Follow us today…
There was a time, not all that long ago, when the act of driving required nothing more than a set of keys, a functioning right foot, and the common sense not to run into a telephone pole. The 2005 Honda Civic, for instance, was the perfect embodiment of this era, affordable, analog, and unkillable. You didn’t need a tech support hotline to change the radio station or defrost the rear glass. But here we are in 2025, and even that once-humble Civic has morphed into a rolling software suite with tires. A touchscreen here, a sensor array there, and more drive modes than a Le Mans prototype. What used to be instinctive now requires digital literacy and a healthy dose of patience.
How Innovation Is Leaving Drivers Behind
But let’s be fair, innovation in the automotive world isn’t inherently bad. In fact, we asked for it. Safer, smarter, more efficient cars. Lane centering. Collision avoidance. Wireless this and over-the-air that. But while engineers have delivered features in spades, they’ve simultaneously abandoned a core tenet of good design, accessibility. The assumption now is that you, dear driver, will just figure it out. The problem is, most people won’t. Not when basic tasks like adjusting the climate control or disengaging a driver assist system require spelunking through touchscreen submenus that change with every over-the-air update.
Essential Factors to Know Before Renting a Tesla: Technology, Costs, and Support Programs
- Tesla rentals provide an opportunity to experience electric driving, featuring advanced technology and access to Tesla’s Supercharger network. However, first-time EV renters may encounter a learning curve, particularly with charging logistics and vehicle controls. Hertz has implemented educational programs, including digital content and “EV ambassadors,” to assist customers, though the effectiveness of these initiatives has received mixed feedback.
- Hertz’s substantial investment in Teslas faced hurdles due to higher-than-expected repair costs and lower consumer demand. The company reported that EVs, especially those used by rideshare drivers, required more frequent repairs, leading to increased maintenance expenses. Consequently, Hertz decided to reduce its EV fleet by selling a significant number of Teslas.
- In an effort to manage its EV inventory, Hertz has offered renters the option to purchase the Tesla they’ve rented at discounted prices. Some customers received offers to buy their rental vehicles for as low as $17,913, providing an affordable entry point into Tesla ownership.
Which brings us to Tesla, they’ve created the most streamlined and graphically elegant user interface on the road today. But the keyword there is user. If you’re not one already, if you haven’t spent hours watching tutorial videos or lurking in the forums, then that minimalism might as well be hieroglyphics. Case in point, a revealing Reddit post by u/brunofone, a Model Y owner no less, who rented a Model 3 for a quick business trip in Albuquerque. What should’ve been familiar territory quickly devolved into a UX disaster.
“After getting in the car, ALL the settings were jacked up. Screen on Light rather than auto, headlights on rather than auto, climate manual not auto… I had to fix almost every setting…
The ONLY reason I was able to navigate all this is because I own a Tesla and I know all this stuff. I cannot imagine any non-Tesla-owner being able to figure all this out and being happy with the experience.”
This wasn’t some disgruntled boomer shouting at a cloud. This was a devoted Tesla owner left wrangling with features and menus just to make the car drivable. The rental had no app access (thanks, Budget), the cabin overheat protection drained 10% of the battery while parked, and the vehicle itself felt worn and noisy despite having only 21,000 miles. But the real kicker? If a loyalist can barely operate the thing, what hope does a casual renter have?
Tesla UI Deep Dive: Design vs. Functional Usability
- Tesla’s UI is characterized by a sleek, minimalist design that eliminates most physical buttons, consolidating controls into a central touchscreen. This approach allows for over-the-air updates and a clean aesthetic. However, it can require drivers to navigate through multiple menus for basic functions, potentially increasing distraction.
- The high-resolution touchscreen is responsive and intuitive, with well-organized menus that make it easy to locate functions. Nevertheless, some controls are positioned far from the driver’s natural hand position, which may lead to longer interaction times and reduced peripheral awareness while driving.
- Tesla’s UI design reflects a vision geared toward autonomous driving, emphasizing a software-centric approach that can adapt over time. While this forward-thinking design offers flexibility and innovation, it may not align with traditional driver expectations, potentially impacting immediate usability for some users.
Reddit users responded with the kind of collective facepalm you’d expect. User u/engwish suggested the bleedingly obvious:
“This seems like something Tesla could address, no? For example, have a demo/rental mode for fleet operators to control settings like a policy or reset between rentals.”
And they’re right. A single over-the-air update, something Tesla already excels at, could deploy a
“Rental Mode”
That simplifies the UI, defaults the settings, and turns the Model 3 into something resembling a normal car. Instead, the burden is left on the driver to figure out why the AC is still blasting after they’ve exited the vehicle.
It’s not just a Reddit gripe session. The lack of approachability is damaging Tesla’s reputation in ways that data analysts won’t catch. Hertz, famously, began offloading part of its 100,000-unit Tesla fleet after consumer confusion and maintenance costs piled up. As u/OCR10 put it:
“There is a learning curve with Teslas since there are almost no physical buttons. So I understand why it’s not a logical choice for a rental car. Too bad they had to lose millions of dollars figuring this out.”
Ouch. That’s the sound of usability issues hitting the balance sheet.
Why Digital‑First Car Interfaces Are Alienating the Average Driver
And it’s not unique to Tesla. Jumping from a 2005 Civic to its 2025 counterpart can leave even seasoned drivers fumbling with haptic sliders and digital clusters. The climate controls are no longer tactile. The shift lever is gone. Start-stop systems and regen braking add new behaviors. You’re not just driving anymore, you’re interpreting the interface. Multiply that across every automaker chasing Tesla’s UI magic, and we’ve created a world where driving is less about motion and more about menu navigation.
We’ve entered an age where the casual driver, the Costco commuter, the airport rental customer, the curious first-timer are forgotten in the pursuit of design purity and tech-first branding. Tesla could solve much of this overnight. A simplified mode. A guided setup. A virtual assistant. Anything that bridges the gap between
“I own a Tesla.”
And
“I’m renting one for the weekend.”
But until they do, we’re left with the ironic truth of modern mobility: the cars are smarter, the software is better, and somehow, driving them has never been more confusing.
Image Sources: Tesla Media Center & r/TeslaLounge Subreddit
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
Follow us today…
Source: torquenews.com
