Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Model S at CES 2011 - NVidia Tegra

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
For CES 2011
Tesla Motors' Model S to Feature NVIDIA Tegra Processors

Power-Stingy Tegra to Run All-Electric Sedan's Infotainment, Navigation, Instrument-Cluster Systems



LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire - January 4, 2011) - CES 2011 *-- NVIDIA announced today that NVIDIA® Tegra™ processors will power the infotainment, navigation and instrument-cluster systems in the Tesla Model S, the first sedan built from the ground up as an electric vehicle. Built around the driver, the Model S is the premium sedan, evolved. Its infotainment system features a 17-inch touch-screen center console -- the largest display ever in a car -- providing vivid 3D graphics.
In addition to its unrivaled graphics capability, the Tegra processor provides exceptional energy efficiency, a critically important feature for electric cars. One processor will be used to power the infotainment and navigation systems, and another for the instrument cluster.
The infotainment and navigation systems feature:

  • 17-inch high resolution display, the largest display ever in a car
  • Responsive touchscreen with a fully intuitive user interface
  • Connected navigation with live traffic, points of interest and weather
  • Touchscreen-based climate-control system
The all-digital instrument cluster features:

  • Ultra high-resolution, driver-friendly 12.3" LCD display
  • Advanced 3D graphics providing data about the vehicle
CES 2011 attendees will be able to view the Model S outside the Las Vegas Convention Center in the Central Plaza, booth # CP7.
Visit NVIDIA's booth in South Hall 3, booth # 31431 to learn about how NVIDIA is working with Tesla Motors to bring visual computing to tomorrow's cars.
An Nvidia connection is kinda funny since they already have a General Purpose GPU called Tesla.
 
Last edited:
NVidia TEGra

http://ces.cnet.com/8301-32254_1-20027043-283.html
...
Nvidia invades the electric car
Nvidia also announced a partnership with Tesla Motors in which it will provide its Tegra processor for the Tesla Model S. These processors will power the car's 17-inch infotainment display and its video-based instrument cluster.
The Model S, a sedan, is Tesla's next all-electric car, and will succeed the Roadster. Tesla plans to start producing the Model S in 2012.
Nvidia touts the Tegra processor's low energy requirements as a boon to electric cars. In the Model S, it will show 3D maps and detailed graphical information about the car's energy usage and range. At 17 inches, the central LCD will be the largest in use for an automotive infotainment system. The instrument cluster will be a 12.3-inch display...
Tesla_Car_Tegra_Display-0084-Edit.jpg

(Image Credit: Nvidia)
 
I went to CES last year and about 7 years ago. It really wasn't that interesting last year compared to my first visit. Wish I was going this year. Have had a deposit down for 19 months and still haven't seen the Model S in person yet. The Roadster is making the wait a little easier though=) I'm really excited about the Model S too and can't wait to get one.

I've never really liked how the bezel of the screen seems to cut the left lower corner of the screen off (I'm sure it doesn't but seems that way in the pictures) but love the look overall.
 
I sat in the Model S prototype about a month ago. I was warned that many things will be different, but that I could get an idea of the screen usability. I noted that the prototype screeen was quite accessable but it was strange to be cut off in the lower left as you say. The look was pretty nice. It somehow didn't feel as roomy as say a big BMW, but who really knows what the final will be like. But clearly, the emerging generation of electric cars are going to have top of the line electronics.
 
Am I the only one who got a kick out of the "EXIT" sign on a roof-only outdoor tent? :redface:

I wonder how much power that display will use. I know it's probably not much compared to what's needed to move the car but I am still curious as back lighting a display uses a decent amount of power.
 
I wonder how much power that display will use. I know it's probably not much compared to what's needed to move the car but I am still curious as back lighting a display uses a decent amount of power.

You'll never notice it. I did a quick web search and found a page that shows a Mac using 6.5W for the backlight. While that's a lot for a (tiny) laptop battery, it's noise for a car. I don't know how big the S battery will be, but the Roadster is north of 50 kWh. So, to drain the battery completely you'd need over 320 days at 6.5W. To consume a mile's range (~250Wh) would take more than a day and a half.

The only accessories on the Roadster that draw enough power to matter are the AC and (especially) the heat. Unless they hide a rack-mount server with a big disk array or a small aluminum smelter in there somewhere, this will likely also be true on the S.