordPass app, because that would be redundant. The real answer is, of course Ford should do so. If I happen to be adjusting something on the center screen or I am outside of the car with my FordPass app, I should be able to open the front trunk from those locations for convenience sakes. Also the manual latch would be handy as a manual override when any software issues arise.

As for replacing the side mirrors, I am concerned that Sandy and Sean's justifications for that centers around design aesthetics, it being "futuristic", or an example of too much regulation rather than the technology's overall usability. So they would like to replace something that has zero lag, is always on, requires no power to operate, and has years of proven operation reliability with a new camera technology that can be blinded by a few rain droplets or a strong light source and a video feed that can drop out or become interment at times.

Then there is the start/stop button. I don't think it is that much of a big deal. People from ICE vehicles are already use to doing something to start their vehicle. It is something you learn once when you buy your car, then you get on with your life. Having the car start up when you sit in your car is nice, but it can also be one of those features that trades one inconvenience with another one. Assuming Ford removed the start button. Please consider this scenario, when I startup my car when I just sit in the driver's seat I have to wait for the screens to power up, my seats to return to my driving position (I have enabled the easy out feature), and wait for CarPlay to connect, load, and start playing what ever I was listening to. Once the car is fully started up, I noticed that my side view cameras are blocked by some water droplets, since it was raining before. I take a microfiber cloth (so I won't scratch the lenses) from the center console, and I exit the car to clean them. I re-enter the car to find that the car has shutdown when I had exited it, and I have to now wait until every thing starts up again before I can be on my way. Also there might be a child's toy or a newspaper on the ground that I noticed while I was backing up, and the whole thing starts again. You can solve this with a delay timer, but that will be yet another option with in the sea of options in the settings and more code to add to an already complex system. Also what will happen if your passenger wants to stay in the car while you grab something in the store. Do you now have to fiddle with the center screen to put your car into so sort of alternate shutdown mode? Sounds like an awful lot of extra functionality to add to the car to just remove one button.

There might have been more said in that video that I didn't like, but I stopped watching it that that point.

 

[Electric Fusion]

Great review .. (well the start of it anyways) just a few things they are totally wrong about, one the car will automatically put it self in park if you open the driver door, plus shutdown after a preset time, also I still have my model 3 and a few times my younger son almost drive the car in the back wall, he was just having fun and went in the driver seat pressing the brakes and playing with the controls doing things he seen me do many times before, I was in the passenger side cleaning the car and he got the car moving thank goodness I was able to stop him on time, having a start stop button is critical for safety, plus to have just the radio going without having the car ready to drive away ..

Also I never use the volume on the steering wheel because it’s too slow to get the volume up or down quickly.. you need a volume knob for that!
as for the software everything you need is only two step away, any options just to press click away .. you where looking for something not their and
the Mach E is a CCS car and will show you many different CCS network and that range from 24kW to 350kW .. yes there should be a filter by KW and
not by the old DC Fast charge name or add a filter for HPC that is 100kW+ so i can only agree with just that one statement ..

As a Tesla owner and still own a Tesla model 3, Audi eTron and MME .. the only thing I find better with my Tesla vs my eTron or MME is the performance,
The software in the MME is much batter plus having Apple car play/Android Auto .. sorry Tesla can’t touch software at that level and the MME gives you that!

As for charging network, there is more CCS charging locations x4 than Tesla SC locations just about 1,005 locations as of 5/2021 online .. CCS has more and only one state in the US the SC network is more available.. just one state ..

So overall the MME is a much better car and value than my Tesla .. if my Tesla had cost $20k I would agree but sorry for the money the car needs much better interior quality, and needs more useful quick access buttons! better software, better ride quality.. the list goes on ..all of this the MME is better than my model 3 .. even range my MME has better range than the model Y and close to the same range as my model 3 .. that’s crazy .. so I would like to hear what in the world would make you think the model Y is better overall .. the model Y has only two things going for it .. the SC network and performance.. absolutely nothing else!

 

[silverelan]

Some people's obsession with the volume knob is bizarre. The steering wheel control takes too long if I want to make big jumps in volume. Passengers require zero instructions on its use and it's instant.
Speed & precision > screen pop up slider

 

[BMT1071]

I agree with them about the start button though. I mean there isn't an engine to start up before you can start driving. Seems like you should be able to get into the car, like they said, and it recognizes PaaK or the fob and the screens should come on so it's ready when you put your foot on the brake to shift. I don't think it's something that really needed to be there for something that doesn't actually need to "start". You put the car in park and get out and walk away with your phone or fob and it detects that already, why not just shut the car "off" when that happens. It's not like we leave the engine running anymore and need to remember to shut it off. Really just seems like Ford is just used to having the button already designed in the ICE vehicles, no one thought to take it out on the MMe.

I strongly disagree. I want to decide when to turn my car on/off. When I get out to grab the mail I want it to say running. I also don't want the car to be ready to drive every time I hop in for a minute to grab something out of the center console or glove box.
The start/stop button needs to stay.

 

[americanflannel]

I strongly disagree. I want to decide when to turn my car on/off. When I get out to grab the mail I want it to say running. I also don't want the car to be ready to drive every time I hop in for a minute to grab something out of the center console or glove box.
The start/stop button needs to stay.

That's why I laugh at the new Tesla with the "smart" gear selection with "swipe to switch gears" as a backup. The car will just know if you want to go forward or backwards... yea... that is a bad idea.

 

[BadgerGreg]

I use the volume knob every day, and I look forward to when an OTA will unlock it for climate control and seat heater adjustments. Ford listened to their design-phase focus groups (or whatever the auto industry calls them) when they made it clear they wanted a volume knob. Ford gave the masses what they wanted, and I agree it's the right call.

I'm ambivalent on the START/STOP button. It doesn't bother me, although I could also live without it. I wouldn't be averse to a future OTA that allows the brake pedal to serve as the START button...in that case, it's Driver's Choice on how to start the car. Similar to what VW did with the ID4; the START/STOP button is there, but it's unnecessary. If that happens, the haters can cover the button with a faux carbon fiber that matches the dash

 

[buzznwood]

Having the car just turn based on if you are sitting in the driving seat is convenient and all, but the big advantage of the start stop button which is really just and on / off button is it allows the car to be switched on so the entertainment system can be used and stay operative with people in the passenger seats without the car thinking you are gone and then powering down. The id.4 has automatic start start based on the front seat but also has a start /stop button no doubt for such a reason.

As to the cameras for side mirrors, this is the one time I am happy USA standards lag behind lol, the advantage of an actual mirror is that is it is a proper 3d image with parallax so responds your head movements unlike a 2d image on a screen.

Now using the 360 cameras in the mirrors as an additional view to appear on the screen when you use the turn signal that you get in some vehicles is always a good idea and gives the best of both worlds.

 

[e-pony]

I agree but some of their criticism of the software and speed of the screen is founded. Ford should improve this over time. Comparing to Tesla is fine but this is Ford's first EV and, no doubt, it's most complicated rollout. I expect the software to get better over time once Ford starts rolling OTA updates out the door.

As for the side mirrors, the US needs to finally catch up with the rest of the world and allow cameras to take that task over. It would be safer and cheaper. As noted it would improve aerodynamics, too.

Would have appreciated a comparison of processing power and ram memory between tesla and mache, screen pixels, glare, etc. Like xbox vs ps4.

 

[ARK]

I strongly disagree. I want to decide when to turn my car on/off. When I get out to grab the mail I want it to say running. I also don't want the car to be ready to drive every time I hop in for a minute to grab something out of the center console or glove box.
The start/stop button needs to stay.

I agree completely, I want total control over whether the car is on or off. Cars have the capacity to be quite dangerous with kids around or someone who might be momentarily distracted. There should be no ambiguity on whether the vehicle is on or off, whether someone can accidentally put it in gear.

I wonder if people who are a fan of no start button are also the type to just get up and walk away from a computer in a public setting without locking it or shutting it down, trusting it will do so soon enough on its own. I see this in the same vein and hope Ford does not follow Tesla down this path.

Of all the potential valid criticisms of the car, of all the things they could have focused on that needs improvement, I can’t believe this was the focus of their attention (along with the volume knob, which I am also happy has been placed there).

 

[jetermeyer]

I agree completely, I want total control over whether the car is on or off. Cars have the capacity to be quite dangerous with kids around or someone who might be momentarily distracted. There should be no ambiguity on whether the vehicle is on or off, whether someone can accidentally put it in gear.

I wonder if people who are a fan of no start button are also the type to just get up and walk away from a computer in a public setting without locking it or shutting it down, trusting it will do so soon enough on its own. I see this in the same vein and hope Ford does not follow Tesla down this path.

Of all the potential valid criticisms of the car, of all the things they could have focused on that needs improvement, I can’t believe this was the focus of their attention (along with the volume knob, which I am also happy has been placed there).

Lots of opinions which is why I read this forum. Lots to like and dislike. My 2 cents, a couple of the main reasons I went for the Mach E. I wanted my wife to be able to drive the car. Yes she has her own, but we have a vacation house and when we drive there we only have one car. So important that she was comfortable driving it. She currently has a midsize SUV. She would not even get in a Tesla because it is too different. So the start and stop but just makes her feel comfortable. She has a hybrid and is use to no sound but must shut it off after pulling into the garage. Mach E behaves the same way. To me it makes no difference so no issue with the button even though we all know it doesn't need to be there. Second the alternate display. If she didn't have this and had to look at the center screen she wouldn't drive it. Not normal to have to look to your right to see your speed. So again maybe redundant, but I happen to like that extra screen, especially with the advanced cruise control, navigation. The volume control is comfortable. I always use the steering wheel control for volume. My wife always uses the volume control even in her SUV which has both. I guessing the volume control will be programmable down the rode with OTAs for those that might want to use it for something else. The side mirrors, I'm just very use to so I have no issue with them and again my wife would not like the camera concept. As for Mach E over the other competitors besides Tesla. We both use key fobs. Paak to me is ok, but my Fob is attached to keys that I need where I'm driving to. So without the fob I would forget the keys I need. So attaching the two makes certain I have the keys with me. For my wife she would not like Paak and is just comfortable having the Fob in her purse. OTA is the reason I chose Mach E. Has if been a disappointment so far, a little since I have only seen 1 update. But the potential is there. Not something you can say for Audi, Jaguar, etc... At the same time after being in software development all my life and working on devices that if you screw up you have major consequences, the frequency of updates need to be few and far between since in many cases the customers cannot just take the update without doing their own testing. I definitely don't want frequent updates that change features in a car without knowing what they are and that they won't cause any issues. Ford is bein cautious which they better be. So Ford not going all out Tesla is why I chose the Mach E. I believe there are a lot of people that feel the same way.

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