Warning: Eye strain, Split vision, and headache for tall drivers

[windscar911]

I just picked up my car a few hours ago https://lucidowners.com/threads/grand-touring-delivery-tracker.493/post-67548

On my drive back, I experienced something I have not seen mentioned anywhere. It's something I would have never caught on a test drive.

I'm 6'4" and with the seat all the way down, my eyes line up nearly exactly with the bottom "fade in" area of the tint on the front windshield. As it started to get dark on my drive back from the delivery center, I made a comment to my wife about something possibly wrong with the windshield and that "all point lights are doubled". This was highly unpleasant and I will be reaching out to support about this. I don't know what they can do but people need to know this is a massive problem for tall people.

If I slouch as much as possible in the seat, I can bring my sight line about an inch or so lower and then the view out the front is clear and sharp.
Mid windshield is fine, looking through the tint itself is fine, but anywhere near the upper part before the tint starts is blurry.

It's basically exactly this issue that the Tesla Model X had https://www.wired.com/2016/04/tesla-windshield-ghosting-double-vision/

Here's a video of it. Watch the oncoming traffic, ignore the floating lights on the right side of the screen, those are just iPhone 12 lens flares. The camera moves up into the tint after a few seconds and there you can see the blur is gone when looking through the tint directly.

https://imgur.com/mibfmtM

 

[borski]

Fascinating! I’m 5’9” so have had no issues but *please* reach out to service for this. They may be able to tint it or something for you to avoid this.

Keep us updated!

 

[windscar911]

Fascinating! I’m 5’9” so have had no issues but *please* reach out to service for this. They may be able to tint it or something for you to avoid this.

Keep us updated!

Next time you're driving at night, try lifting yourself up higher just below the tint. My Wife's 5'7" and was able to see it for herself (to prove I was not losing my mind )

 

[borski]

Next time you're driving at night, try lifting yourself up higher just below the tint. My Wife's 5'7" and was able to see it for herself (to prove I was not losing my mind )

Will try it! And to be clear, I totally believed you.

 

[windscar911]

Haha I didn't doubt that. I'm curious if this is a widespread issue. The Costa Mesa service tech is going to call me to set something up.

Hopefully it's just a flaw in my windshield

 

[zkhan2]

Haha I didn't doubt that. I'm curious if this is a widespread issue. The Costa Mesa service tech is going to call me to set something up.

Hopefully it's just a flaw in my windshield

Hopefully so. I had a similar issue with my Lexus after the windshield was replaced (not OEM), very blurry around every curve. Got it changed out to the OEM.

 

[digiboxer]

I just picked up my car a few hours ago https://lucidowners.com/threads/grand-touring-delivery-tracker.493/post-67548

On my drive back, I experienced something I have not seen mentioned anywhere. It's something I would have never caught on a test drive.

I'm 6'4" and with the seat all the way down, my eyes line up nearly exactly with the bottom "fade in" area of the tint on the front windshield. As it started to get dark on my drive back from the delivery center, I made a comment to my wife about something possibly wrong with the windshield and that "all point lights are doubled". This was highly unpleasant and I will be reaching out to support about this. I don't know what they can do but people need to know this is a massive problem for tall people.

If I slouch as much as possible in the seat, I can bring my sight line about an inch or so lower and then the view out the front is clear and sharp.
Mid windshield is fine, looking through the tint itself is fine, but anywhere near the upper part before the tint starts is blurry.

It's basically exactly this issue that the Tesla Model X had https://www.wired.com/2016/04/tesla-windshield-ghosting-double-vision/

Here's a video of it. Watch the oncoming traffic, ignore the floating lights on the right side of the screen, those are just iPhone 12 lens flares. The camera moves up into the tint after a few seconds and there you can see the blur is gone when looking through the tint directly.

https://imgur.com/mibfmtM

I wonder if it's a non-issue with metal roofs....?

 

[joec]

Haha I didn't doubt that. I'm curious if this is a widespread issue. The Costa Mesa service tech is going to call me to set something up.

Hopefully it's just a flaw in my windshield

It’s entirely possible something went wrong in the tinting process that is causing that blur for you. I sincerely hope that is the case.

I’m 6'2". I’ve only test driven during the day, but my sight line was just below the tint line. So I think I’ll be fine.

Lucid has a few execs who are over 6'4". I can’t imagine if this is a problem for all Airs that none of them noticed this before.

 

[windscar911]

I’m 6'2". I’ve only test driven during the day, but my sight line was just below the tint line. So I think I’ll be fine.

I've got long legs and a short torso, so yeah I'd be surprised if I was the only one to have ever experienced this if it was widespread.

 

[digiboxer]

How is getting in and out at 6’4”?

 

[windscar911]

How is getting in and out at 6’4”?

It's been completely fine so far. I also own a 911 so I think I just naturally duck more than most.

My wife at 5'7" has bumped her head getting in once but she was distracted(during delivery).

 

[LuciPearl]

At 6'4" (with seat at lowest level and all the way back) my sight line is below the tint line.

Getting in an out for me is a major issue. Backside goes in first, slides across the seat, head ducks to the left toward the B Pillar and goes into the car, then legs/feet come in. Once in the car it is great. While I have no problem with that technique, at about 2 weeks of ownership I found that my constant but mild lower back pain was starting to intensify. With my history of lower back pain I decided to get on the Gravity waitlist. My heart says keep the Air until I get the Gravity because otherwise it is a great vehicle, my brain (and wife) says sell......so I am selling it. It would be dumb to take a chance on these repetitive minor stresses creating a more severe long term lower back problem.

So my advice to those of you who are tall, the most important part of a test drive for you might be climbing in and out of the car a dozen or more times. And now with windscar911's experience check that line of sight often on the drive.

 

[Thinjake]

I'm 6'4" as well. I have not had this vision issue. At least not that I noticed. The next time I drive at night, I'll double- and triple-check it.

 

[windscar911]

At 6'4" (with seat at lowest level and all the way back) my sight line is below the tint line.

So to be clear, my sight line is indeed below the tint line. But as you approach the tint line(but still below it), these multiple internal reflections happen in the glass causing major ghosting.

I spoke to support. Have someone coming on Tuesday to take a look. I can reproduce the issue in the dark in my garage.

 

[LuciPearl]

Ah, thanks for clarifying as I did misunderstand. Now that I reread your post and look closely at the video I see what you mean. Not an issue here and as you have noted likely a windshield flaw. Good luck!

 

[bobofat]

Hopefully it's just a flaw in your particular windshield and that they can fix it. But it's not uncommon given the size and shape of the windshield. It's based on the curve of the glass and the fact that windshields are laminated. I believe model x owners have had similar issues.

 

[Burydav]

I’m 6’4” as well, and have my seat in a similar position to that which windscar911 describes, and have noticed the same effect with point lights (especially the headlights of oncoming cars) being doubled. For my brief evening commute, this is just a minor inconvenience. I haven’t had an opportunity yet to do a lengthy night drive, but I think this effect could get pretty annoying and even headache-inducing after awhile. The effect seems to go away if I put on polarized sunglasses, although this isn’t much of a solution at night. I’m considering getting a pair of glasses with clear polarized lenses for night driving.

I also notice some mild optical distortion when looking through the bottom 20% of the front windshield. Not a big problem and not distracting during driving, but it is noticeable.

More interesting is the optical distortion I see when looking through the rear window via the rear view mirror. This distortion slightly compresses objects in the vertical so that they look a little flatter than in reality. I don’t mind this because it actually gives me more visibility of following cars than would otherwise be the case through a rear window that would otherwise have a somewhat more restricted field of view in the vertical aspect than I’m used to. Anybody else notice this, or is it peculiar to my GT?

BTW, I have the same issues that other taller bloggers have described with the sun visor interfering with my upper field of view looking forward. The solution that others have proposed about positioning the sun visor edge-on so that the blockage is minimized works perfectly for me.

 

[digiboxer]

At 6'4" (with seat at lowest level and all the way back) my sight line is below the tint line.

Getting in an out for me is a major issue. Backside goes in first, slides across the seat, head ducks to the left toward the B Pillar and goes into the car, then legs/feet come in. Once in the car it is great. While I have no problem with that technique, at about 2 weeks of ownership I found that my constant but mild lower back pain was starting to intensify. With my history of lower back pain I decided to get on the Gravity waitlist. My heart says keep the Air until I get the Gravity because otherwise it is a great vehicle, my brain (and wife) says sell......so I am selling it. It would be dumb to take a chance on these repetitive minor stresses creating a more severe long term lower back problem.

So my advice to those of you who are tall, the most important part of a test drive for you might be climbing in and out of the car a dozen or more times. And now with windscar911's experience check that line of sight often on the drive.

Thanks for this...6'3" and over 60, with Monday test drive. My last low-slung car (Jag XJL) was low (seat-to-ground) but easy to enter viz. headroom. I like your idea of gettin in/out multiple times

 

[JonS]

This is the exact reason that I cancelled my GT-P preorder here in Canada. I narrowed it down to the steering column not coming out far enough to allow tall drivers to lower the back of the seat. I’m 6’4” and it wasn’t until a test vehicle was available in my area that I noticed the problem. It’s a real shame and an odd oversight IMHO.

 

[borski]

At 6'4" (with seat at lowest level and all the way back) my sight line is below the tint line.

Getting in an out for me is a major issue. Backside goes in first, slides across the seat, head ducks to the left toward the B Pillar and goes into the car, then legs/feet come in. Once in the car it is great. While I have no problem with that technique, at about 2 weeks of ownership I found that my constant but mild lower back pain was starting to intensify. With my history of lower back pain I decided to get on the Gravity waitlist. My heart says keep the Air until I get the Gravity because otherwise it is a great vehicle, my brain (and wife) says sell......so I am selling it. It would be dumb to take a chance on these repetitive minor stresses creating a more severe long term lower back problem.

So my advice to those of you who are tall, the most important part of a test drive for you might be climbing in and out of the car a dozen or more times. And now with windscar911's experience check that line of sight often on the drive.

I’m sure you’ve tried this, but does the lumbar support help? It can move in and out, as well as up and down.