Delay in getting Autosteer/AutoPark and Rain Sensing Wipers - We are owed a Refund

[CTgigawatt]

I'll be happy to throw my 2¢ in on this issue...

I just took delivery on my first Tesla last weekend (!)
I got a 2017 Model S 60D [ AP 2.0 Hardware / EAP Enabled / Full Auto Not Enabled ]

I must admit, while the car is truly incredible on the whole... I am disappointed with the suite of Autopilot-related features at this time. I drove a face-lifted AP1 this November and autopilot felt incredibly solid. While you can enable AP2 at low speeds, it feels INCREDIBLY SHAKY. I do not fully trust this system at this time. Summons is also nonexistent (something I was realllllllly looking forward to considering my parking situation).

Additionally, rain sensing windshield wipers and auto high beams are a MUST, and it was not explicit that these features would not be functioning on delivery.

I do think there should be some compensation for what is really a BETA AP2 experience with no summons, rain sensing, or auto high beams. We did pay for these features and they were sold to us with the limitations known.

HOWEVER, on almost every test drive / conversation I had with sales staff, I was told that Tesla was VERY CLOSE to bringing AP2 to AP1 functionality. After driving the car for a couple days it is CLEAR that this will take many months if not close to a year (a third of my lease). I will also say that AP functionality was the primary driver behind me finally ordering a Tesla, and the experience of the overnight test drive with a face-lifted AP1 car made me pull the trigger.

And lastly, Tesla owes it to AP2 owners/lessors to provide them more clarity on their schedule/timelines for rolling out additional AP2 features. Considering we are missing key features of 75k-150k+ car, we are at least owed the respect of being kept abreast of the timeline, as we are essentially BETA testers in a large R&D program that we did not necessarily sign up for!


Someone with more experience in dealing with Tesla corporate than me should point everyone in the right direction to whom we should contact. Like everyone says, you should write your congressman to make changes happen. Who is the Tesla equivalent of your local congressman?

 

[somnambule]

And that's because the contracts people signed with those companies have explicit clauses in them laying out schedules, timelines, penalties, etc. The contract you signed/agreed to when you ordered your Tesla has NONE OF THOSE THINGS.

You are the one who brought up those contracts in other industries. I was simply pointing out those contracts are not an appropriate analogy in the context of this discussion as they have very different provisions. Glad you agree with my point of view.

Oh, and you really don't need to yell in uppercase when all you are saying is exactly what I already said .

The fact you chose to sign the contract anyway and are now upset that something wasn't delivered by a date which was NOT LISTED IN THE CONTRACT AND IS NOT BINDING is your problem, not Tesla's. You may not like how they do business, but they have NOT broken any promises to you.

I didn't sign a contract for an AP2 car. I am not upset (I'm not the one yelling). I have an AP1 car that I'm very happy with. As someone who, based on my experience so far, has (and will continue to) recommend Tesla to anyone who would listen, I just wish Tesla would avoid these entirely avoidable causes for alienating their buyers. I agree any individual Tesla contract as currently structured is the individual buyer's problem. However, as this thread indicates, Tesla is pissing off their AP2 customers. That does become Tesla's problem at some point.

 

[drklain]

We're in agreement. Tesla's marketing efforts leave much to be desired because the are marketing like a tech/software company (where hyperbole and promises for stuff still in development is the coin of the realm in silicon valley). Unfortunately, they are selling in the automotive sector where people have very different expectations. Yes, Tesla is a "different kind of car company" but deviating too much from the industry is what creates these kinds of mis-understandings (and upset customers)....

 

[daktari]

This picture of a Model 3 from late June makes me worried about getting rain sensing wipers on my Model S.
Autopilot hardware on Model 3 • r/teslamotors

I do not believe I have that extra sensor, but I do have a different one that I presume is a light sensor. Or are they the same?
My cars was produced late December 2016.

 

[NerdUno]

And lastly, Tesla owes it to AP2 owners/lessors to provide them more clarity on their schedule/timelines for rolling out additional AP2 features. Considering we are missing key features of 75k-150k+ car, we are at least owed the respect of being kept abreast of the timeline, as we are essentially BETA testers in a large R&D program that we did not necessarily sign up for!

When the captain of the AP ship keeps jumping overboard, it's probably difficult to even find someone to develop a timeline.

Tesla’s Autopilot team grew by ‘over 50%’ in the past 6 months, says former VP of software

 

[whitex]

I'm just glad that I didn't purchase EAP or FSD on the AP2 car. Tesla still owes me auto-wipers and safety features like a functional blind spot alert. I was told Dec or Jan 2016 at the latest for all features when I bought too. No regulatory approval required for auto-wipers, so this is 100% Tesla's inability to delivery on what they promised. I already bought a 691hp car with 85KWh battery from Tesla once, neither of which turned out to be true (eventually Tesla fessed up that what I got was 463hp and 81KWh battery of which 77KWh is usable), so I thought I learned my lesson about Tesla/Elon hype, but it seems I was wrong they could get something seemingly as simple as auto-wipers working in few months. At least AP1 didn't cost me as much as they want to EAP, though it still doesn't do what it was promised it would do (reliable blind spot alert, ramp-to-ramp driving, summon anywhere on private property, etc).

I did tell the sales person that once FSD is able to drop me off at work, go park at home, then pick me up after work, I will fork over the premium $10K price for FSD. I intend to honor that if I still have the AP2 car by then. Elon says it will be "sooner than people think" but somehow I am skeptical whether it will ever happen on AP2 cars. They can't even get rain detection working in 6+ months and they think they can get FSD going before my bumper-to-bumper warranty runs out? LOL.

 

[whitex]

When the captain of the AP ship keeps jumping overboard, it's probably difficult to even find someone to develop a timeline.

Tesla’s Autopilot team grew by ‘over 50%’ in the past 6 months, says former VP of software

Actually, while being there for only 6 months he claimed on his resume that he stopped team attrition. Being able to claim that in 6 months of employment means that the average time before people quit was less way less than 6 months (since he didn't stop it on day 1). If people don't stick around more than 1 or 2 months, no wonder they can't even deliver rain-sensing wipers.

 

[BestRadar]

This picture of a Model 3 from late June makes me worried about getting rain sensing wipers on my Model S.
Autopilot hardware on Model 3 • r/teslamotors

I do not believe I have that extra sensor, but I do have a different one that I presume is a light sensor. Or are they the same?
My cars was produced late December 2016.View attachment 232298

AP1 vehicles had sensors for the windshield wipers.. Some moron had the idea that the additional sensors were not needed and they figured they could use the cameras for everything. So to save what maybe $30 per vehicle they scrapped the sensors to share the cameras for yet another function. If they are going back to sensors it only makes sense but removing them in the first place was very stupid.

 

[alcibiades]

Update:

Model 3 rain/light sensor.

 

[The Duke]

I have to LOL at those who bought AP2 and expected full autonomous driving in their immediate or near future. Have they learned nothing from politics or software?
Either use it as is to develop the software, wait for others to do that or buy something else and see how that works.

 

[YauKwan]

I didn't read the entire thread. I'll take money back if it comes to that but overall I'm not too worried about that, really $5000-$8000 on a potential 140k car? You really shouldn't have bough the car if you couldn't afford it? If you got FSD on a lease, well... i cant help you there.

You do realize that even without AP, this car you drive is AMAZING right and there is NOTHING comparable.

In addition to how it drives, Its also the SAFEST car on the road. People survived driving off mountains and running into semi. Try that in a Porsche or other similarly priced car.

You NEVER pay anything for gas. Not having to stop at a gas station alone is worth it to me. That disgusting toxic smell, the ridiculous price fixing/gouging and constantly having to compare one price with another to save a PENNY per gallon.

Not only that, have you purchased a ICE at the dealer? Sleazy sales people with far less knowledge about the car than you, going back and forth to his "manager" to see what price they can gouge you at? Spending hours and hours of your life working with these crappy people to get a car that never lives up to expectations and only gets WORSE as you drive it.

Oh yes, when you drive a Tesla, you are a mini celebrity. The combination of AWE and Confusion is so funny to see. In no other car have i had people yelled from across the parking lot asking me about the car. No one ever yells, "Hey is that a TOYOTA?"

AP2 as it stands is functional on highways, I've take two long distance trips and its been awesome. If they get it even smoother or working on local roads, im ok with that. I'm in IT, programming is not easy. Programming for real world variables where errors can get people killed, that is mind boggling to me.

Auto high beams and auto rain sensor, seriously that's the complaint? Having to flip a stalk to turn on high beams and twisting it for wipers is NOT taxing either mentally or physically.

We have come so far in such a short amount of time in this car, that people are failing to realize the magic that is happening every time you step into this car. It has change the future of the auto industry and transportation. There is a technological revival of the auto industry, driven by the technology available in this car today. Please don't take it for granted, this car is the Apple IPhone of 2007. I'm strapped in front and center waiting for all the new innovations that will come because of what this car has started.

 

[alcibiades]

I'm terribly confused: why would you two previous posters think that wanting rain-sensing wipers implies anything about fiscal situations or a complaint about no FSD?

 

[The Duke]

I'm terribly confused: why would you two previous posters think that wanting rain-sensing wipers implies anything about fiscal situations or a complaint about no FSD?

Maybe read the OP?

 

[alcibiades]

Maybe read the OP?

Then quote the OP when you're responding to a post from 5 pages ago that no one else is presently discussing in the thread. LOL. Noobs.

 

[xyeahtony]

I have to LOL at those who bought AP2 and expected full autonomous driving in their immediate or near future. Have they learned nothing from politics or software?
Either use it as is to develop the software, wait for others to do that or buy something else and see how that works.

Elon's naysayers have always been proven wrong so i'm gonna take his side on this one.

 

[MS16]

In addition to how it drives, Its also the SAFEST car on the road. People survived driving off mountains and running into semi. Try that in a Porsche or other similarly priced car.

Don't mean to burst your bubble, but the Model S didn't even earn a Top Pick safety rating from the IIHS. The roof strength of a Chevy Bolt is stronger than that of a Model S.

 

[drklain]

You keep spouting this. The roof of a Tesla held far more weight than a Chevy Bolt. The Bolt got a higher score because they score it as a ratio to vehicle weight and the bolt is a much lighter car. Put the amount of weight put on top of a Tesla on a Bolt and see what happens....

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Don't mean to burst your bubble, but the Model S didn't even earn a Top Pick safety rating from the IIHS. The roof strength of a Chevy Bolt is stronger than that of a Model S.

IIHS also says the Model S LED headlights suck.

 

[jumpingdog]

Tesla should not charge post purchase premium for EAP or AP activation when features aren't perfected yet. Why penalize clients for wanting to wait and see if/when the kinks are fixed before committing to the options? Early adapters may still opt to enable EAP at their discretion but others shouldn't be charge more for waiting.

 

[Mattzilla]

If folks who bought AP2 cars are upset now, wait until Tesla realizes the current hardware suite is not enough to achieve full autonomy and they release AP2.5. And of course AP2.5 will NOT be retrofittable to AP2 cars. Instead you will be encouraged to buy a new car and all the hype will be around AP2.5. You feel defeated now, how defeated will you feel when you are left in the dust with a car that cannot do what was originally promised?