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Elon Musk says enhanced voice command functionality is coming to the Model 3

Published Jan 15th, 2018 8:30PM EST
Model 3 Features

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Tesla vehicles are certainly forward-thinking, but sometimes the company’s tech oriented approach results in a less than optimal user experience. Case in point: a recent CNN review of the Model 3 bemoans the fact that users are essentially required to play around with the car’s 15-inch touchscreen anytime they want to adjust even the most minor of controls or vehicular settings.

“To do almost anything, from adjusting the mirrors to tweaking the car’s speed while driving in Autopilot, I had to use the screen,” Petere Valdes-Dapena wrote last week. “There are two unmarked knobs on the steering that are involved in various functions but, before you can use the knobs, you have to poke around on the big screen first. It’s annoying and most people will hate it. More importantly, it’s terribly distracting.”

It’s a fair criticism, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently took to Twitter and promised that an impending software update should make tweaking various Model 3 controls and features more straight forward via enhanced voice control functionality.

Responding to a question about the Model 3’s screen-centric user experience, Musk intimated that Tesla’s software team has voice control on its radar.

Meanwhile, the Model 3 ramp, which is a few months behind schedule, is certainly picking up steam. Last we heard, Tesla is manufacturing upwards of 2,500 Model 3 units per week. And though that’s a far cry from the 5,000 units per week Tesla claimed it would reach by December of 2017, it is nonetheless a stark improvement relative to where Tesla was at just three months ago.

Looking ahead, Tesla maintains that it will be able to reach the 5,000 week threshold by June of 2018.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.