Taycan PCM is an embarrassment

[evanevery]

Still, my reply was more constructive than yours.
Now your are heading into a direction I don't want to go in, I'm sorry.
I consider my points being explained.
It's up to you what you are going to do with it.
Nothing, apparently.
That's ok too.
I just hope I made myself clear in my points, that's all.

Thanks, but nothing you have said solves the issues I have described... How can I be "constructive" in solving the very problems I have identified? On the other hand, I have provided TWO suggestions in how Porsche could have kept the clean design and still provided us a better way to scroll through the menus. Is that not constructive?

This isn't something to be argued about. There is no CORRECT or INCORRECT answer to be found. YOU don't get to decide if this is a good interface. I don't get to decide either. No single individual gets to make that call.

However, MANY people are complaining about this implementation. Its in the car reviews and even here on this forum. This thread exists for that very reason...

This is a USER Interface thing and many USERS are pointing out some very real design shortcomings. Its NOT a SUBJECTIVE fact like a 0-60 time which can be argued. Its a very OBJECTIVE thing. ...and many people here (and elswhere) are saying the same thing.

You don't see a thread bitching about the comfort of the seats (which would also be an OBJECTIVE consideration) because its NOT an issue. Folks are generally happy about them. But this is different...

This thread exists, and continues, cause many USERS are not happy with the USER interface. USERS get to decide about the quality of the USER Interface.

Glad you like it though!

Sponsored

 

[PanameraFrank]

I think the point is that there are certain parts of the conversation that aren't constructive.

The layout/format of the infotainment is almost certainly not going to change until a model refresh in 2 to 4 years. Even then it might not. If you bought the car and don't like the basic layout, you don't like the lack of certain buttons or you don't like the touchpad, that's on you.

Now the things that can be improved within the system they chose, or bugs that are present, that's a great conversation to have. But they're not going to add buttons. They're not going to add a scroll wheel. They're not going to start over.

 

[evanevery]

I think the point is that there are certain parts of the conversation that aren't constructive.

The layout/format of the infotainment is almost certainly not going to change until a model refresh in 2 to 4 years. Even then it might not. If you bought the car and don't like the basic layout, you don't like the lack of certain buttons or you don't like the touchpad, that's on you.

Now the things that can be improved within the system they chose, or bugs that are present, that's a great conversation to have. But they're not going to add buttons. They're not going to add a scroll wheel. They're not going to start over.

Its "on me"? Since when do I have to like everything about something I've purchased. I'm not sure that has every happened. So if some Taycan owners don't like something about the vehicle, thats "on them"? Really? Do you like EVERYTHING about your car? (Congratulations if you do!)

They COULD actually add a vertical scroll control on the touchpad with a software update. The question would be how they "printed" that control on the surface after the fact (like the back button is printed).

They COULD also add "inertia" to the swiping action.

...and although the swiping thing is what bothers ME most, there are other things as well (which have also been mentioned in this thread), and many of those could potentially be resolved with a software update.

The very things we document here may contribute to the updates that are performed in 2 to 4 years.

...and, since when, are we unable to complain about a design shortcoming just because it can't be fixed? (Even if that was the case). You should see the threads on the BMW Forums about the horrible grill design on the new i4...

 

[punkdad2020]

My Taycan is in for the software update campaign and some other recalls.

Porsche gave me a 2020 Macan to drive. The PCM in the Macan felt like a HUGE upgrade over the Taycan. Its smooth, fast, has proximity sensors for your hand AND wireless carplay.

Wireless carplay was super smooth and just worked. And very convenient. Why is this in a 2020 entry level Macan and not in the car "voted best by scientists?"

I am very frustrated with the PCM in the Taycan. It's suppose to be technically advanced, yet the user experience truly sucks. There are $30 000 cars out there with a better user experience.

It pretty pathetic that a $170 000 car has such a half baked software system.

Anyway, this has been said by others but I am surprised the reviews/car blogs don't highlight this.

I have to agree with many of the posts. Though there will always be apologists and fanboys who will defer to the standard “Porsche is about the drive, not the tech...” The simple fact remains, the PCM system is an embarrassment to the brand. My PCM system goes into the dealer today...Apple Music DEAD, CarPlay DEAD, Homelink DEAD, menus insufferable...These are incredible sports cars, but are marketed as luxury cars as well...these known tech issues must be addressed.

 

[evanevery]

I have to agree with many of the posts. Though there will always be apologists and fanboys who will defer to the standard “Porsche is about the drive, not the tech...” The simple fact remains, the PCM system is an embarrassment to the brand. My PCM system goes into the dealer today...Apple Music DEAD, CarPlay DEAD, Homelink DEAD, menus insufferable...These are incredible sports cars, but are marketed as luxury cars as well...these known tech issues must be addressed.

I'm really getting disillusioned with the Porsche Forums. You can't say anything critical about a Porsche vehicle without getting attacked (for lack of loyalty I guess). ...or you're just being unreasonable (and "wrong"). I thought it was pretty bad in the BMW and Tesla forums, but this is different.

Often you get constructive and helpful feedback, but also very often folks just seem to think you are unreasonable because you point out unfavorable, yet legitimate, observations.

If all I wanted was something that "drove like a Porsche", I could have paid far less for a nice go-kart.

 

[Dee]

I'm really getting disillusioned with the Porsche Forums. You can't say anything critical about a Porsche vehicle without getting attacked (for lack of loyalty I guess). ...or you're just being unreasonable (and "wrong"). I thought it was pretty bad in the BMW and Tesla forums, but this is different.

Often you get constructive and helpful feedback, but also very often folks just seem to think you are unreasonable because you point out unfavorable, yet legitimate, observations.

If all I wanted was something that "drove like a Porsche", I could have paid far less for a nice go-kart.

Maybe you should drive more instead of hanging on forums desperately making your points.
Seeing your replies, it's obvious the "problems" are not the problem but the way you handle them.
You are free to leave if you don't like the replies but maybe it's you.
Like I said before, your replies are a bit aggressive.
I don't like that.

 

[evanevery]

Maybe you should drive more instead of hanging on forums desperately making your points.
Seeing your replies, it's obvious the "problems" are not the problem but the way you handle them.
You are free to leave if you don't like the replies but maybe it's you.
Like I said before, your replies are a bit aggressive.
I don't like that.

I'm only "desperately" making my points because you are "desperately" trying to de-legitimize them. It takes TWO of us to do this dance...

Just because I (or you) can't solve a problem...doesn't make it any less of a problem.

...aren't you also spending a lot of time on this forum trying to de-legitimize my postings? How much driving are YOU doing?

Yeah, but like I said, its all "on me"!

 

[dryii]

Agreed, the entertainment display is lackluster. I find the interface a bit sluggish. It's not as polished as I would have hoped, even for a v1.0. My one hope is Porsche will keep updating and not leave it behind while working on the next model year. This would make me very disappointed.

 

[Lfcdan]

Sure, you can SWIPE, swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe,... and HOPE you don't accidentally trigger a "select". But that's not the most efficient way to do it. There is also no "inertia" in the swiping like you typically find in a tablet/phone interface.

I can also drive a nail with a pair of pliers. In fact, I can become an EXPERT at driving nails with a pair of pliers, but that doesn't make it a particularly good way to drive nails. A hammer would be a much better choice...

To be honest pal if I had a hammer the first thing I'd smash with it is the PCM

today I had a blank screen for most of my journey

 

[feye]

As an extra bonus, my passenger display is now showing real-time video jitter - all the vertical edges pixels are jittering..

Oh well, that is why I did not order the passenger display. I actually need the space to place my phone charger, holder for the navi...

The PCM is cute but a real work in progress! I just hope they keep on working on it and actually update it from time to time.

 

[feye]

I think the idrive left/right/up/down and then press is actually annoying so I guess it's just a personal thing.
With a touchpad it goes a lot smoother and quicker imho.

That is an interesting observation, because all the BMW's I have rented over the years had the latest iDrive and I just never got the hang of it, particularly the map zoom in/out. But it is much much more matured over the years and I have little hope, that Porsche will ever reach that level.

My point of view is: The PCM is new and buggy and I use my phone for most of it. The rest of the tech in the car is outstanding so far and I am super happy with it. I did my first "fast" DC charging joining in the crowd:

What really annoyed me, is that this big guy charged 50% faster than my baby!

Doesn't that beat the Walmart parking lot?

 

[feye]

...But they're not going to add buttons. They're not going to add a scroll wheel. They're not going to start over.

Why would they? The car drives fantastic, everything comes second!

 

[wmras]

not while driving!!!!

As an instrument flight instructor, one of the things you learn about controls is nothing beats a knob you turn, especially while flying in turbulence.

 

[Mwa3aan]

As an instrument flight instructor, one of the things you learn about controls is nothing beats a knob you turn, especially while flying in turbulence.

Completely off topic but I cannot agree more.

I own a Cirrus SR22T G6 with the G1000NXi (lots of knobs and no touch screens) and my second plane is a cubcrafters FX3 with G3X and GTN650 (98% touch screen). I added a Garmin GFC500 autopilot control unit in the cub just to have buttons in IFR conditions.

When you need to perform reliably, concentrate and depend on systems around you nothing beats buttons.

I love my Taycan but watching my wife go tap, tap, tap or slide, slide, slide to change the volume almost always ends in laughter. Tap tap tap, slide slide slide, song changes, tap, tap, tap, slide, slide, repeat

 

[Mwa3aan]

Why would they? The car drives fantastic, everything comes second!

You are correct. The car drives incredibly well.

I was is in bed when it struck me why the "drives great so nothing else matters" rang a bell. It's been scratching at the back of my head for a while and then it suddenly made sense. Nothing used to type as well as my Blackberry. I always thought nothing else matters. I guess in that example touch won over physical keyboards because it turned out how amazingly well my blackberry typed wasn't enough to beat the fact that my blackberry's software just didn't keep up and wasn't good enough.

Now, before I get flamed, I know porsche isn't blackberry, cars aren't phones and parallels like that never works out.

Stil it was interesting to think through the logic.

Sponsored