Speculation Lucid UX 3.0

[DeaneG]

Just took my AGT out for sushi, and other than sorely needing native Google maps, and having nav on one screen with music on the other, I didn't notice any major functional deficiencies. For reference the Air is our fifth EV and I've written maybe 100k lines of realtime code, so not a complete noob.

Sure, there are many things most of us agree are important that could be added or improved. But it's basically a solid platform now.

 

[Bobby]

I have found that using CarPlay with the phone in the wireless charger causes the nav to lag. For some reason, the phone cannot receive the satellite signal and either hangs or lags. If you take the phone out of the charger and put it on the armrest between the seats, the nav works well with CarPlay.

The satellite signal is not received by the phone when using CarPlay; it uses the car’s built-in satellite receiver. The lag is a bug. It does not happen using the same phone in my other two cars. I’m sure Lucid will get it sorted out.

 

[xponents]

Just took my AGT out for sushi

 

[vices]

I, too, find the user experience to be below average. Just want you to know there're others who feel the same about it. Confident lucid will improve it, though timing is up in the "Air"

 

[ViperSSD]

View attachment 17394

Table for 2, one of us is a large sedan

 

[joec]

I have found that using CarPlay with the phone in the wireless charger causes the nav to lag. For some reason, the phone cannot receive the satellite signal and either hangs or lags. If you take the phone out of the charger and put it on the armrest between the seats, the nav works well with CarPlay.

Interesting. I’ll have to try that. I’ve definitely seen the lag. Wasn’t always like that, though.

 

[xponents]

Table for 2, one of us is a large sedan

“Sir, I’m afraid your tag along is too heavy”

“Are you calling my wife fat?”

 

[Amster]

When I did the test drive back in May of 2022, I'm sure it was the 1.0. software. But we were really focused on the driving and didn't really notice issues with it. Even it being slow to boot up wasn't that noticeable, because we were talking to the SA about all kinds of things as we got in the car.

 

[momo3605]

I've owned a Tesla. I thought its software was terrible. Took a drive with a friend recently in his Model Y. Hasn't gotten much better. Not at all conducive to distraction-free driving. Emphasizes “wow” factors over things you actually need to see. Buries most functions behind tiny ugly icons that you can’t easily discern, and then covers important other visuals with giant panels of text and switches when you need to get anything done. Don't get me started on having to look sideways to see anything.

Everything about Tesla's software is designed to make you look at the screen. Which is, to put it midly, not what you're supposed to be doing while driving.

I guess this is the beauty of opinions! I think Tesla’s UI is master class in limiting distraction. Every function has been honed over years and is put in the ideal place to use. Homelink control and geolocation is perfect and you never have to touch a button. ADAS controls and customizations like the ability to set speed limit and offset were genius, enabling autopilot and not having to scroll the wheel after makes it so easy to use. One click of the stalk and all the settings and speed are exactly how you want them. Profile switching is instantaneous. Want to go home? A single swipe down on the destination entry box and it takes you automatically home or to work. The app has every function imagineable to use. I’ve never had any bugs with my model 3 UI, my lucid nav takes a long time to load, seems to lose definition randomly and I need to reboot the nav system, the app takes forever to wake the vehicle at times, The PAAK is inconsistent. And not to mention no interior lighting controls.

 

[DeaneG]

Sounds like Tesla has improved their software quite a bit since I sold mine 18 months ago. When new, the UI would crash every drive or two. Took three years to get GPS navigation waypoints, which came a year after fart mode. UI was a hodgepodge at the end. But a couple things were very nice: easy to put the car into lanekeeping mode, and navigation used Google maps database so it was generally accurate, and destinations transferred from Google maps on the phone or PC worked as expected.

 

[hmp10]

For us new buyers, I’d say 2.0 is still far far behind what other manufacturers provide in terms of features, functionality, and customizations.

I think the issue is broader than just software, but rather the total landscape of how the control suite in a car works for driver and passenger.

As the owner of a 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid (our second Tesla) and a 2022 Lucid Air Dream, my vote lands squarely with Lucid's approach. Among the things I think Lucid does better are:

- birds-eye view simulation for precise parking

- volume control for the front passenger (trying to move the screen slider in a moving Tesla is near impossible)

- manual air vent controls for all passengers

- turn signal stalk instead of tiny, poorly-placed black buttons on the yoke

- gear selector stalk instead of hit-and-miss automatic direction selection or that silly screen slider

- dual satellite map displays where you can simultaneously display compass orientation and direction-of-travel orientation and set one screen for "big picture" and other screen for close-in views as you approach crowded areas

- a horn you can actually find in an emergency instead of a tiny black button on a black yoke (yeah, I know Tesla says you can pound all the buttons on that side of the yoke simultaneously to blow the horn in an emergency, but it's a pitiful alternative to Lucid's large central hub)

In short, although we regrettably have to do without Tesla's fart feature, the overall operating experience when driving the Lucid easily trounces Tesla's approach. As @joec said, it's a car, not a PlayStation.

 

[EXOTIC2]

You and I have very different definitions of what good vehicle user experience design is.

If you think better = longer list of features like fart noises and utterly superfluous distracting graphics, then sure.

Personally, I prefer usability.

I've owned a Tesla. I thought its software was terrible. Took a drive with a friend recently in his Model Y. Hasn't gotten much better. Not at all conducive to distraction-free driving. Emphasizes “wow” factors over things you actually need to see. Buries most functions behind tiny ugly icons that you can’t easily discern, and then covers important other visuals with giant panels of text and switches when you need to get anything done. Don't get me started on having to look sideways to see anything.

Everything about Tesla's software is designed to make you look at the screen. Which is, to put it midly, not what you're supposed to be doing while driving.

Rivian basically copies everything Tesla does. Which is a great strategy if you want to grab headlines about how good your software is, since every journalist thinks Tesla's software is actually good. At least it's slightly better looking.

Mercedes makes decent user interfaces. But they are visually dated. I feel like I'm running Windows Vista every time I look at them. But at least the organization and execution is decent.

Lucid has better design language and a much better sense of user interaction. They adhere to the principles of limiting distraction and making functions as easy to find as possible. Don't get me wrong; the bugs need to be ironed out more (although I personally experience almost none of what folks report here). And there are many things I'd do differently. But at least they understand what a driver actually needs. They have a solid foundation, which is more than I can say for many other manufacturers.

I can't speak to the Spotify app, as I don't use Spotify. CarPlay takes care of all my infotainment needs.

…. You lost me at terrible. I find it ironic how thin skinned some people are around here when pointing out any disappointments they have with the car while criticizing other brands.
Happy new year

 

[Lucken]

Just took my AGT out for sushi, and other than sorely needing native Google maps, and having nav on one screen with music on the other, I didn't notice any major functional deficiencies. For reference the Air is our fifth EV and I've written maybe 100k lines of realtime code, so not a complete noob.

Sure, there are many things most of us agree are important that could be added or improved. But it's basically a solid platform now.

Funny, mine prefers Italian. Go figure. Maybe the Pures have more plebeian tastes?

 

[no gas]

…. You lost me at terrible. I find it ironic how thin skinned some people are around here when pointing out any disappointments they have with the car while criticizing other brands.
Happy new year

Actually there a few things about Tesla interface that is very very bad and a safety concern. But credit to Tesla, its very bug free and very responsive. I prefer the Lucid approach and its also much safer.

Good example is lack of proper blindspot indicator and poor video feed location, inability to change climate settings using buttons, lack of apple carplay, no 360 camera despite all those cameras.

You would expect, Tesla being the so called tech leader will have all those.....but no, they decide not to. Another cost saving measure is taking away the steering wheel stalks and the lumbar support from the passenger. Having FSD ( debatable if this actually works ) gives the wrong notion that Tesla interface is the best at everything. In reality, its not and many basic things are missing.

 

[Adnillien]

…. You lost me at terrible. I find it ironic how thin skinned some people are around here when pointing out any disappointments they have with the car while criticizing other brands.
Happy new year

This comment is on the boarder of name calling. Please read the guidelines and be careful in future posts or they will be deleted.

 

[chinesejpl]

I used to be quite critical of lucid's software but then I began to stop comparing it to others and use it for what it is rather than what it is not. This has helped me appreciate many things about it compared to my prev tesla MX and current eqs SUV w/ hyperscreen.

• 360 camera is the best I've used. I find it hard to park my eqs dead centre and straight in a parking spot but lucid is very easy and consistent
• Native music app like spotify and tidal work very well. Tesla integration may be a bit better but lucid is far ahead of Mercedes, Audi, BMW, etc who don't have integration of streaming music well sorted. But, the legacy makers do have carplay and AA native so that may negate things but you can't get Dolby atmos on carplay or AA and I find wireless AA consumes a ton of my phone battery
• Alexa needs work but at least she is connected to the internet and I can ask her questions vs MB can only handle car related functions

Does lucid need to improve on things, yes! But I do look forward to each update as it adds features that we, as a community, suggest so I know they are listening. I have come to enjoy the car more as I've adjusted my thinking and stopped focusing on what the car is not rather than what it is, which is a great driving car.

Ps: I don't complain that my mclaren doesn't have carplay or AA or that it's gps is horrendous and the entire Iris system leaves plenty to want because I didn't expect those features but I still enjoy the car plenty

 

[cossserban]

This comment is on the boarder of name calling. Please read the guidelines and be careful in future posts or they will be deleted.

Happy New Year to every Lucid Owner. I have both a Lucid GT and a Tesla Model X Plaid. The Model X is the third one I have, first one being bought in 2016. So, I have some experience.
It is true that Tesla had its own problems early on and that in terms of controls it went a bit too far in removing or repositioning key controls making them INCONVENIENT to be used (Horn, Wipers,, etc.) but the "tablet only approach" makes the integration of functions easier.
On the other hand, LUCID, trying to make the UI more like a legacy car, complicated themselves with the "split" between functions vs. the display location. The lack of a capable system integrator is visible. Some of the issues are terrible and I wonder why the software was not developed way in advance to create a solid, fluid UX.
Let alone that some of other issues (any light wet road will generate the warning about the LIDAR not working!!) are stupid (application is slow to wake up the car and the opening function is inconsistent).
It may make me sell the car, but so far, other than TESLA all other EV's I tested show similar issues with their UX.

 

[koflo]

I think the issue is broader than just software, but rather the total landscape of how the control suite in a car works for driver and passenger.

As the owner of a 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid (our second Tesla) and a 2022 Lucid Air Dream, my vote lands squarely with Lucid's approach. Among the things I think Lucid does better are:

- birds-eye view simulation for precise parking

- volume control for the front passenger (trying to move the screen slider in a moving Tesla is near impossible)

- manual air vent controls for all passengers

- turn signal stalk instead of tiny, poorly-placed black buttons on the yoke

- gear selector stalk instead of hit-and-miss automatic direction selection or that silly screen slider

- dual satellite map displays where you can simultaneously display compass orientation and direction-of-travel orientation and set one screen for "big picture" and other screen for close-in views as you approach crowded areas

- a horn you can actually find in an emergency instead of a tiny black button on a black yoke (yeah, I know Tesla says you can pound all the buttons on that side of the yoke simultaneously to blow the horn in an emergency, but it's a pitiful alternative to Lucid's large central hub)

In short, although we regrettably have to do without Tesla's fart feature, the overall operating experience when driving the Lucid easily trounces Tesla's approach. As @joec said, it's a car, not a PlayStation.

To be fair a lot of these are hand picked and slightly inaccurate.

Birds Eye view is nice but in my lucid, it only works about 20% of the time unless I manually pull it up. Not to mention, I can’t even pull up the cameras manually if I’m going over 15mph. Tesla allows you to view them always if you wanted (even from the phone app). Oh and they record as well for both sentry and dashcam. No 360 but they do have an alternative now which is getting high praise.

Volume control isn’t bad because just like any controls in the car, you can slide the dial for the passenger or use the steering wheel if you are the driver (without any delays which the lucid has).

Manual air vent control is definitely a plus but something that rarely gets adjusted especially given the auto function works better in the Tesla imo. Plus you can set your seat warmers or cooler via the app during precondition something you can’t do with lucid.

Turn signals suck on the Tesla. However the gear selector is bittersweet. Its automatic accuracy is about 90% accurate tbh. But the corner case is making a 3 way turn. It’s awful for that. However cars with stalks allow you to switch gears while going under 5mph allowing 3 way turns to be really good in Teslas that don’t relay on the screen. Lucid I believe you have to be stopped before changing gears.

Dual maps - I mean technically you have the pilot panel in the S that shows you the close up and then the big screen for whatever you want. I get lucid technically has 3 but I’d argue most people don’t like that about the car. Plus the navigation experience is much better with Tesla. Google maps backing alone is a huge advantage.

Horn - yeah that’s bad on teslas end.

Someone else mentioned blind spot monitoring. Yes it’s better on the lucid but you also have to realize they do everything identical to lucid other than the built in mirror blind spot light. They show the left or right repeater on the front pilot panel just like lucid does and tbh it’s quicker and displaying in better quality. But still give the win here to lucid.

Regardless, I get that a lot of people don’t mind the lucid software however, they definitely have a lot to work on and I don’t think they are really ahead of the game like others here believe.

 

[hydbob]

The problem with these discussions is that everyone is comparing Lucid to Tesla, understandably, but if you want Tesla's software stack, go buy a Tesla. Lucid is doing things their way, for whatever reason, and that's fine by me. I do not want Tesla software, if I did, I would have just bought another Tesla. STOP trying to turn Lucid UX into Tesla UX.

 

[hydbob]

To be fair a lot of these are hand picked and slightly inaccurate.



Turn signals suck on the Tesla. However the gear selector is bittersweet. Its automatic accuracy is about 90% accurate tbh. But the corner case is making a 3 way turn. It’s awful for that. However cars with stalks allow you to switch gears while going under 5mph allowing 3 way turns to be really good in Teslas that don’t relay on the screen. Lucid I believe you have to be stopped before changing gears.

You can change gears without being stopped