Caution - Selecting N (Neutral) by accident - almost caused accident

[CactusOne]

Just a word of Caution and I feel Tesla should address this..

Having only 1 stock on the steering wheel Column to engage autopilot issue..

It happend to me and also to my neighbor when I let him test- drive my M3.

On a busy street, my friend wanted to try out the autopilot and by accident instead of double tapping DOWN to select Autosteer, he went UP to N (Neutral). Now here is the issue, you cant just select D (Drive) and continue..you must come to a complete STOP and press the Brake Peddal to re-select drive!

We almost got rear ended and got to practice reading sign language again..

Just a word of Caution...

I feel Tesla should make a software change to not allow N to be selected while the car is in motion over set speed.

Thoughts?

 

[AEdennis]

Just a word of Caution and I feel Tesla should address this..

Having only 1 stock on the steering wheel Column to engage autopilot issue..

It happend to me and also to my neighbor when I let him test- drive my M3.

On a busy street, my friend wanted to try out the autopilot and by accident instead of double tapping DOWN to select Autosteer, he went UP to N (Neutral). Now here is the issue, you cant just select D (Drive) and continue..you must come to a complete STOP and press the Brake Peddal to re-select drive!

We almost got rear ended and got to practice reading sign language again..

Just a word of Caution...

I feel Tesla should make a software change to not allow N to be selected while the car is in motion over set speed.

Thoughts?

I've done this early in Model 3 ownership...

I was able to select drive while in Neutral...

Definitely a potential problem

 

[navinsiri]

I’m pretty sure you can select D while the car is rolling in N. I’ve done it many times in the S and a few times in the 3. Maybe you weren’t pushing down the two clicks.

 

[John Lamoureux]

I’m pretty sure you can select D while the car is rolling in N. I’ve done it many times in the S and a few times in the 3. Maybe you weren’t pushing down the two clicks.

How fast were you moving?

 

[boaterva]

And I'm sure Bjorn tested all combos, including Park, just to see what would happen... (Optimus Prime is going to bite him one day....)

 

[LCR1]

In the S you still have to press the brake to reengage drive. Not foot to the floor, just enough to engage the brake sensor.

 

[navinsiri]

How fast were you moving?

I've done it at highway speeds before

 

[kbecks13]

You definitely don't need to stop to get back into Drive, but yea this isn't the best design IMO. I also think they should change this somewhat (make it harder to go into neutral by changing it to 2 clicks instead of just 1)

 

[CactusOne]

Ok just went for a drive to test out this issue......

If you hold the stock up in N (Neutral) while moving above 10mph or so the car goes into Neutral. This is what appears to have happened on the test drive above to an unfamiliar driver..

Here is what I discovered and should share..there are TWO ways to get the Model 3 back into Drive

1) As the pop-up message states, you have to press COMPLETELY press the brakes. That means stopping = Dangerous (I tried just holding it down lightly and that did not work as suggested above.)

2) The PREFERRED method that I just found out was...while coasting in NEUTRAL double tap DOWN on the stock to get the car back into drive WITHOUT having to stop..


Hope this helps someone...

 

[SigNC]

I'm surprised this happens because up is the motion to turn off autopilot.

 

[kbecks13]

2) The PREFERRED method that I just found out was...while coasting in NEUTRAL double tap DOWN on the stock to get the car back into drive WITHOUT having to stop..

Yea, that's what we've been saying lol. It's not actually a double tap, just depressing the stalk to the 2nd stop and not just the first.

My main suggestion is to make it more difficult to go into Neutral by requiring pushing the stalk up to the 2nd stop and not just the first.

 

[Skidmark]

If you hold the stock up in N

The correct word is stalk, not stock.

 

[Electroman]

Why not have a separate friggin stalk for AP? Why this silly design?

 

[CactusOne]

The correct word is stalk, not stock.

Yeah, sometimes I hate auto correct...and I cant figure out how to edit post on this site..

 

[CactusOne]

I'm surprised this happens because up is the motion to turn off autopilot.

Conclusion and lesson learned. If the Stalk is HELD up the car goes into N (neutral)..either by accident or purpose. Best way I found to get back into drive? Double tap the Stalk down..same motion of engaging autopilot.

 

[Marsnaut]

This is one of my greatest worries. The stalk should not be in control of such a critical function.

I mentioned this in another thread way back when but when the stalk doesn't actuate/lock in place, it's like typing on a touchscreen without looking. This applies for turn signals and the drive stalk.

 

[Shygar]

Who needs neutral? To rev the engine at a stoplight? Bury it in the menu and take it away from the stalk.

 

[mongo]

Who needs neutral? To rev the engine at a stoplight? Bury it in the menu and take it away from the stalk.

Neutral disables regen which can be useful when on icy roads.

 

[Flekoun]

Neutral disables regen which can be useful when on icy roads.

How often do you use this? Have you ever truly used this?

 

[boiler81]

Who needs neutral? To rev the engine at a stoplight? Bury it in the menu and take it away from the stalk.

Automatic Car Wash: "Put car in neutral, foot off brake"