# Steps required to make phone call



## Tesla Newbie (Aug 2, 2017)

First, apologies because someone raised this some time ago so it’s potentially been discussed and answered, but I can’t find the thread. It was probably buried in some other conversation.

I’m finding it cumbersome to do something as basic as making a phone call. I use voice command to “Call Joe Somebody on cell phone” and I’m impressed that the voice recognition software usually recognizes the contact on the first try. However, the “on cell phone” doesn’t appear to be supported because I’m shown all of Joe’s phone numbers. Typically the one I want is below those appearing on the screen so I need to scroll. That doesn’t go very well. There’s no obvious place to position your finger to scroll and the UI either ignores my swipes or calls one of the numbers at the top of the list.

Of course I use the “Recents” list to call the numbers I use most often, so this is only an issue for people I haven’t called in awhile, but I need to do that a lot. 

What am I missing? What is an easier / more effective way to do this? A related question is that our BMW has a lousy way of handling this natively, but it allows for a long-press pass-through to Siri who is expert on this type of thing. Does the Tesla UI enable that in any way?

Thanks for your help.


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## mishakim (Sep 13, 2017)

I've always used "mobile" to tell VUI systems that I want the cell phone number, but I haven't tried it on the Tesla. I generally have at most two numbers for anyone I'd want to call from the car so it's not an issue


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## jsmay311 (Oct 2, 2017)

mishakim said:


> I've always used "mobile" to tell VUI systems that I want the cell phone number, but I haven't tried it on the Tesla.


In my experience, the Tesla voice commands are currently incapable of automatically selecting between multiple numbers. It's pathetic.

Then add in the fact that it doesn't verbally prompt you to select one of the numbers from the screen. Instead you have to know to take your eyes off the road and look down at the screen and select one with your finger.

And even then the little pop-up window only stays up for a few seconds before it disappears, so if you don't look down and select one of the numbers quickly, you have to start over.

And on top of all that, if you have the climate controls up, you won't see anything, because the intolerably s***ty UI of the climate controls blocks everything on the bottom of the screen.

It's so so bad. I'd be so embarrassed if I worked on this UI stuff at Tesla.



Tesla Newbie said:


> What is an easier / more effective way to do this? A related question is that our BMW has a lousy way of handling this natively, but it allows for a long-press pass-through to Siri who is expert on this type of thing. Does the Tesla UI enable that in any way?.


No. But you can resort to pressing the button on your phone to talk directly to it, or say "Hey Siri" if you've got that enabled on your iPhone.


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## babula (Aug 26, 2018)

Has anyone tried using an app like Android Auto (for example) to fill these sort of gaps?


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## Golden Gate (May 8, 2018)

This is a great thread and I'm amazed it hasn't gotten more traction. I love my model 3, but every time I drive it I am frustrated at how absolutely terrible the phone interface is both voice controlled and screen controlled. I have literally never seen such a bad interface, and I rent a lot of crappy cars from Hertz. "Call John Doe mobile" vs "Call John Doe office" should work, and yes the interface has now gotten worse.. many clicks to make a call, while I'm trying to keep eyes on the road. Less Atari games, more focus on some of the basics.


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## Ed Post (Sep 18, 2018)

I SOOOOO want Tesla to add this one simple voice command: "Contact <name>", which would search for that name in your contact list and pop it up, just as if you had brought up the phone app, selected "contacts", tried several times to hit the right letter in the list, then scrolling through dozens of contacts for that letter, remembering not to press too long while scrolling, finally finding the contact you wanted (all this time somehow keeping an eye on the road).

After achieving all that (assuming you're still on the road), you can select a phone number at leisure, or select the address to navigate to, from a large, non-transient, well organized window.


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## SoCalWine (Oct 1, 2018)

Golden Gate said:


> This is a great thread and I'm amazed it hasn't gotten more traction. I love my model 3, but every time I drive it I am frustrated at how absolutely terrible the phone interface is both voice controlled and screen controlled. I have literally never seen such a bad interface, and I rent a lot of crappy cars from Hertz. "Call John Doe mobile" vs "Call John Doe office" should work, and yes the interface has now gotten worse.. many clicks to make a call, while I'm trying to keep eyes on the road. Less Atari games, more focus on some of the basics.


This is my #1 complaint about the car. #2 would be lack of ability to text notification and read texted aloud


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## @gravityrydr (Apr 12, 2016)

SoCalWine said:


> This is my #1 complaint about the car. #2 would be lack of ability to text notification and read texted aloud


I just say hey Google call "X" or send text to "X" . That said I am hoping the voice control gets sorted out soon. Motorola Assist used to work very well until Lenovo bought Motorola.


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## NR4P (Jul 14, 2018)

Have to agree on the phone interface.
Found another one the other day.
In Florida we have *fhp to connect the highway patrol for things not emergency. Like some stranded motorist you just drove by.

I tried "call star 347" doesn't work. Doesn't recognize star.
I didn't even try F H P.


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