It seems that most engineers have forgotten (or never learned) that vehicles were designed with cable driven primary systems for a reason.
The power steering pump is a good example of good design. The pump boosts mechanical(turning) input but the boost is not required to produce the output(steering).
The electric brake which replaces the pedal or handle is a good example of bad design.
I read about this a while back. It looks like a satisfactory manual escape mechanism (highly visible, easy to find and operate) is the proverbial "next year" so common to Musk.
And no retrofitting/recall.
It's only lives at stake. You may know one or be one.
At least for the model 3 the front the door releases are more prominent than the actual buttons your supposed to use - newbies often use that the first time they exit.
But the back doors are a different story. For a few years into owning the car I didn't think they had an emergency release at all. Now I know they are hidden in the door molding somewhere but I doubt I'd be able to find them in an emergency let alone a guest that's in the back seat. It does worry me when I have people back there.
When the model S was created, they had a better design - open the handle a bit, and you get an electronic release. keep pulling it further and it will mechanically open the door.
Since then, tesla has been relentlessly cost reducing everything. First it was no dashboard on the model 3, and on and on into dangerous design.
Latest 3 has no turn signal stalks. No drive select stalk (it guesses). and lots of critical controls are not physical at all and are hidden in touchscreen menus.
> At least for the model 3 the front the door releases are more prominent than the actual buttons your supposed to use - newbies often use that the first time they exit.
I think this happened to me when my buddy gave me a ride. I used the handle to open the door, and he told me I shouldn't do that since it might damage the car.
On the one hand, it boggles the mind that they would fuck up intuitive functionality that badly, but on the other hand, I am glad that the instinctive action is what you're supposed to do in an emergency.
On the gripping hand, the default action should open the door both regularly, and in case of emergency.
I believe some of the older Model 3s in some regions don't actually have emergency releases in the backseat; you're supposed to lower the seats and escape through the trunk (which does have an inner handle).
Note that these tools only work on tempered glass. Many newer cars are switching to laminated glass. Some have a mix with say a laminated windshield but tempered door windows.
I wonder if a combined handle is possible: when you pull, the signal is sent _and_ mechanical 3-second delay starts. If the power is present, small solenoid blocks mechanical mechanism and door opens regularly. If it's dead, in 3 seconds door os overriden.
Or even easier: pull normally for electric release, pull real hard for override.
It seems that most engineers have forgotten (or never learned) that vehicles were designed with cable driven primary systems for a reason.
The power steering pump is a good example of good design. The pump boosts mechanical(turning) input but the boost is not required to produce the output(steering).
The electric brake which replaces the pedal or handle is a good example of bad design.
I read about this a while back. It looks like a satisfactory manual escape mechanism (highly visible, easy to find and operate) is the proverbial "next year" so common to Musk.
And no retrofitting/recall.
It's only lives at stake. You may know one or be one.
At least for the model 3 the front the door releases are more prominent than the actual buttons your supposed to use - newbies often use that the first time they exit.
But the back doors are a different story. For a few years into owning the car I didn't think they had an emergency release at all. Now I know they are hidden in the door molding somewhere but I doubt I'd be able to find them in an emergency let alone a guest that's in the back seat. It does worry me when I have people back there.
When the model S was created, they had a better design - open the handle a bit, and you get an electronic release. keep pulling it further and it will mechanically open the door.
Since then, tesla has been relentlessly cost reducing everything. First it was no dashboard on the model 3, and on and on into dangerous design.
Latest 3 has no turn signal stalks. No drive select stalk (it guesses). and lots of critical controls are not physical at all and are hidden in touchscreen menus.
> At least for the model 3 the front the door releases are more prominent than the actual buttons your supposed to use - newbies often use that the first time they exit.
I think this happened to me when my buddy gave me a ride. I used the handle to open the door, and he told me I shouldn't do that since it might damage the car.
On the one hand, it boggles the mind that they would fuck up intuitive functionality that badly, but on the other hand, I am glad that the instinctive action is what you're supposed to do in an emergency.
On the gripping hand, the default action should open the door both regularly, and in case of emergency.
I believe some of the older Model 3s in some regions don't actually have emergency releases in the backseat; you're supposed to lower the seats and escape through the trunk (which does have an inner handle).
There are little window breaker tools made by a company called resqme which are worth having in your car.
Note that these tools only work on tempered glass. Many newer cars are switching to laminated glass. Some have a mix with say a laminated windshield but tempered door windows.
Haven't the windshield been laminated for very long time now? For Britain it seems safety glass was mandated in 1930.
Window breakers come standard with a new car in my country. I have never used one though.
https://archive.is/lccr7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jY3K4AGAh0
I wonder if a combined handle is possible: when you pull, the signal is sent _and_ mechanical 3-second delay starts. If the power is present, small solenoid blocks mechanical mechanism and door opens regularly. If it's dead, in 3 seconds door os overriden.
Or even easier: pull normally for electric release, pull real hard for override.
This feels like overthinking it a bit. Just _have a proper door handle like every car had had for about a century_.
Or even easier: get rid of the ridiculous electric release entirely.
Mechanical time delay? How do you expect that to work?