RE: Tesla announces P100D upgrades

[No 1]

SuperchargedVR6 said:

Not many can fold their arms and put their feet on the dash, completely relaxed. I reckon their anxiety levels must soar every time a corner approaches and their hands get even closer to the steering wheel. Way more stressful than driving it yourself!

This is part of the problem. The driver is not supposed to sit with his arms crossed yet people assume that's what happens. When I have Auto Pilot engaged, I generally have my hands resting on my thighs with my thumbs touching the wheel. As I observe the road ahead, if I see something ahead that might cause the car to 'panic', I move my hands back to the 10 to 2 position in case I need to retake control. That being said, on empty roads I'm slightly more relaxed about the car steering, and in stop start traffic, my arms are often folded. It might sound like it goes against everything you know about driving, but it really is more relaxing.

As I said in my original post, it should be considered as a Co Pilot rather than an Auto Pilot; it's like having someone there to help you drive and therefore to share the effort. On short journeys, it could be argued that it's not required, but on long journeys or in traffic, there is no question that it makes driving more relaxing, based on my experience.

[crofty1984]

OwenK said:

405dogvan said:

Tesla is NOT a vanity project by any means at all

A loaded Model S is well over £100K and they can sell every one they make - an exec car which looks like a Mazda, costs over £100K and sells - erm - vanity project? NO

The silly doors on the X may have cost them a year+ of work but they sell the car to the sort of people who like that st in a sector which is used to spending silly money on pointless nonsense - vanity project? NO

They ANNOUNCE a 'regular car' (that is announce, not actually release) and they have queues of people handing over actual money YEARS ahead of any cars being available - vanity project? NO

Tesla has pushed the electric car market forward for sure but it's not some sort of charity drive - it's a solid business/brand in a world where brand/customers are almost more valuable than the product itself...

All of that is funding their expansion in 'more regular' cars and it's all feeding into their battery business

Whooahhhh, easy tiger! I love Tesla and what they're doing. I meant it in the sense that it's all happening because Musk wants it to, he stumps up cash whenever it needs it, he's playing the long game of trying to change the world because he wants to and he believes in it - which happens to involve selling loads of cars. He doesn't care if it makes a profit, or at least, certainly not to the same degree as say BMW's shareholders do.

Very well said.

[AdeTuono]

No 1 said:

As I said in my original post, it should be considered as a Co Pilot rather than an Auto Pilot; it's like having someone there to help you drive and therefore to share the effort. On short journeys, it could be argued that it's not required, but on long journeys or in traffic, there is no question that it makes driving more relaxing, based on my experience.

Given my propensity to fall asleep at the drop of a hat, I wonder what the implications are of being asleep at the wheel whilst making progress. Is it possible to arrive at your destination with no memory of the journey? (I will confess at this point that there have been many times I've negotiated the M25 with little or no memory of the road at all).