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My Model S is coming later this month, and this would be an unwelcome surprise if true. My wife only weighs 89 pounds and it will be a big problem if she can't start the car. =8-o
jcadman22
Tesla Owners Club Maryland
I haven't tested this myself, but realize that there is a difference between "on" (press the brake and the screens boot up) and actually being able to drive. I believe all of the criteria noted must be met to be able to drive the car. For what it's worth, i came out to the car last week and found my 9yo leaning on the drivers seat (pressing down with two hand from the back seat). She figured out a way to keep the music playing while I'm fixing my coffee in the morning.
As long as the UMC is plugged into the car, it cannot be started. It doesn't even need to have power. We've used this technique at shows to make sure no one accidentally starts up. Then the kids can play all they want and you'll know it's safe.
Todd Burch
14-Year Member
For the record, the car only shifts to park automatically if a door is open and you move a few feet in reverse. In drive, it still allows you to move but beeps at you the whole way.
Alexander
P# 8,878
You know what... I wouldn't be opposed to a software update that prevents the car from moving if ANY of the doors are open and/or if the driver's seatbelt isn't on.
Make it a child safety feature that you can turn on and off for those rare circumstances when you need to drive with a door open and/or your seatbelt off. It would be just one extra requirement for starting the car.
Maybe even make the pressure sensor weight limit changeable. For example, if you weigh 180lbs you could set the sensor to 170Lbs. I mean how many kinds under the age of 16 weigh over 170lbs?
As a parent who's 3 1/2 year old has already managed to turn the car on, I would turn all those features on if they were available to me.
Make it a child safety feature that you can turn on and off for those rare circumstances when you need to drive with a door open and/or your seatbelt off. It would be just one extra requirement for starting the car.
Maybe even make the pressure sensor weight limit changeable. For example, if you weigh 180lbs you could set the sensor to 170Lbs. I mean how many kinds under the age of 16 weigh over 170lbs?
As a parent who's 3 1/2 year old has already managed to turn the car on, I would turn all those features on if they were available to me.
All of this would require PIN access but is an excellent idea. A user selectable weight limit would be one only be one part of it since some kids are bigger these days than in the past. Maybe you could require PIN to even start the car for those parents that want that.
Alexander
P# 8,878
I thought about that too. But a PIN to start the car wouldn't work for me. My little one sees EVERYTHING I'm doing from the back seat. So if I was entering a PIN every time I sat down to start the car she would see it AND mimic it later, lol.
I think a PIN to turn off the safety features would defiantly work though. I would do it so infrequently that even if she did see it she probably wouldn't remember it.
Alexander
P# 8,878
Yea, nothings going to be full proof. But if Tesla implemented such safety's they would be the only manufacturer I know to do so. Would be just one more reason to buy Tesla 
