Is anyone else hating the auto door open upon keyfob unlock?

[FoxXxy]

I truly hope I'm missing something, because I can't find a setting to disable the driver's door from opening when I unlock my Model X from the keyfob. This may be the worst feature I've seen Tesla implement, because there's no control over it.

Three days ago I was walking to my Model X that was parked on the street. It was 100 degrees outside, so I unlocked the car at a distance so that the A/C would start running. Ten seconds later, I see three cars swerve unexpectedly when passing my Tesla. To my horror, as I got closer, I saw the front driver's door open wide into the oncoming traffic!

When I got to the car, the first thing I did was go into Settings and turn off the Auto-Present Doors function to stop this from ever happening again.

So what happens today? Same thing, except this time my husband unlocked the car with the keyfob and nearly clobbered a cyclist when the door opened without warning right in front of her. I hadn't mentioned that new functionality to my husband because I thought I had turned it off! I'm very lucky that cyclist was far enough back to swerve and skid to a stop in time, or I bet my husband would be enjoying a lawsuit right about now. Luckily, the cyclist was more fascinated with the Model X than she was angry about nearly smashing into the door.

Tesla needs to give me a way to turn off this stupid feature because I'll either lose the door to a passing truck or kill some poor soul on a bike who doesn't have lightning reflexes.

At least now I know not to unlock the door with the keyfob any more, but I shouldn't have to remember such a dumb thing! Now I'm stuck using the slow-as-molasses app on my phone to first wake the car, then wait for it to turn on the A/C, then confirm it's on.... at which point I'm already at the car.

 

[tezzla]

First world problems!

 

[Epymian]

I agree with foxXxy and wish I could turn this off. I would be fine if a triple click opened the door automatically. I get the idea behind it but just like auto-present, it is something I would like to have a setting for. Once you get used to it, it is probably something you might leave on all the time. I have had trouble in the following situation: sometimes if my passenger is at the car a few steps ahead of me, I like to unlock the front passenger door (and the car) without the driver door swinging out into traffic.

 

[Xminus6]

I don't have a Model X, but I'm quite sure you can activate the climate control on your Model X with the phone app. It's been a part of the Model S app for years.

 

[Jon]

I would suggest submitting a feature request / bug report via the request button. This has apparently been quite effective for other issues.

Thanks for the heads up.

Jon

 

[Gwgan]

Key fob just needs front door buttons. On a recent trip I found it very convenient to prepare the car as we approached by opening the rear hatch and the right FWD but would like to have also opened the passenger door and then my driver's door only after everyone else was tucked in and I could be sure there was room for it to open. Compounded functions and no remote access to the passenger door could be solved by front door buttons.

In fact, what I would really like, cute as it is, is to not have a fat fob with mechanical buttons at all but a thin card which first requires unlocking with thumbprint, swipe, or long press then presents a graphic with a few well placed texture reliefs and haptic feedback which offers full control of discrete remote features but which communicates with the car directly like the current key and not through the internet like the phone app.

 

[vandacca]

Since there doesn't appear to be a front door button on the key fob, I think the best solution would be to double-click roof to unlock. Then 2nd double-click (when already unlocked) opens front door.

 

[Cyclone]

Three days ago I was walking to my Model X that was parked on the street. It was 100 degrees outside, so I unlocked the car at a distance so that the A/C would start running.

I didn't know you could do that!! Is that an X only thing?

 

[Super_Popular]

I don't have a Model X, but I'm quite sure you can activate the climate control on your Model X with the phone app. It's been a part of the Model S app for years.

Exactly, makes no sense to unlock the car to turn on the a/c.

 

[Xminus6]

I didn't know you could do that!! Is that an X only thing?

I don't understand. Do you not know that you can turn on the climate control from your phone app? You can start the AC basically any time both you and the car have cellular access. You could do it from across the world if you wanted to.

 

[ccutrer]

I don't understand. Do you not know that you can turn on the climate control from your phone app? You can start the AC basically any time both you and the car have cellular access. You could do it from across the world if you wanted to.

I've personally not used unlock-to-start-AC, but I can see the reasoning. Whipping out your phone, finding the app, open it, WAIT for it to connect, turn Climate On, WAIT to see if it actually worked... Much much slower than reaching into your pocket and squeezing the key twice. That said I'm trying out the Remote S app, that has Apple Watch support. It's a bit confusing how to get to the screen to turn on climate, and WatchOS 2 is sooo slow (hopefully WatchOS 3 lives up to its claims), but it connects to the car faster, and more convenient to have it on my wrist for when I'm carrying a kid and happen to not be able to reach the pocket they're sitting on or something.

 

[Xminus6]

Hmm. I'm not even sure my AC goes on when I just unlock the car. I think it only turns on when I turn the car on by stepping on the brake. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Cyclone]

I don't understand. Do you not know that you can turn on the climate control from your phone app? You can start the AC basically any time both you and the car have cellular access. You could do it from across the world if you wanted to.

I knew that. I asked specifically about the Op saying I could do it from the fob only. There are times that makes sense for me.

 

[Hengist]

A long press to open driver door after unlocking with a double press would perhaps be good.

 

[Skotty]

I for one would absolutely HATE the door auto-presenting by double clicking the keyfob to unlock the doors. There are many many times when I want to unlock my car without actually getting into it right away, and I can imagine numerous scenarios where the door opening could be very problematic or even dangerous, as the OP has suggested.

Let me give you an almost every day scenario. Coming out to my car in a parking lot with my kid, who usually sits on the passenger side. I first unlock the car with the keyfob and then I help my kid into the back seat on the passenger side. Why would I want my driver door hanging open while I do this? Plus, it is not uncommon to have strangers getting in or out of their own car on the driver side of my car while I am helping my kid get in on the passenger side. The door opening on the driver side could cause all kinds of problems in such scenarios.

The auto-present front doors I think are probably the dumbest feature Tesla has ever added to any of their cars, but I was initially fine with it because I could just ignore it. But if it acts as the OP is saying and cannot be turned off, then this feature can no longer be ignored. I think my wife and I will be looking at getting an X some day, but if you can't turn this off, it will seriously make me reconsider.

Note: I'll have to think about this some more, but it might be less an issue on an X than it would be on the S. The problem with the S is that the auto-present handles don't always behave responsively nor does pushing on the handle. This is why I like to unlock with the keyfob, because the keyfob always works immediately. If the X behaves better in this regard then it would be tolerable to give up unlocking with the keyfob and just press on the door handle. Though this would still feel much more like taking a feature away instead of adding a new one.

 

[Gwgan]

Scotty, in your scenarios as you approach the car you can open the passenger FWD with the fob or wait until you are at the car and press the handle (but then stand and wait for it to open). You can then use the double-click to open the drivers door if you like or you can just press the handle when you arrive at that side of the car.

 

[cmc5dc]

I think it would be better to do away with some of these new features and keep it simple.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

First world problems!

I was a bit confused about this kind of response to someone who's husband almost clobbered a cyclist. Sure I get that you were trying to be funny, and it does seem like an extravagant luxury. But, when a feature has the potential to harm others without any benefit to society then it's not so funny.

But, then I saw you were a Trump supporter so that probably explains the difference in thinking. Even though it's not about politics at all.

Have fun with your wall.

 

[BigMskiman]

I've personally not used unlock-to-start-AC, but I can see the reasoning. Whipping out your phone, finding the app, open it, WAIT for it to connect, turn Climate On, WAIT to see if it actually worked... Much much slower than reaching into your pocket and squeezing the key twice. That said I'm trying out the Remote S app, that has Apple Watch support. It's a bit confusing how to get to the screen to turn on climate, and WatchOS 2 is sooo slow (hopefully WatchOS 3 lives up to its claims), but it connects to the car faster, and more convenient to have it on my wrist for when I'm carrying a kid and happen to not be able to reach the pocket they're sitting on or something.

Regarding Apple watch & Remote S use: Launch Remote S & slide sideways to their HVAC screen, 3D touch is implemented, so press your watch face to activate a new screen, and select what you wanna do from there. Max cool & max heat are options you'll have.

 

[Blastphemy]

Now I'm stuck using the slow-as-molasses app on my phone to first wake the car, then wait for it to turn on the A/C, then confirm it's on.... at which point I'm already at the car.

I don't have a Model X, but I'm quite sure you can activate the climate control on your Model X with the phone app. It's been a part of the Model S app for years.

I don't understand. Do you not know that you can turn on the climate control from your phone app?

Guess Xminus6 didn't read FoxXxy's original post, as she addressed his redundant comments. Reading comprehension, people!

Don't you know that turning on the A/C using the phone app takes up to a minute, while turning on the A/C by unlocking takes one second? So why would anyone use the phone app if you're within range with the keyfob? It's been part of the keyfob functionality for years.

Hmm. I'm not even sure my AC goes on when I just unlock the car. I think it only turns on when I turn the car on by stepping on the brake. Maybe I'm wrong.

Yes, when one unlocks the Model S or Model X with the keyfob, the A/C turns on (as does the radio, if it's playing Slacker or TuneIn). The A/C and radio also turn on in the X if you open a FWD or the trunk. Before this firmware update, you didn't need to worry about the front door opening into traffic when unlocking the car to turn on the A/C. Now Tesla has managed to both remove a useful, convenient feature and add a dangerous one, all in one fell swoop!