[rcooled]

My hat's off to Tesla. As you might expect, I see plenty of them running around here in Silicon Valley every day. I think it's pretty amazing that a guy like Elon Musk can basically walk in off the street and start building cars that compete with some of the world's most desirable high-end sport sedans. No need to remind me about the tax advantages that Tesla enjoys...I know that plays a big part in their business model.
If I were the 'Big Three', I think that I'd be getting a bit nervous since I believe that Tesla is now in development with a lower-priced all-electric vehicle that’ll appeal to a broader market. Thank goodness for GM, Ford & Chrysler that so many people still need/want to drive around in pickup trucks.

One thing that I don't care for in the Tesla is that HUGE touch-screen display that controls just about everything. Touch-screens are cool and all that, but I prefer manual knobs and switches in a car. With a touch-screen, you need to take your eyes off the road to touch the right spot and there’s no tactile feel to give feedback. With a smartly-designed manual switch, you can locate and use it while keeping your eyes on the road. I think that the screens are unnecessarily distracting too. It's a minor gripe, and I realize that touch-screens will eventually replace manual switches in most cars before too long anyway. I guess I'll eventually have to get used to them...