Auto connect to charger

[Pontus]

Does any one know if and when a auto connection to the charger will be available. A soon as the "summon" feature will be available this must be solved or? It would be great even now if you don't have to connect and disconnect the charger by hand.

 

[stevezzzz]

I think this automagical feature is a wish list item that popped out of Elon's mouth at the D launch event in October, causing a great deal of heartburn behind the scenes in Tesla R&D land. Of course, what Elon wants, Elon (usually) gets (eventually). In other words, don't hold your breath.

 

[mdevp]

At the event, Elon said this will be the first time his engineers (much to their dismay) will be hearing of this automated charging idea. So, it could be quite some time before anything materializes.

 

[AlMc]

I actually took it as a 'tongue in cheek' comment from him and that it won't happen.

 

[Larry93428]

It will happen, not soon, but it is a certainty. It is a selling point to be introduced later when needed. The technology is not difficult.
There is one somewhere (can't find it however) called "Cobra" that self located and plugs.
Shell had an experimental filler for gas cars sometime ago in Orange Co; you drove into it like a carwash.
But for the EV, yes, if the driver is not of a mind to go into the garage to plug/unplug the car will do it; handicap or dressed-up need not squeeze back into the garage.

 

[jhs_7645]

Probably just after the on board storage for music is finally implemented. oh.. and the developer SDK for the center console.

 

[GetAmped]

Does any one know if and when a auto connection to the charger will be available. A soon as the "summon" feature will be available this must be solved or? It would be great even now if you don't have to connect and disconnect the charger by hand.

It actually makes sense that Tesla will develop this as it seems to fit with why they went out of their way to motorize the charger door. If there is an autonomous charger connection then the car has to be able to close the charge port door by itself.

 

[glhs272]

I could see someone else besides Tesla doing this. A robotic arm is commercially available... A smart camera is commercially available... put 2 and 2 together and voilà!

 

[AlMc]

I could see someone else besides Tesla doing this. A robotic arm is commercially available... A smart camera is commercially available... put 2 and 2 together and voilà!

Mobileye!

 

[glhs272]

I am not sure if Mobileeye is an open software system, but there are a few machine vision software packages out there. Personally I have experience with National Instrument software. Compared to what I have had to do on other projects, finding a model S charge port is pretty easy. It's lighted and everything!

 

[Electric700]

Why not just use a wireless solution with a system like Plugless Power? It would be so much simpler.

Link: Learn More - Plugless Power.

 

[Majerus]

Why not just use a wireless solution with a system like Plugless Power? It would be so much simpler.

Link: Learn More - Plugless Power.

efficiency , older paper but still http://avt.inel.gov/pdf/evse/EvatranWirelessChargingFactsheetAug2013.pdf