Mercedes F700 concept

[TEG]

I was looking for info on "recessed door handles" and found this:

Mercedes-Benz ultra-luxury F700 Concept - MotorAuthority - Car news, reviews, spy shots

...recessed door handles, and turbine blade 21in wheels...

Look at :30

Seems like Tesla's version has a lot more mechanism inside the door.

I wonder if i might be cheaper/safer/lighter to just have two hinged flaps that you push in (top flap with fingers, bottom flap with thumb) and just grab a fixed rod in the door to pull?

http://jalopnik.com/photogallery/mercedesf700f/2581581

 

[Kevin Harney]

Cheaper - YES cool enough to impress anyone - NO LOL this is all about the gadget factor not the practicality factor. As is the 17" screen and the LED side marker lights and half of the rest of the car. If you are breaking the typical mold you might as well shatter it completely in the process because it will no longer work even if it is a little bit broken.

 

[vfx]

Yes the Roaster with it's retro basic raw interior is rather disappointing in the high tech factor. Regular key, shift stick, storebought radio.

I'm much more pleased with the possibilities the Model S can offer.

Smart cruise control please!

 

[Palpatine]

Yes the Roaster with it's retro basic raw interior is rather disappointing in the high tech factor. Regular key, shift stick, storebought radio.

The 2009 Roadster does a few upgrades. Push button shifting, smart key, etc.

 

[TEG]

I wonder if i might be cheaper/safer/lighter to just have two hinged flaps that you push in (top flap with fingers, bottom flap with thumb) and just grab a fixed rod in the door to pull?

I tried to make a little illustration like so:

Basically it would be flush with the door until you pushed the little flaps open to grab the handle rod built into the door. Then it could be simple spring loaded (with light springs that let the flaps open easily) so there is no motorized complexity, weight and cost.

 

[Albern]

What about this for Model S - simple and it works >> Aston Martin

 

[Kevin Harney]

I happen to like the cool handles. Everyone stop picking on them and leave them alone !!!! LOL

 

[Brent]

I happen to like the cool handles. Everyone stop picking on them and leave them alone !!!! LOL

And here I go...

My issues with the handle:

1) Extra mechanical stuff to break / get jammed / whatever
2) You have to wait an extra second or two to open the door.
3) Confuses passengers new to the car.
4) Confuses emergency response.
5) Possibly doesn't work if electricity is cut off, especially in an emergency.

If Tesla wants automation, why not take a page from Japanese taxis and just open the door? I press a button on my key fob, and the door opens. Now that's cool...

 

[vfx]

I press a button on my key fob, and the door opens. Now that's cool...

That's what I've been saying! Keyless entry....




and ignition...

 

[TEG]

If Tesla wants automation, why not take a page from Japanese taxis and just open the door?

The first time I got a cab at Narita I hopped in and grabbed the door handle to close the door and the driver yelled something at me in Japanese which probably meant "don't touch that, it is automatic!"

 

[Albern]

Did you look at the first video I linked in the original message that started this topic?
At about :30 they show the F700 works basically like that.

Yes, I did make a point to look at the video before posing the examples. I was just trying to highlight the lack of a requirement to automate and further mechanize the door handles for the various safety, cost, and ease of use reasons mentioned above.

They are cool but for the hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to develop this I'm sure there are better places where such money could be spent. Just my two cents on the matter.

 

[doug]

The way Elon described it to me, production intent is for the door handles to automatically extend as you approach the car (I assume by detecting an RFID tag in your key fob). Also the retraction force is low enough that your fingers wouldn't get hurt. Wonder if they've decided that the passenger door handles should also extend automagically.

What happens in case of emergency or power failure is an interesting question.

 

[Brent]

The way Elon described it to me, production intent is for the door handles to automatically extend as you approach the car (I assume by detecting an RFID tag in your key fob).

Hats off if they get it to work.

My uncle's Mercedes S600 has a similar, but problematic, feature. The car doors are supposed to unlock as he approaches, and once inside, he's supposed to be able to press a button to start the car. Half the time, however, the sensors don't seem to pick up the signal (or whatever) that the key emits. He now just uses the old way -- press the button on the key to unlock, open the doors by hand, and insert key into the ignition. That method works every time.

 

[Palpatine]

My uncle's Mercedes S600 has a similar, but problematic, feature. The car doors are supposed to unlock as he approaches, and once inside, he's supposed to be able to press a button to start the car. Half the time, however, the sensors don't seem to pick up the signal (or whatever) that the key emits. He now just uses the old way -- press the button on the key to unlock, open the doors by hand, and insert key into the ignition. That method works every time.

My 2009 Prius works that way now. It is flawless. As long as the key is with me, the door unlocks as soon as my hand is near the door handle. Same with the start button for the car.

If this is technology that Tesla can buy from a 3rd party then it should be easy to add to the Model S. It may seem like it is new, but I suspect some auto parts supplier invented this and Tesla is the early adopter for this version.

 

[vfx]

My 2009 Prius works that way now. It is flawless. As long as the key is with me, the door unlocks as soon as my hand is near the door handle. Same with the start button for the car.

My 04 Infiniti is similar-- key fob in pocket signals to receiver in the side view mirror (I think) If the door is locked I can push the rubber button that alows me to pull the handle. (easier than it sounds) Once inside the key stays in the pocket and you just turn the column knob without inserting the key. The key is hidden in the fob and I have only needed to do take it out when the fob battery went low.

Ask someone who has lived with this feature. they will swear they never want to hunt for and insert their keys again.

And yes you can buy aftermarket keyless kits for your car if you like.

 

[WarpedOne]

Ask someone who has lived with this feature. they will swear they never want to hunt for and insert their keys again.

Like me? I have a Renault Laguna which is keyless. You come close to the car and it unlocks. You get in and it goes "live", you push Start and it starts up (if other mechanical conditions are met).

And yes, I cannot imagine myself buying a car with oldschool key-start method. Any such car is substandard in my view (even Aston Martin).

 

[Kevin Harney]

Doug beat me to it. What we are seeing in the videos is not the complete system. It will be keyless entry.

As for the automatic opening or closing doors. Bad IMHO. I had this autoclose feature on the trunk of my cadillac. It seems that everyone wants to slam the trunk and it damages the system to do that. You can't get ordinary people to close it slowly. SIGH. Other than that it was a GREAT system.

 

[Kevin Harney]

The emergency back up could be the system that they are showing now. Push the handles slightly and they pop out. Kind of a spring loaded thing.

 

[Kevin Harney]

Those auto opening doors are starting to hit the market here in a really cool way. Many of the Police K-9 cars have them so that the officer can open the door and let the dog out if he is away from the car a certain distance.