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  1. ToddRLockwood

    Downgraded UI in v11

    Is it just me, or has the Tesla Model 3/Y User Interface taken a big step backwards? The once-elegant touchscreen now looks like a student project, with degraded visuals, maps that are unusable at night and text that no one over 40 will be able to read. I suspect that this is due to a staffing...
  2. ToddRLockwood

    MCU upgrade/replacement for early vehicles

    Unlikely, if the car's warranty has expired. The other option is to get a "new" MCU1 for $1,400. This will have fresh flash memory, but will eventually meet the same fate as the original MCU1. But by then, most owners would have moved on to a newer vehicle.
  3. ToddRLockwood

    NoA is worthless, Autopilot is essentially unimproved from 2016-2017, and everybody has caught up.

    I have an early 2016 MS with AP1. The AP1 system was more reliable prior to a software update done after a fatal accident involving a tractor trailer in Florida. That change raised the priority to the forward-facing radar and lowered the priority of the camera. Ever since then, AP1 has been more...
  4. ToddRLockwood

    Crappy Super Chargers

    This could have been a local grid issue, or it could have been that your battery had not yet reached optimum charging temperature. The charging speed displayed on the screen in MPH is affected by several variables. A more reliable indication of Supercharger function is the kW output. Tesla does...
  5. ToddRLockwood

    German Court Orders Tesla to Stop Clearing Land at New Factory Site

    The trees in question are not old growth trees. They were all planted around the same time. Tesla had previously agreed to plant considerably more trees at another location, as compensation.
  6. ToddRLockwood

    Features I had to give up when I bought a Tesla

    #2 and #4 do exist on your Model S. My 2016 MS does a great job of ducking the volume during phone calls. Is your phone linked properly? You should leave the Tesla app running in the background on your phone. This will allow your phone to share calendar items with the Tesla. If a calendar item...
  7. ToddRLockwood

    I'm amazed at what owners don't know

    A couple of thoughts. First, I think this shows a lack of assistance for new owners by Tesla. Just a few days ago Tesla announced that how-to videos will be available on the car's MCU when parked and connected to WIFI. That's great. However, Tesla should establish a standard schedule of reaching...
  8. ToddRLockwood

    Who has solar power at their home? Please chime in....

    Does your roof have underlayment (Ice & Water Shield) installed under the shingles? If it does, you're good to go. I had solar installed on my 15-year-old roof with no underlayment (shingles placed directly on top of wood decking), and after only five years I had to have the solar removed so...
  9. ToddRLockwood

    Clean your solar panels!

    Another great option in some states is to lease or purchase panels in a community solar project that connects to the same utility that you use. This earns you kWh credits against your home utility account. Works beautifully here in Vermont.
  10. ToddRLockwood

    Model X burns on the ice in Vermont on February 24, 2019

    These protections are effective for loose objects lying in the road, but if the car struck a protruding rock along the shoreline, there's nothing that's going to push it out of the way.
  11. ToddRLockwood

    Model X burns on the ice in Vermont on February 24, 2019

    A battery fire in a Tesla can start very slowly. In this instance, if the battery damage was limited to a small area, and given the outside temperature, it could have taken an hour or more before smoke and flames were visible. The battery case is made of heavy gauge aluminum and is quite well...
  12. ToddRLockwood

    Model X burns on the ice in Vermont on February 24, 2019

    Thanks for that added explanation. Local conspiracy theorists are going nuts with this story, convinced that there's something nefarious going on. This, combined with the fact that most people (including the various journalists) have no idea what they're talking about when it comes to Tesla...
  13. ToddRLockwood

    Model X burns on the ice in Vermont on February 24, 2019

    Finally, a legitimate news article about this Model X fire. The owner was ice fishing and struck a rock protruding from the ice while heading home. The rock caused physical damage to the battery case which likely caused both a short and disabled the active cooling system. This is consistent with...
  14. ToddRLockwood

    Model X burns on the ice in Vermont on February 24, 2019

    This is Prime Time for Ice Fishing | Agency of Natural Resources
  15. ToddRLockwood

    Blog A Look at Tesla's EV Competition in 2019

    The premise of this kind of article is fundamentally flawed—the idea that there's going to be one dominate brand of electric car going forward. Tesla's competition is gasoline cars, NOT electric cars. Buyers are not choosing the Model 3 over other electric cars, not yet. If the Model 3 didn't...
  16. ToddRLockwood

    National Drive Electric Week - New London NH

    There will be a National Drive Electric Week Event in New London, NH on Sunday, Sept 9, 12-4pm. These are fun events, and this one is expected to be the largest EV event in New England this year. It’s a great opportunity to share your experiences with people considering their first EV purchase...
  17. ToddRLockwood

    Let Tesla know what features or tech the Roadster should have to make it even more awesome?

    I was going to suggest this same idea. The street version of the Roadster would likely have a Track Mode setting, and perhaps there will be a Performance version. But a "Roadster GT" would be a serious race car for track use only. I think the number one item would be to expand the cooling system...
  18. ToddRLockwood

    Is there a list of the upgrades in the Performance Edition?

    I know Track Mode exists, but it isn't currently listed as a feature. I'm willing to bet that it is only included with the $5,000 Performance Upgrade package. It's a bit confusing. This upgrade package should be called Performance +
  19. ToddRLockwood

    Is there a list of the upgrades in the Performance Edition?

    Model 3 Performance includes: Quicker acceleration: 0-60 mph in 3.5s Top speed: up to 155 mph Free Supercharging with an owner referral code The $5,000 Model 3 Performance Upgrade Package includes: 20” Performance Wheels Performance Brakes Carbon fiber spoiler Lowered suspension...
  20. ToddRLockwood

    Supercharger Journey Notification

    Does the "continue journey" message appear on the car's screen? Does your iPhone display an alert when the car nears its full charge? If the answers to these questions are both yes, this could be an unintended bug introduced in an update to the car's firmware or to the Tesla app. Something you...
  21. ToddRLockwood

    Updated autopilot sucks!

    Just in case you were not aware, Autopilot does not detect your hand gripping the steering wheel. Instead, it senses slight resistance against the motor that turns the wheel. All that is required is finger tips at the bottom of the wheel providing a little resistance.
  22. ToddRLockwood

    FSD features to start rolling out in August...

    I believe you are correct on this. It looks as if the news media missed the words "begin" and "features." They may be adding some incremental capabilities that were originally intended to be part of FSD.
  23. ToddRLockwood

    Picked up my M3 on Sunday without any issues

    The downside to purchasing directly from Weathertech is that the matts will be Weathertech branded instead of Tesla branded. At least that's the case on the Model S.
  24. ToddRLockwood

    Blog Tesla Releases Data on Utah Autopilot Crash

    This warning is from Page 75 in the Model S Owner's Manual... "Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control cannot detect all objects and may not brake/decelerate for stationary vehicles or objects, especially in situations when you are driving over 50 mph (80 km/h) and in situations where a vehicle...
  25. ToddRLockwood

    Phone Distracted Driver on Autopilot Slams into Firetruck

    Is Volvo using the Mobileye system?
  26. ToddRLockwood

    Phone Distracted Driver on Autopilot Slams into Firetruck

    I've driven numerous times in stop-and-go highway traffic using TACC with AP1, and I've never encountered a situation in which a stopped vehicle in my lane was not recognized. I do keep the Follow Distance set to 3 or 4 car lengths, never less than that. If anything, TACC seems overly cautious...
  27. ToddRLockwood

    Phone Distracted Driver on Autopilot Slams into Firetruck

    I believe it is unlikely that the driver of the Tesla was using TACC or AP, otherwise the Tesla would have sensed the stationary fire truck and stopped appropriately. There have been incidents, including during Tesla test drives, in which the driver inadvertently turns off TACC by lightly...
  28. ToddRLockwood

    Phone Distracted Driver on Autopilot Slams into Firetruck

    The traffic light makes no difference in this instance. If TACC or AP was in use, it would have slowed and stopped behind the fire truck.
  29. ToddRLockwood

    Beta Navigation - experiences?

    The new female voice is less robotic than the original one, almost to the point of being sultry. Her pronunciation of street names is much better, at least here in Vermont. The satellite maps appear to have more visual punch. The colors look a bit more saturated. Of particular note is the new...
  30. ToddRLockwood

    Jim Cramer reacts to Elon's performance on the Q1 2018 Earnings Call

    Elon did answer questions from numerous mainstream analysts, just not the unnecessary questions already covered in the financials. I agree with Cramer on this. Elon did what a lot of CEO’s would like to do, but don’t.
  31. ToddRLockwood

    Jim Cramer reacts to Elon's performance on the Q1 2018 Earnings Call

    Here's what Jim Cramer had to say on CNBC regarding Elon Musk's refusal to answer boring questions during yesterday's earnings call...
  32. ToddRLockwood

    Munro Tesla 3 Benchmarking Study: 50 internet refrences - what is up?

    The inclusion of this link speaks volumes...
  33. ToddRLockwood

    200 kWh Roadster Pack: How is Tesla Pulling This Off?

    That would be at least a 2,000 pound battery pack. Doesn't seem realistic, given how nimble the car is, not to mention the space requirement. My money is on a new cell type with double the energy density and less weight per Wh.
  34. ToddRLockwood

    Let Tesla know what features or tech the Roadster should have to make it even more awesome?

    A track-ready "Roadster GT" version with expanded cooling capability for battery & motor. Integrated maps of popular racetracks with ideal race line recommendations that can be compared against the actual line being driven, displayed in realtime via HUD. Start a Roadster GT amateur racing series.
  35. ToddRLockwood

    Tesla semi is ill conceived...

    The head of the Tesla Semi program is Jerome Guillen, a former engineer in the trucking division at Daimler. At Daimler, he led their most successful semi program ever, the Cascadia truck.
  36. ToddRLockwood

    Model S range and interior update imminent?

    In practice quite the opposite is true, as most Tesla owners do 99% of their charging at home at night, when neither speed nor availability of energy are an issue. For most owners, Superchargers are the rare exception, used only when driving further than 100 miles from home. Do I miss standing...
  37. ToddRLockwood

    Brakes temporarily not working!

    I had the same thing happen in early January, when the temps were below zero. It happened just as I pulled my car out of the garage in the morning. After a few hard brake applications, the brakes started working again. The problem came back one more time under similar circumstances. I'm pretty...
  38. ToddRLockwood

    Possible updated steering system on 2018 Model S?

    Last weekend, I went to a Tesla test drive event and drove a new Model S 100D (likely Dec 2017 production). The one difference I noticed when compared to my 2016 90D (post-refresh) is that the steering seemed to offer more feedback from the road, and it also had a considerably more pronounced...
  39. ToddRLockwood

    Tesla adds a trip planner to their website

    This is obviously not a substitute for the navigation system in the car. It is simply a way to give non-Tesla owners a taste of Tesla's long-distance navigation with Supercharger stops worked in.
  40. ToddRLockwood

    Seats ticking?

    Nice fix, Vern!
  41. ToddRLockwood

    My silky smooth 320 mile road trip with almost 100% AP control

    Even though it wasn't the point of your post, after reading it I must conclude that AP2 is now superior to AP1. I have a 2016 Model S 90D with AP1. When I first received the car in the spring of 2016, its AP1 seemed quite stable for highway use. Disengagements were rare and usually for reasons...
  42. ToddRLockwood

    Slacker Radio Tip for New Owners!

    There is a caveat to your suggestion. If you drive regularly in an area with less than three bars of LTE reception, you may experience frequent Slacker dropouts. In you are in that situation, it's better to leave Slacker in low-fi mode. By the way, I have also noticed that the free version of...
  43. ToddRLockwood

    Why I sold my 1-month old Tesla Model S.

    Stan, sorry to hear about your experience. I have owned two Model S cars in succession, a 2013 P85 and a 2016 90D. I noticed a substantial improvement in fit and finish in the 2016 version—with the notable exception of the paint, which had considerably more orange peel than the 2013 car. Both...
  44. ToddRLockwood

    The ski round-trip problem in the Northeast

    Have you used the Find Us map on Tesla's website? You get to it by clicking the icon in the upper-right corner of the website window. You can change the filtering so that only the chargers are shown. I don't believe this is possible on the Nav map in the Model S/X. Find Us | Tesla,
  45. ToddRLockwood

    Optimistic Elon Musk’s Moonshot Method

    I agree that Wall Street is focused on the wrong things. As Elon has said, life would be much easier if Tesla was not a public company. Innovation is delivered when it's ready, not according to arbitrary reporting cycles. One only has to look at SpaceX's rate of innovation to see the difference.
  46. ToddRLockwood

    "Spaceship Steering" on the new Roadster?

    A HUD could be related to this steering control.
  47. ToddRLockwood

    "Spaceship Steering" on the new Roadster?

    Unless the entire function of the "wheel" has changed. I'm imagining a yoke that has very limited rotation, perhaps 90-degrees max. Steering ratio and allowable steering angle would increase at very low speeds.
  48. ToddRLockwood

    "Spaceship Steering" on the new Roadster?

    Same with the Semi. The central driver position makes it essential there.
  49. ToddRLockwood

    "Spaceship Steering" on the new Roadster?

    There appears to be a yoke instead of a steering wheel in the new Roadster. Is this what Elon meant when he said "spaceship steering" earlier this year in reference to the Model 3?