Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak has criticized Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, stating that the company is “the worst in the world” at improving technology for drivers. This comes after Wozniak’s previously favorable opinion of Tesla, having praised his Model S a decade ago.
Steve Wozniak calls Tesla the worst for driver technology
In an interview with CNBC, Wozniak expressed dissatisfaction over recent changes to Tesla’s interiors, claiming they have degraded the driving experience. “Coming from Apple, the user interface, the way you deal with technology, is the most important thing in the world to me,” he noted. “And Tesla is the worst in the world at that.”
Wozniak indicated that every modification made to Tesla vehicles has led to a worsening user experience. He mentioned issues with the interface, such as varying locations for the time display depending on the driving mode and buttons that do not function properly with satellite radio channels. Wozniak remarked, “It takes so many tries to hit one button in your jiggly car, and it just doesn’t work.”
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Tesla has been recognized as a pioneer in incorporating touchscreens in vehicles, replacing traditional knobs and switches with a streamlined digital interface. One driver highlighted that this design allows Tesla to update controls seamlessly with software changes. However, Wozniak criticized this reliance on software, describing it as leading to confusion about how to access certain features. “The modes hide things that aren’t there, and your finger knows how to get them,” he explained, adding that “nothing makes sense in that car, intuitively.”
Wozniak recounted an incident involving his wife, who was pulled over for failing to signal while driving a Tesla. The officer, unfamiliar with the “yoke steering wheel,” found it difficult to understand how to use the vehicle’s controls. Wozniak pointed out the complication that arose when the officer asked for the insurance information, which is typically kept in the glove compartment. He noted that in newer Teslas, there is no button for the glove box, requiring drivers to search through menus to locate it, calling the experience “horrible.”
Featured image credit: Bram Van Oost/Unsplash
