MASTER THREAD: all Smart Summon-related posts go here

[PoitNarf]

It’s been reported today that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has started gathering info on the handful of minor accidents and near misses that have happened while using Smart Summon: https://www.reuters.com/article/tesla-safety-nhtsa/update-1-u-s-auto-safety-agency-notes-tesla-accidents-with-smart-summon-feature-idUSL2N26N1AN

NHTSA says they’re in contact with Tesla about this. If we continue to see a steady stream of reports of crashes while using Smart Summon it’s possible that NHTSA could act and require Tesla to either scale Smart Summon back or even temporarily disable it until Tesla can improve the reliability of the feature. What do all of you think? Will NHTSA or some other regulatory agency do anything about this? Personally I hope that NHTSA just gives Tesla some sort of stern warning but doesn’t force them to nerf or disable Smart Summon.

 

[Tam]

...handful of minor accidents and near misses...

NHTSA is heavily data-driven.

There have been a couple of minor (superficial but expensive) garage collisions but they were in private residential homes, not public places.

I saw on social media that there have been 2 minor parking traffic accidents (superficial) but they were the results of the other cars pulling out of their parking spaces without yielding to the Tesla and they hit those Tesla cars which had the right of way (of course, if Tesla had programmed the automatic honking, that might help to alert those drivers from pulling out of their parking spaces but the programmers are not catching up there just yet).

There have been no reports of any airbag events.

There have been no reports of any human harms, not even a scratch!

And these are out of over half of a million Smart Summon sessions in the past few days so far.

There have been shocks or panic reactions because it doesn't behave like human drivers.

These are sensational news headlines just like the recent sleeping behind the wheel scandal coverage.

Sensational: Yes. NHTSA worthy: No.

 

[CharleyBC]

Hmm. I just went to the after-hours empty library parking lot to give Smart Summon my first try. I parked in a random spot, and walked to the front of the library. Come to Me made it back out, navigate a few turns and stops, and land right in front of where I was standing, although at a sort of angle that would have blocked others had they been present. I was delighted the whole way.

The second experiment "to target" was similarly successful and amazing.

Try #3 started out great, and then the car chose a shortcut which involved heading over a landscape island with large, very visible bushes and a curb. I stopped it just in time.

Try #4 was an almost straight shot to where I was standing. It started by strangely backing up, as though it was in a parking space, but it wasn't. And then it headed for the landscape island in #3.

Sigh.

2 outa 4 ain't bad?

 

[jsrawa]

I think there isn’t much NHTSA can do. Tesla has said that Smart Summon is programmed and you are directly told to only operate it on private property.

 

[notAnExpert]

I think there isn’t much NHTSA can do. Tesla has said that Smart Summon is programmed and you are directly told to only operate it on private property.

I didn't realize that NHTSA can't regulate vehicle safety on private property. As a hypothetical example, say there were a bunch of battery explosions or fires that happened while EVs were plugged in at home. Would NHTSA not be able to investigate that and regulate vehicle manufacturers to follow certain battery safety standards? Is there a different government arm that would regulate that?

 

[Daniel in SD]

However if everyone wants to "pile on" to the title of this thread.....then.....hold the door open for the NTHSA.

This thread is helping people by showing them how not to use Smart Summon. I don't really understand what your complaint is. It is the threads showing people successfully using Smart Summon incorrectly that are the problem.

 

[victorlukito]

I did the same. In the less traveled lots it is a great feature. In the busy lots, there are too many drivers and pedestrians.

I had a couple interesting summon experiences yesterday. First one was the usual experience where the car stops because there are other cars along its path. It's no big deal b/c I just jump into my car and go. The second one I was at my gym parking lot, and wanted to show some people the feature. My car was parked past the circle so I had to come closer to it. It did it's usual thing where it's about to come to me, and a few ladies were walking on its path so again I just walk to my car at that point.

The application of enhanced summon, for me, is best when I'm solo because then I can just jump into my car. It can save me about 10-30 seconds when used properly. If I drove it everyday, that can add up to almost 3 hrs of your life in a year. I try to use it when I can see my car's planned path is safe. However, there are cars coming in and out of their spaces. Is that worth the potential of a fender bender?

 

[whitex]

Do smart summon accidents count towards Elon's "accidents while on auto pilot" statistics? If they do, Elon might just disable it himself.

 

[JulienW]

I didn't realize that NHTSA can't regulate vehicle safety on private property. As a hypothetical example, say there were a bunch of battery explosions or fires that happened while EVs were plugged in at home. Would NHTSA not be able to investigate that and regulate vehicle manufacturers to follow certain battery safety standards? Is there a different government arm that would regulate that?

If on private property they would have to get permission to investigate or obtain a warrant if the property owner refuses. They can implement regulations but they only apply to public roads. So you can build a car to ANY standards (no lights or brakes for example) as long as it remains on private property. Looks like Summon falls in a very gray area.

 

[smartypnz]

Cop pulls over driverless Tesla. Looks staged to me

Didn't know police could ticket a 'violation' in a private parking lot. Our local police would not let just anyone walk up to (impede) a traffic stop.

 

[mswlogo]

I would like to point out NHTSA has no ruling effect on ANYTHING used on private land. Want a 10 year old to drive a car with out a license plate? You can on your 10 acre farm. You might be charged with child endangerment, but the NHTSA has nothing to say about it. Want to drive a car with no brakes or lights, you can on private land. Want to build a vehicle that's not road worthy? you can. It's called Nascar racing. Why? it's private land.

I think this is exactly why Tesla chose to work on Smart Summon as the next step in FSD. Before going on Govt regulated public streets.

 

[NedH]

In many states publicly accessible roads in a shopping center parking lot for example are considered public roads for traffic laws.

 

[jordanair45]

I think it works pretty good and the new update doesn’t let people customize summon anymore making it even more safe.
I don’t think they can do anything because it’s not used on public roads

 

[DopeGhoti]

Didn't know police could ticket a 'violation' in a private parking lot. Our local police would not let just anyone walk up to (impede) a traffic stop.

They (generally) cannot.

 

[TheLocNar]

Using advanced summon in the gym parking lot kinda defeats the point of going to the gym, doesn’t it?

 

[whatthe2]

They (generally) cannot.

In Colorado you can be ticketed for Careless or Reckless driving on private property. Not sure about other states.

 

[miemrich]

I still have this problem with "phone waiting for improved phone location accuracy". I'm on FW Rev. 10, Version 2019.32.11 and my phone app is 3.10.0. I have a X100D with 2.0 Hardware.


Still on Android 9. My phone is a Huawei Mate 20 Pro with EMUI 9.1.0.

Any solutions out there?

Thanks.

 

[Garlan Garner]

This thread is helping people by showing them how not to use Smart Summon. I don't really understand what your complaint is. It is the threads showing people successfully using Smart Summon incorrectly that are the problem.

It's not that simple and I believe you know it.

Its not about only about helping people to not do anything.

You should talk to the NHTSA then. Tell us what they are looking at. Are they reading information from threads like this? Absolutely they are. Don't try to reduce the scope of this thread about how not to use it.

Please.

Trashing Tesla as this thread has done is NOT mature. Its childish. And I know you can find many posts that are doing that in this thread.

As I stated over and over and over. If you don't like it..then don't use it. That's how simple it is.

 

[Economite]

As I stated over and over and over. If you don't like it..then don't use it. That's how simple it is.

I don't use it.

But I also don't want to be having to deal with people who are using it while I'm trying to park or find a parking space. And I don't want my car to be hit by a driverless Tesla owned by someone who is "testing" this toy.

So, no, that's not how simple it is.

 

[LakeWorthB]

And it should come down to comparing Smart Summon to normal drivers. What is the chance of getting in a fender bender just driving in a parking lot. I could imagine it would be something like 1:1000 chances.