Hill Hold Function

[jerry33]

So, is the consensus that the Creep feature will only apply power to the motor when the brake is released?

That's how it works in the Prius. However, you have to have your foot firmly on the brake or it uses about 500W according to those who have measured it. In the Prius you can tell if you've pressed hard enough because the wheels on the energy display are moving when creep is on.

 

[Discoducky]

It is unlikely that power will be applied while your foot is firmly on the brake. Someone with a car could check this out by reference to the consumption numbers.

Relatively likely is some kind of transitional effect - to get it smooth, quite likely they have to power the motor before the brake is fully released. If so, this would theoretically represent a tiny inefficiency and so reduce range - but so small an amount you couldn't measure it.

That's how it works in the Prius. However, you have to have your foot firmly on the brake or it uses about 500W according to those who have measured it. In the Prius you can tell if you've pressed hard enough because the wheels on the energy display are moving when creep is on.

Thanks to you both, but based on this I would prefer just hill hold. It would seem that creep would be too much of an 'ICE like' feeling for me. For instance I'd rather come to a stop and then not have to keep my foot on the brake. When on a slope I'd rather the car not move forward on it's own since it would necessitate too much power to be effective.

However, creep in reverse would be very helpful and I believe necessary for safety as I'd like to keep my foot on the brake and feather it rather than use both pedals.

Having an option to have only hill hold for forward and creep for reverse would be optimal for me.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

... For instance I'd rather come to a stop and then not have to keep my foot on the brake. ...

Keeping your foot on the brake is ideally so that if someone plows into you from behind you can avoid being pushed into an intersection. Similarly, you shouldn't turn your wheels while in a turn lane until you are going to turn since if someone hits you really hard from behind you will go into oncoming traffic.

Rare cases, but it does happen. I've seen them both.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

I agree, I'd like this too.

+1 for that. I like the no-creep feel a lot when moving forward but, do want creep in reverse alone for safety.

 

[contaygious]

Interesting. Has any car had creep only in reverse though? Seems like it would just confuse some drivers. I do like creep in traffic personally. It's great up hills.

 

[Cottonwood]

Just remember that creep mode as currently implemented is not a hill hold. It is more like a small force with some friction.

1. On flat ground, it creeps.
2. On gentle slopes against the creep, it stops.
3. At steeper grades against the creep, the car rolls down the hill.

 

[Robert.Boston]

Let me reiterate that a Hill Hold feature would be really, really useful. Driving around yesterday underscored this lack. Here in New England, it's not uncommon to have the main road elevated relative to the intersecting secondary roads. So, I'm waiting at the stop sign, on a moderately steep incline, waiting for traffic to clear to turn onto a main road. I really wasn't expecting the roll-back as I shifted my foot from the brake to the accelerator!

 

[Doug_G]

Would be a nice feature occasionally, but anyone who has driven a manual transmission is completely used to this.

 

[PattyChuck]

Would be a nice feature occasionally, but anyone who has driven a manual transmission is completely used to this.

The difference is that any manual driver worth their salt can mitigate or eliminate any rollback by proper clutch/brake/gas work. If you let the clutch out just enough to catch the rollback, by the half second it takes you to switch from brake to gas, there should be no backward movement. However, the Model S does not have anything preventing the slight rollback between brake and gas foot movement. My concern would be that new drivers might panic with the rollback, and then reactively stomp on the accelerator, thus smashing into not only the car behind them, but the car in front of them! (Yeah, I know it's an extreme example.:tongue

 

[contaygious]

I drive up some of the steepest hills out there in sf and I have had no issues with creep. Sure hill hold would save me a tiny bit of work, but its not on my high priority list anymore. My biggest issue with sf hills before was not screeching the tires when going up from a standstill, but needless to say, the s has no issues whatsoever on hills. I flew up to twin peaks like I was going downhill with ease.

 

[Robert.Boston]

While I agree that Hill Hold isn't a do-or-die feature, it's something that the "best car" should have. It's a feature in many other cars, and it could be implemented entirely within Model S software. "Make it so!"

 

[jerry33]

The difference is that any manual driver worth their salt can mitigate or eliminate any rollback by proper clutch/brake/gas work. If you let the clutch out just enough to catch the rollback

I was taught that using the clutch that way was bad driving (and most of the vehicles I've driven were manual).

 

[EcoHeliGuy]

Letting the clutch slip why driving yes, letting the clutch slip for a split second while your other foot transfers from the brake to the accelerator is essential.

My manuel MINI Cooper has hill assist. And at first I felt I didn't want it, but it grew on me with in weeks. Tesla could easily add this feature in a future update. My understanding is when the car is off or in park there is a electronically activated parking Brake applied to the rear wheels. There are also accelerometers used in the car for activating the brake lights during regen. All Tesla would need to do is hold the parking brake when the car is stopped and on a hill. Once the brake pedal is released, the car would release the parking brake when there is measured speed, or a few seconds has passed. Only difference is that my MINI uses the automatic braking system. I'm sure tesla could as well. Again should be nothing more then a software update.

 

[PattyChuck]

I was taught that using the clutch that way was bad driving (and most of the vehicles I've driven were manual).

Rats.

Rats.

Rats.

Well, poo. I drove my Wrangler like that using the clutch for about eight years, because that's the way I was taught. Thanks a ton, Uncle Eddie...

 

[Robert.Boston]

Reading these articles underscores how great EV technology is. Synchromeshing gears...how last millenium!

 

[Francis Lau]

I have been driving my new baby for a few days now and I would say that hill hold would be a very nice enhancement. Since the Model S is quite heavy, it rolled back quite a bit once. Since then, I would use my left foot on the brake and right foot on the accelerator. The first few times I did this, the car showed a warning that I had both pedals pressed. Now, after several tries, I can do it without the beep. But it should not be so difficult Tesla, please add a hill hold function.

 

[NJS1207]

I have been driving my new baby for a few days now and I would say that hill hold would be a very nice enhancement. Since the Model S is quite heavy, it rolled back quite a bit once. Since then, I would use my left foot on the brake and right foot on the accelerator. The first few times I did this, the car showed a warning that I had both pedals pressed. Now, after several tries, I can do it without the beep. But it should not be so difficult Tesla, please add a hill hold function.

I agree. If using one foot you have to move pretty quickly from brake to accelerator to prevent significant roll-back. I am hoping hill-hold is on the short list for new features.

 

[bbmertz]

Here is an update on the status of the hill hold function posted yesterday on the Tesla MS forum:

pahlemann@seque... | JANUARY 30, 2013
Here is the answer from Tesla:
Hi Peter,

Douglas forwarded your question to me, I’d be happy to assist. I went ahead and contacted our development team, but they unfortunately do not have an update with a ETA on when that feature will be implemented. It is a request we have heard from many customers and one that we are pursuing, but for right now we don’t have a set time frame for its release. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Best,

Derek Shu | Ownership Experience Advocate
3500 Deer Creek Road | Palo Alto, CA 94304

 

[JohnQ]

Here is an update on the status of the hill hold function posted yesterday on the Tesla MS forum:

pahlemann@seque... | JANUARY 30, 2013
Here is the answer from Tesla:
Hi Peter,

Douglas forwarded your question to me, I’d be happy to assist. I went ahead and contacted our development team, but they unfortunately do not have an update with a ETA on when that feature will be implemented. It is a request we have heard from many customers and one that we are pursuing, but for right now we don’t have a set time frame for its release. I apologize for the inconvenience.

Best,

Derek Shu | Ownership Experience Advocate
3500 Deer Creek Road | Palo Alto, CA 94304

Might not like the answer but I love that they have this degree of transparency!

 

[brianman]

Might not like the answer but I love that they have this degree of transparency!

Very much agreed, JohnQ.