The Euro NCAP crash test scoring was just revised so that cars that don’t have manual controls for the most important functionality cannot get 5 star ratings anymore.
Electronic parking brakes take up less space in the cabin, clean up the center console, and can automatically deploy if the car starts rolling while unattended, or automatically release if the driver forgets to release the brake before driving.
I switched from a 6 speed manual to an electric car last year, and the lack of “physical indicators” of my car’s configuration bothers me, but I can see why it is prefered by 90% of car buyers.
It’s definitely something to consider. I was pointing out that electronic parking brakes have their own benefits, since the previous commented said they did not understand them
I’m one of these people. 99% of my driving is within a 30 mile radius, inside a city. And the ~2 interstate trips I make a year are just sitting on an interstate highway for 4 hours.
What about a manually release for witness of the crash?
The manually release won’t do you any good if you’re unconscious. A fire or even the cabin filling with a small amount of smoke and you’re dead by the time first responders can get to you.
It depends on the model. In the model S, it’s right on the door, super easy to use and actually more intuitive than the little no motion micro switch that you’re supposed to use. I have shit hand strength and I’ve pissed off model S owners by accidentally pulling it to open the door. It just needs an obvious marking. I’m astounded they don’t have that already, but it’s Tesla: Expect Less.
The back seat is super stupid. Who’s more likely to be in the back seat? Kids. What’s the release? You have to dig into the carpet below the rear cushions to find and pull a cable. It’s harder to actuate than the front doors. Big brain material there.
The stupidest of all? No manual release at all on the outside. First responders get to watch you cook while trying to bash the window in. This is day one shit, Tesla.
Up until about 15 years ago any person who knew how to drive any random car would have been able to operate about 99% of all cars in existence safely without ever looking at a fucking manual.
You shouldn’t have to read the manual to not fucking die in a car fire. This isn’t like some secret mode to let you change what noise the horn makes. This has literally killed people.
The rear doors in Teslas don’t have any lever to manually release the door. You actually have to take off a piece of trim or the side pocket liner to find a wireloop that you have to pull.
The rear passengers in the tesla are rarely the owner of the tesla, which means that they also likely doesn’t know how to access the manual release… Why this hasn’t caused a worldwide recall is a mystery to me.
Instructions: remove the speaker grille, locate and pull the mechanical release cable, and then manually push the (really fucking heavy) door open. Vertically.
Someone designed that, patted themselves on the back, and thought “that’ll work!” Then at least one other person reviewed that design and thought the same. Then multiple people worked on how to implement that design. Likely dozens of people rubber stamped this design. It hurts my brain.
In the event of a collision, the model X should just eject its rear doors.
One would think the crash tests would automatically produce results that would disqualify vehicles from a 5-star rating. Why would you need an amendment to the rules if crashes were disabling door locks and rendering doors inoperable? That seems like an automatic strike against safety.
Because the door handles are not always disabled in a crash. There’s technically a system in place to extend the handles if a crash is detected, which works the majority of the time. The issue is that, clearly, this system is not reliable enough (because, ya know, if the control system gets wrecked in a crash, it cant extend the handles). But my guess is that it still works enough in crash tests to not automatically disqualify it from 5-stars.
The Euro NCAP crash test scoring was just revised so that cars that don’t have manual controls for the most important functionality cannot get 5 star ratings anymore.
I don’t understand electronic parking brakes.
Having a big “Please Don’t Move Unless Released” lever is very important to me, and I mean this earnestly.
Electronic parking brakes take up less space in the cabin, clean up the center console, and can automatically deploy if the car starts rolling while unattended, or automatically release if the driver forgets to release the brake before driving.
I switched from a 6 speed manual to an electric car last year, and the lack of “physical indicators” of my car’s configuration bothers me, but I can see why it is prefered by 90% of car buyers.
Trouble is it is a failure point being powered (or unpowered) having a mechanical system makes sense
It’s definitely something to consider. I was pointing out that electronic parking brakes have their own benefits, since the previous commented said they did not understand them
I’m one of these people. 99% of my driving is within a 30 mile radius, inside a city. And the ~2 interstate trips I make a year are just sitting on an interstate highway for 4 hours.
There is a manual override in Teslas too. It’s just so well hidden that you’re not going to find in an emergency.
What about a manually release for witness of the crash?
The manually release won’t do you any good if you’re unconscious. A fire or even the cabin filling with a small amount of smoke and you’re dead by the time first responders can get to you.
It depends on the model. In the model S, it’s right on the door, super easy to use and actually more intuitive than the little no motion micro switch that you’re supposed to use. I have shit hand strength and I’ve pissed off model S owners by accidentally pulling it to open the door. It just needs an obvious marking. I’m astounded they don’t have that already, but it’s Tesla: Expect Less.
The back seat is super stupid. Who’s more likely to be in the back seat? Kids. What’s the release? You have to dig into the carpet below the rear cushions to find and pull a cable. It’s harder to actuate than the front doors. Big brain material there.
The stupidest of all? No manual release at all on the outside. First responders get to watch you cook while trying to bash the window in. This is day one shit, Tesla.
Manual overrides won’t count.
It turns out people don’t have time to read manuals and find hidden options in emergencies.
I feel like when operating a lethal hunk of metal at such speeds, perhaps it should be a requirement to RTFM. For several reasons.
So if I call an Uber and it’s a Tesla, it’s my fault if I can’t escape after a crash cuz I didn’t RTFM?
Up until about 15 years ago any person who knew how to drive any random car would have been able to operate about 99% of all cars in existence safely without ever looking at a fucking manual.
Now, my manual gearbox is a theft deterrent.
Should be marked so it’s obvious, but I remember a post about a guy who astonished people by knowing so much. His method? Reading the manual.
You shouldn’t have to read the manual to not fucking die in a car fire. This isn’t like some secret mode to let you change what noise the horn makes. This has literally killed people.
I agree, but seeing pictures of the lever, how do people not look around their car and see what levers and buttons do what?
Anyway my story about the manual was just meant as a story about the manual.
The rear doors in Teslas don’t have any lever to manually release the door. You actually have to take off a piece of trim or the side pocket liner to find a wireloop that you have to pull.
The rear passengers in the tesla are rarely the owner of the tesla, which means that they also likely doesn’t know how to access the manual release… Why this hasn’t caused a worldwide recall is a mystery to me.
And if you sit in the rear of a Model X good luck opening the doors even with a manual release
Instructions: remove the speaker grille, locate and pull the mechanical release cable, and then manually push the (really fucking heavy) door open. Vertically.
Someone designed that, patted themselves on the back, and thought “that’ll work!” Then at least one other person reviewed that design and thought the same. Then multiple people worked on how to implement that design. Likely dozens of people rubber stamped this design. It hurts my brain.
In the event of a collision, the model X should just eject its rear doors.
One would think the crash tests would automatically produce results that would disqualify vehicles from a 5-star rating. Why would you need an amendment to the rules if crashes were disabling door locks and rendering doors inoperable? That seems like an automatic strike against safety.
Because the door handles are not always disabled in a crash. There’s technically a system in place to extend the handles if a crash is detected, which works the majority of the time. The issue is that, clearly, this system is not reliable enough (because, ya know, if the control system gets wrecked in a crash, it cant extend the handles). But my guess is that it still works enough in crash tests to not automatically disqualify it from 5-stars.