How does Tesla find out about software issues

[Twiglett]

I'm really curious now about how Tesla finds out about issues with software/firmware releases.
All of the old email/phone channels have been removed and the website only runs on shortened pacific time business hours.
I was told to use the phone app to report issues, but that seems ridiculous as the only options are to contact roadside or request service.
There is "bug report" in the car, but that doesn't seem to actually contact anyone - and popular theory here seems to reinforce that idea.
Given all that, how do they know what needs fixing?

 

[Type 5]

Big report is the only thing I know of. I guess you could visit a Tesla Service Center, latch on to someone, to try and find a way to report problems.
Honestly, Tesla really sucks in Customer Service. It’s like they really try to make interaction extremely difficult.
That said I do love their products - I’m probably hooked for life!

 

[jjrandorin]

Big report is the only thing I know of. I guess you could visit a Tesla Service Center, latch on to someone, to try and find a way to report problems.
Honestly, Tesla really sucks in Customer Service. It’s like they really try to make interaction extremely difficult.
That said I do love their products - I’m probably hooked for life!

As he said, bug report doesnt actually go anywhere, it stays local to the car, so that is not "notifying tesla" of anything, unless you take your car in for service and they look at the cars logs at that point.

As an answer to the OP, the cars check in with tesla constantly so if you are talking about something that is actually broken and not working, they will know about that automatically. Note: "broken and not working" means exactly that, not "I dont like it".

Tesla does not seem to need, or want user feedback in that manner ("I dont like the new UI"). I am sure they have interns that trawl sites like this for super hot button issues, but in general they likely dont want or care about "I dont like XXX" user feedback.

Things like phantom braking, reboots, resets, etc... they will automatically know about as the cars themselves check in and upload all the data they collect. Tesla doesnt need "phone numbers / email addresses " etc for any of that.

What you are really asking is "How do I notify tesla of something I think is broken, or something I dont like" and the answer to to that is, "you dont, because they really dont care about direct feedback from users. Thats my opinion anyway.

 

[GtiMart]

I'll start by agreeing that there should be a support number of something to report and discuss issues. Taking an appointment to a garage or a ranger through the app seems too much for a software issue that they might not be able to fix right away.

Note that the "bug report" command in the car merely places a mark in the car's logs. It makes it easier for a tech to find out the subsection of logs he should look at when you have a problem and they come visit you. Logs can be huge... There's no way a human can sift through millions of lines of text to find the relevant line without having some kind of pointer. At the very least note the day and time when something happens to you so you can tell the tech when he comes.

Now, the car does connect back to the "mothership" (Tesla servers) sometimes as far as I know, to upload data. It's possible that some of the errors that happen in the car are automatically sent back. They probably also send back some tracking information about the features you have used. It's typically done in the software industry, as a way to know which features the users work with the most for example. It's obvious for web sites (it's already server-side) but is done in desktop software too. It can certainly be done in a Tesla. I'm sure an advanced software company like Tesla would do things like this.

Edit: Hah, sorry @jjrandorin, we posted at the same time.

 

[jjrandorin]

I should be clear and say that, in my post above I am not saying that "this is the right, correct way to do business". Far from it, in fact. I happen to be a big believer in customer service, and while in general when you get in front of someone in person at tesla they tend to do fairly well in that regard, before that point they are pretty poor.

I also understand why they are like this, but dont necessarily agree with their apparent stance. Just figured I would say "even though the above is my opinion, I am not putting this forth as good, or correct, or anything of that nature".

 

[Akikiki]

@jjrandorin, @GitMart, You are both correct. jjrandorin, they do have people reading social media and the forums. It does look like lately that tweeting the Tesla account or Elon makes a difference - sometimes.

GitMart, yes, you are right on the money about the bug report. Most important is exactly like you say, its critical to be able to let the tech know the date and time you filed the bug report, else they will not locate the marker.

Has anyone noticed that the Tesla.com forums were updated/written a few months ago? The people in charge are continuing to work on more features. Just because you don't see frequent implementation of features does not mean its not happening. You want to see something added/changed on tesla.com forums? Make a thread, talk about it briefly but concise. You need not justify it, just describe it.

Same people are a path to reporting an issue. Those people pass what's hot/going on - needs attention upstream. You want to report an issue that is affecting not just you but also others? Go to the Tesla.com forum, to the proper section and start a thread. Be concise try to be brief, but include an invitation/request that anyone else that might have the same join in and comment. The people in charge will pass it along. This has not always been the case. I'm not debating good or bad before. But this is how its being done. Do not expect the issue/problem to be recognized or a reply. Will not happen there.

And separate from that process, we know that local SC people read TMC. They do not acknowledge and never post. But there have been reports by owners frustrated with a problem with their cars within hours getting a call from their local SC and asked them to file a work request or bring their cars in. I can not claim for you that all SCs monitor the forums. But we know some do. There's no list of which do. If it happened frequently or even recently, we would all see examples. I have not seen it recently. But I know its happened within my SC and noticed comments from other owners about their SCs. I suggest no one rely on this as the source to get their car looked at or fixed.

I can not say how I know some things. Said all I can. Please don't ask for more.

 

[Sans-gas]

I'm really curious now about how Tesla finds out about issues with software/firmware releases.
All of the old email/phone channels have been removed and the website only runs on shortened pacific time business hours.
I was told to use the phone app to report issues, but that seems ridiculous as the only options are to contact roadside or request service.
There is "bug report" in the car, but that doesn't seem to actually contact anyone - and popular theory here seems to reinforce that idea.
Given all that, how do they know what needs fixing?

I once had an issue I considered serious enough that I called a salesman at a svc center with whom I had chatted. He gave me a number and got me to someone who cared. I’ve kept his number close, and that of the svc center.

I DO also do bug reports, where ever they go.

You can put your issue into the Mobile Service App. They’ll respond to you via the app. Maybe request a back with your question.

I know, not the best, but then I’ve disliked and gotten very poor service from a few svc managers in the past even when they were right in front of me smiling!

 

[Twiglett]

I ask because I used to alway send feedback on releases in about odd things happening etc. Nobody ever replied of course.
It used to concern me that there was no apparent way of letting them know stuff didn't work or did something stupid, like garage door opener doing nothing and needing a reboot to fix it for instance. How would they ever know that was an issue unless it wasn't working because it never sent the commands.
Oh well - not bothering to do anything to help seems to be the future, I can live with that.

 

[Jughead135]

It’s like they really try to make interaction extremely difficult.

QFT!!!

 

[Transformer]

It's great to hear that Tesla monitors the forums and that the official forum has improvements!

The car auto-reporting bugs seems likely but only for problems it detects.

Surely it can't detect that the safety warning icons are now hidden behind my hand and the steering wheel, and that probably violates safety standards.

People report here that with the latest update, the button to save driver seat adjustments is dimmed out. I'll bet the code doesn't detect that bug.

 

[Twiglett]

It's great to hear that Tesla monitors the forums and that the official forum has improvements!

The car auto-reporting bugs seems likely but only for problems it detects.

Surely it can't detect that the safety warning icons are now hidden behind my hand and the steering wheel, and that probably violates safety standards.

People report here that with the latest update, the button to save driver seat adjustments is dimmed out. I'll bet the code doesn't detect that bug.

They seem pretty determined to cut off all avenues of feedback. It also feels like the "beta" program is mostly selecting those who run youtube channels, so I have no expectation that feedback is even wanted any longer.
I'm guessing the only option is to use the options presented.
Time to start booking service calls for user interface issues etc

 

[BelgoTes]

The guy is the richest man on earth and you're surprised they don't care anymore about your feedback ?
What more could he expect ?

 

[Twiglett]

The guy is the richest man on earth and you're surprised they don't care anymore about your feedback ?
What more could he expect ?

Thank you for your insightful and on topic post, I'm sure it will be valued . . . . somewhere.