Autopilot Auto Park feature to solve charging problem

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

It just occurred to me that the Auto Park feature can be used to automatically move the car to another spot after charging is completed. This will solve the problem of cars that completed charging has to wait for the owner to come back to vacate the charging stall. Since the parking lots are considered private places so there should be no (little?) legal issue.
However, I am wondering how does the car figure out where to go to after? One way I can think of is to allow the Tesla Mobile App show the image captured from the windshield camera and highlight the area suitable for parking, and allow users to click it for the car to go.

1) It really needs to be able to plug and unplug.
2) It would need to find a nearby space, and know that it's OK to park there.

 

[smicker]

Haven't you seen Elon's promised automatic snake charger?

Yeah, me neither.

Charger prototype finding its way to Model S

 

[Max*]

Charger prototype finding its way to Model S

I saw that earlier and got a laugh. What a coincidence, huh?

 

[deonb]

Haven't you seen Elon's promised automatic snake charger?

Yeah, me neither.

Charger prototype finding its way to Model S

Unfortunate timing for Max on that one...

 

[gizmoboy]

Charger prototype finding its way to Model S

Seems like engineering overkill... A simple motorized rail that can raise/lower a charger attachment and shift left and right a little would do the job with far less engineering (though it wouldn't be as cool/creepy).

Definitely an easily soluble engineering challenge.

 

[deonb]

Seems like engineering overkill... A simple motorized rail that can raise/lower a charger attachment and shift left and right a little would do the job with far less engineering (though it wouldn't be as cool/creepy).

Definitely an easily soluble engineering challenge.

So would a wireless charger. No moving parts.

 

[Max*]

So would a wireless charger. No moving parts.

Now that would be cool.

There is a company working on wireless charging (more in the sense of "true" wireless charging, not placing the car on a chargepad type of wireless charging) for devices (I think they demoed it with a projector)

 

[Drucifer]

Haven't you seen Elon's promised automatic snake charger?

Yeah, me neither.

I have

https://www.facebook.com/teslamotors?pnref=story

 

[deonb]

Now that would be cool.

There is a company working on wireless charging (more in the sense of "true" wireless charging, not placing the car on a chargepad type of wireless charging) for devices (I think they demoed it with a projector)

Already available for the Nissan Leaf:
https://www.pluglesspower.com/

 

[Max*]

Already available for the Nissan Leaf:
https://www.pluglesspower.com/

That.Is.Cool

 

[ecarfan]

Charger prototype finding its way to Model S

Wow that is awesome! I remember watching the D launch last October and Elon talking about a "snake" cable that would plug itself in without assistance, he said "some of my engineers are hearing this in realtime" and then chuckling.

 

[ggies07]

nm.

 

[gizmoboy]

Already available for the Nissan Leaf:
https://www.pluglesspower.com/

Wonder how efficient this is?

"Fast 3.3kW Level 2 wireless electric vehicle charging system"

This thread is already here (of course).

 

[Drucifer]

wireless charging....yeah. 3.3. Supercharging or even HPWC 80 amp (or 40 amps) needs wires.

 

[Ingineer]

You might be able to boost the inductive coupler (Evatran/Plugless) up to 10kW, but you definitely aren't likely to hit supercharger levels anytime soon.

 

[Saghost]

Wonder how efficient this is?

"Fast 3.3kW Level 2 wireless electric vehicle charging system"

This thread is already here (of course).

~80% - a 12.5 kWh full charge for a Volt turns into 15 or so. So a ~100 kWh full charge turns into ~125 kWh...

 

[MorrisonHiker]

A year or two back, there was mention of a device that was being developed at a university in Europe. Instead of having a charging pad under the car that could cause problems (with cats, etc.), they were working on a device that would touch the front bumper. It would have the convenience of wireless charging since the driver wouldn't have to plug the car in but it also was much more efficient since it made a direct contact with the car. If you drove too far, it would fold over to prevent damage.

Found a link: http://www.fraunhofer.de/en/press/r...ging-electric-cars-efficiently-inductive.html

I guess it still uses induction.

[video]http://www.iisb.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/iisb2014/en/videos/FraunhoferIISB_InductiveCharging_510x294px.mp4[/video]

 

[Saghost]

I doubt this technology is 2 years out. They should be able to implement this within about the next year or so, certainly for superchargers.

I have a feeling part of the reason they made the Supercharger cords flexible is so that the cord can be easily manipulated into place mechanically...

Well, I thought the two years might be a little conservative - but I also made that comment before today's metal snake demo. If they have autopark together, the technology is there, it just needs refining and implementing.

 

[deonb]

~80% - a 12.5 kWh full charge for a Volt turns into 15 or so. So a ~100 kWh full charge turns into ~125 kWh...

You have that with a UMC as well.

 

[Saghost]

You have that with a UMC as well.

Nope. That's on top of the charging loss and overhead, which is why an 85 kWh battery can eat 100 kWh in the first place.