The instrument layout was done by Nvidia’s UI team. They also have the control panel installed in an Audi TTS. They are showing off the functionality of the graphics board, including an interesting application of exterior cameras to generate a 360° view of the vehicle from above - much more accurate and useful than current backup cameras and parking assurance. Style wise, yes, the display is kind of tacky and unimaginative. In theory the driver could apply different skins and configurations but they are not demonstrating that.
Did they run out of money before they could complete the back of the car?
Exactly; the P85D claims around 700hp - and it looks a whole lot better, too.
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Because this has been such a huge problem with the Model S?
The “shifter” is more decorative than anything, given that there is exactly one forward gear.
According to some Tesla owners: yes.
http://www.teslamotors.com/sv_SE/forum/forums/touch-screen-distraction-while-driving
As even the supporters of the Tesla design point out, having controls on the steering wheel simplifies common tasks. Also, while Tesla goes much farther at making the controls easily associated with their tasks graphically, Renovo just has some Borg-like cluster of circles.
And hopefully pulling your hand away from the screen and accidentally tapping the shifter won’t knock you out of that one forward gear. This isn’t unthinkable since some Prius II drivers would sometimes bump their shifter into neutral.
The answer is to buy a Triumph GT6. Looks like a sportscar, but anyone who entertains the notion that it’s a penis-car, you can say, ‘Maybe if it was a huge, throbbing Corvette, but this is tiny and hilariously unreliable. QED’ 
People have been making roadworthy electric cars since at least the 1970s, long before Tesla Motors. Of course, Gerry Anderson aside, what constitutes a “supercar” is quite subjective.
Car user interfaces suck. I don’t understand why the designers insist on not getting inspiration from fighter and bomber/cargo aircraft cockpits. Especially the fighter ones. Okay, this one car is a step towards the “glass cockpit”, but the amount of residual suckage is still overwhelming.
A highly useful concept is HOTAS, Hands On Throttle And Stick.
As car enthusiasts and watchers of The Knick well know, some of the first popular cars were electric.
But the user interface must rely heavily on the feet doing a lot of the work. That, along with a knee for steering leaves both hands free for texting.
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One button on the steering wheel would do the job, using Morse code.
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But, but I need those fingers for telling other drivers what I think of them.
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