A Dark Night...All Alone At a Supercharging Station in the Middle of Nowhere!

[mxnym]

you guys want to remove the option on some teslas for the high-end air filtrations systems? I could argue that, for me, that would be pretty useless, but being able to 'get away' in a bad situation - I can truly see value in that.

First off, to reply to another post of yours even though I haven't posted it here, I have never come out against this, I've only explained why it is unlikely. Second, to reply to this post, bioweapon defense mode is an option, you don't have to pay anything if you don't want it, and many people opt not to get it. However, having any feature be an option increases the cost for those who want it (it wouldn't cost $5000 to include bioweapon defense mode in all vehicles, but it does cost $5000 to have it as an option). If you are suggesting that you'd be willing pay $5000 for this option that I don't have to pay if I don't want the option, then I can't imagine anyone is against you, but it still has to be profitable for Tesla to consider it. In this hypothetical scenario, the alternative might be forcing everyone who buys a vehicle to pay $1500 extra for the standard feature. How do you feel about forcing everyone to buy something they don't want and 99.9+% likely won't need? That's what a mandate would do.

There is no comparison between an ICE vehicle and a Tesla because you can drive away (though may damage the car), with a Tesla at the supercharger there is no way to drive the car.

Tesla would have to deal with this eventually because as they grow and become a dominant car seller someday, the safety issue will come up when their superchargers are located in areas of high crime.

You are correct that there is no comparison, but that also implies that you 100% missed my point. The fact that you can drive away from a gas pump is coincidental and would be true even without the safety shutoff. The safety shutoff is for the gasoline. It was not mandated so you could drive away from a criminal, it was mandated so that when you drove away absentmindedly, you wouldn't be putting others at risk. They couldn't retroactively prevent millions of vehicles from driving away, so they had to come up with a solution for those vehicles as well and there was no reason to add the expense of a vehicle interlock on top of that. The inability to drive away in EVs when they are plugged in came preemptively to meet that exact same requirement. In the OP, you said Tesla will HAVE TO do this. My point was that no such feature was mandated for ICE vehicles, so there is no imminent reason to believe such a feature will be mandated for EVs. As stated after the previous quote in this post, I am not saying they can't, won't, shouldn't, or anything like that, only that there are understandable reasons why it might not be likely.

 

[LoveMX]

First off, to reply to another post of yours even though I haven't posted it here, I have never come out against this, I've only explained why it is unlikely. Second, to reply to this post, bioweapon defense mode is an option, you don't have to pay anything if you don't want it, and many people opt not to get it. However, having any feature be an option increases the cost for those who want it (it wouldn't cost $5000 to include bioweapon defense mode in all vehicles, but it does cost $5000 to have it as an option). If you are suggesting that you'd be willing pay $5000 for this option that I don't have to pay if I don't want the option, then I can't imagine anyone is against you, but it still has to be profitable for Tesla to consider it. In this hypothetical scenario, the alternative might be forcing everyone who buys a vehicle to pay $1500 extra for the standard feature. How do you feel about forcing everyone to buy something they don't want and 99.9+% likely won't need? That's what a mandate would do.You are correct that there is no comparison, but that also implies that you 100% missed my point. The fact that you can drive away from a gas pump is coincidental and would be true even without the safety shutoff. The safety shutoff is for the gasoline. It was not mandated so you could drive away from a criminal, it was mandated so that when you drove away absentmindedly, you wouldn't be putting others at risk. They couldn't retroactively prevent millions of vehicles from driving away, so they had to come up with a solution for those vehicles as well and there was no reason to add the expense of a vehicle interlock on top of that. The inability to drive away in EVs when they are plugged in came preemptively to meet that exact same requirement. In the OP, you said Tesla will HAVE TO do this. My point was that no such feature was mandated for ICE vehicles, so there is no imminent reason to believe such a feature will be mandated for EVs. As stated after the previous quote in this post, I am not saying they can't, won't, shouldn't, or anything like that, only that there are understandable reasons why it might not be likely.

No one is asking to mandate anything. If you look at the poll in this thread, you will notice that there is a question about pay per use for this option if Tesla makes it available. What I mean by Tesla will have to do it one day is that they have to deal with this issue when it becomes a dominant car maker+seller because superchargers might have to be installed even in so called crime areas where someone with a Tesla can't even escape because they have no option to do so while plugged in.

 

[dfresh3033]

I think that's what horns are for.

How often does this kind of thing actually happen?

Obviously there were quite a few people who read and commented on this link so yes, there are emergencies. This technology is needed and no, guns don't solve all problems. Apparently you've never charged in Louisiana...

 

[bhorn]

Apparently you've never charged in Louisiana...

What does that even mean? Yeah, I've charged in Slidell, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge. Never felt scared. Now the Mobile, AL charger in the empty mall parking lot, that one is a doozy.

 

[notrhj]

Not really a supercharger or Tesla issue. You are your own ‘first responder’
Someday you might get wrapped in Kevlar, in the fetal position, with a 911 beacon, at the push of a button.
Stay calm and don’t panic.
Mod 2 might even etch a chalk outline and throw out crime tape.
When seconds count the police are only minutes away.

 

[Damager99]

Anyone on this forum ever experience something like that? How did you handle it? Would emergency unplug have helped?

I've never had the screaming part of this scenario, but there is a supercharger that I stopped at somewhere in MI that was completely dark and in the middle of nowhere. There was a shabby hotel about 50 yards away, but even as a 6 foot male, I was nervous to stop there.

 

[Damager99]

This has come up before and I think people underestimate the technical challenges of implementation.

I would avoid such places, if travels dictate I might choose a well lit hotel with destination chargers vs. a sketchy supercharger ,would think staff could escort you from vehicle back to the building if need be, get some rest and carry on in daylight.

This would normally be the right answer, EXCEPT that when the car navigates you to a charger, you are typically very low on charge in order to maximize charging speed, and don't have a million nearby choices like you do with our gas infrastructure.

 

[henderrj]

I think this is where Tesla's snake charger plug-in device comes into play. I have advocated what I think is a better solution, the power docking port system, but it's never going to happen.

Anyway, the idea is to not have to get out of the car. Of course you need to have a button that lets you eject the charger fast and get out of there when you need to! But I'm assuming that will simply be the stock charging icon.

 

[JER85]

And you think a charger eject is going to stop a violent crime? You should probably get a hand gun and a concealed carry permit.

Well yes actually... if you charger eject you can immediately drive out of there and away from the threat..... Charger plugged in you are stuck waiting for the threat to find something to bash your window or pull a weapon.

 

[dfresh3033]

What does that even mean? Yeah, I've charged in Slidell, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge. Never felt scared. Now the Mobile, AL charger in the empty mall parking lot, that one is a doozy.

Just because you don't think a fear or concern is valid, you don't need to invalidate others because they have a different experience. We are all part of a Tesla community. We need to support one another. Don't troll.

 

[bhorn]

Is not calling someone a troll, in fact, a form of trolling?

 

[mgs333]

Old thread but I just found this aftermarket product (only for the 3/Y though) in pre-order that addresses this very problem. No, I'm not the vendor, I just happened to see it while i was ordering something else on their site.

OTTOEJECT Tesla Model 3/Y Emergency Charging Plug Ejecting Device

OTTOEJECT is a device that you attach to a supercharger handle. It enables you to eject the charging handle by pressing the unlock button on your screen or on your phone and drive off if you find …

ottosteer.com

 

[lightgreen]

... i believe the question op has asked is the wrong question to be asked. the correct question is - 9mm or 45? or maybe you favor more esoteric carry like 10mm?

... sneaking up to me and yelling is certainly one of the more unpleasant ways to get hurt. possibly really hurt.

but given the typical profile of a tesla owner i imagine the above answer would be unpopular. so in that sense i propose for example if the gas pedal is pressed 3 times in quick succession the car to be allowed to drive off possibly tearing the cable/ connector. optionally horn and hazards may be activated automatically. and if tesla really wants to please its typical customer - turn on race mode and self-drive to the nearest police station. if side flame throwers option has been purchased (available in certain markets) that one can be activated too. choices, choices.

of course shortly after such traumatic event a social worker number should be dialed automatically (as we know 911 and first responders are bad bad bad and we dont need them) shortly followed by a bidding-determined atty number specializing in suing tesla for setting up a supercharger in unsafe area... and so on down the food chain of leeches. you catch my drift. ha

but for real- i support emergency drive off but implemented in a way that dissuades folks from abusing it

 

[henderrj]

Here's a blast from the past! Better than killing someone!!!

 

[henderrj]

Old thread but I just found this aftermarket product (only for the 3/Y though) in pre-order that addresses this very problem. No, I'm not the vendor, I just happened to see it while i was ordering something else on their site.

OTTOEJECT Tesla Model 3/Y Emergency Charging Plug Ejecting Device

OTTOEJECT is a device that you attach to a supercharger handle. It enables you to eject the charging handle by pressing the unlock button on your screen or on your phone and drive off if you find …

ottosteer.com

You'd still have to get out of the car and press the button. also - can you imagine the arc if the car didn't detect the disconnect soon enough!

Would be good if it could be activated by the port unlock command.

 

[mgs333]

You'd still have to get out of the car and press the button. also - can you imagine the arc if the car didn't detect the disconnect soon enough!

Would be good if it could be activated by the port unlock command.

"To escape, press the “Unlock Charge Port” on your Tesla screen or on the phone and drive off!"

 

[totoro722]

"To escape, press the “Unlock Charge Port” on your Tesla screen or on the phone and drive off!"

Looks like it might work, but would have pretty limited use. If deployed, one could disconnect from inside the car, dumping the charger (and the device probably) onto the ground, enabling one to drive off. Sort of a one use device. I wonder if the pressure needed to push the charger out of the charge port might also jam the lock pin preventing it from disconnecting.

 

[Feathermerchan]

My Tesla won't go into gear if plugged in.
According to my stats, I charge more than 80% at home, in my garage. So on the average I am much safer because I only go to a 'filling station' when on a road trip. So for me it is safer than driving a gas powered car.

 

[stesta5074]

Heckler and Koch or choose to be a victim. Similar choice to every other public place. It’s not an engineering problem, it’s a public safety problem.

 

[LadyOnikara]

I'd probably put on the Light Show and if that didn't scare them off, grab my knife, get out, and unplug the car. (Oh fudge, forgot you have to get out to initiate the Light Show. Okay, just knife.)