Model S Software/Firmware wishlist

[EchoDelta]

I'm not crazy, right? There's currently no way to display nearby plugshare/recargo/etc chargers as little icons on the main nav map? (I'm not talking about the web browser) If not, then being able to integrate the programs with the map is an essential firmware upgrade IMHO (maybe as an app someday?).

Plus the ability to copy and paste from the browser into the nav search bar, or just highlight text in the browser and click "call this number" or "navigate here" etc. Would have helped me about 5 times in 5 days already. (I would think this would be an easy peasy firmware upgrade to accomplish)

Same here. I drive a phev right now and it drives me nuts the onboard computer has apps to find nearby cheap gas but no charger map.

They use google maps. They could embed a KML feed from Plugshare in a few minutes and call it a day. Or do a better job with a minimal effort.

 

[Rheazombi]

They use google maps. They could embed a KML feed from Plugshare in a few minutes and call it a day. Or do a better job with a minimal effort.

yes, and they could make it so the list of chargers shows up on the map whether or not you have 3G connectivity/cellphone signal (info is stored locally on the harddrive or whatever), so that when you are in the middle of nowhere you can still find a place to charge (ie: when you need that info the most).

edit: my SO just had a good idea: how does the car know your location if you are off the cellphone grid? Well, it could calculate where you are based on accelerometers/odometer to determine where you went once you left cellphone tower 'airspace'. (this is some futuristic stuff right there, lol) Or you could just input the town you are in if you know it.

other UI idea: make chargers that show up on the map a certain color based on whether you could theoretically reach them based on your current battery state!

AHH just had another great idea... (yes it is a bit handholding, but as EVs get more popular it may be necessary...) --> The car could warn you if you are about to leave a safety bubble of chargers: based on your current battery charge, and the list of nearest chargers, the car could warn you " You must start heading toward a charger within 5 miles if you don't want to be stranded" , etc. It could account for outside temp/battery temp, hills, etc. (I think I am describing something from firmware upgrade 12.0 , lol)

 

[HankLloydRight]

how does the car know your location if you are off the cellphone grid?

Uhhhh.. The GPS always knows your fairly precise location unless you're in a tunnel or in very rare cases these days you can't get satellite reception. It works just fine without cellular connectivity.

Also many people have already proposed when running low on charge that the map draws decreasing radius circles on the map of your expected range to give you a good visual of nearby chargers. You're not the first one to suggest that.

 

[Rheazombi]

Uhhhh.. The GPS always knows your fairly precise location unless you're in a tunnel or in very rare cases these days you can't get satellite reception. It works just fine without cellular connectivity.

Also many people have already proposed when running low on charge that the map draws decreasing radius circles on the map of your expected range to give you a good visual of nearby chargers. You're not the first one to suggest that.

I was under the impression the GPS was internet based (like many smartphones), but that's a good thing if it's not. Also, I am currently going through this whole thread but I'm still at post #200 or so. Don't take my excitement at coming up with something as me desiring a cookie.

 

[HankLloydRight]

I was under the impression the GPS was internet based (like many smartphones), but that's a good thing if it's not.

Actually most all (if not all) smartphones actually have a real GPS radio receiver to pick up the GPS signals and determine location, without any 3G or internet access. Even pre-smartphone phone (flip phones) had some level of GPS radio in order for E911 to work.

But having either 3G or Wifi helps make the location tracking on the phone more accurate, but neither are required for GPS functionality. If you don't believe me, take your smartphone, turn off 3G/4G/LTE and Wifi, and try finding your location. Now the maps might not load properly (say, if you're using google maps), but the GPS will still work. The same is true for the Model S.. the GPS will always work, regardless of any internet connectivity... but you won't get Google Maps to display, since that does need some level of connectivity.

 

[Rheazombi]

That's good that the car can still probably know your location, but without detailed maps I wonder how functional it is. My firmware idea was specifically about charger locations so if there was a way to have a built in list of chargers on a base map so when out of cell tower range it might still be able to get you there, but I'm realizing now that base maps usually don't even have street names listed :/

So the question is, how functional is the Model S map software when out of range of cell towers? Does anyone have experience with this? Does it go completely blank/how low-res is the base map underlay? Even best case scenario it still wouldn't be able to route you there, right? so could definitely be a problem... (Again, I'm thinking more about what would be help the general public at large avoid range issues as EVs become more popular - thus more potential PEBKAC)

All of this is making me think I should keep my Garmin 62Sc when I'm traveling (I often end up in places with zero cellphone bars), maybe with some pre-loaded charger waypoints...

 

[znino]

That's good that the car can still probably know your location, but without detailed maps I wonder how functional it is. My firmware idea was specifically about charger locations so if there was a way to have a built in list of chargers on a base map so when out of cell tower range it might still be able to get you there, but I'm realizing now that base maps usually don't even have street names listed :/

So the question is, how functional is the Model S map software when out of range of cell towers? Does anyone have experience with this? Does it go completely blank/how low-res is the base map underlay? Even best case scenario it still wouldn't be able to route you there, right? so could definitely be a problem... (Again, I'm thinking more about what would be help the general public at large avoid range issues as EVs become more popular - thus more potential PEBKAC)

All of this is making me think I should keep my Garmin 62Sc when I'm traveling (I often end up in places with zero cellphone bars), maybe with some pre-loaded charger waypoints...

The main point is that the Model S does NOT cache any of the google maps information so if you are in a zone with no internet connectivity (and this has happened to me when going through some more rural or mountain areas), the maps on the screen just dissapear and the Red triangle representing the car remains on the screen (in its exact longitude and latitude position mind you, but there is no map information to assign to it). If you have programmed a destination prior to losing the internet connectivity, you will continue to get turn by turn guidance, time to destination information and the GPS maps and route on the dash as this information is not handled by Google maps and the base maps info for the turn by turn navigation on the front dash IS local in the car. It does NOT need any internet to display. Since you always have your GPS position and you always have your local turn by turn maps (for the dash screen) available without internet, you would always have your nav available. You just lose the Google maps view. If you have any favorites or recents etc in your list, you can also select those at any time and then navigate to them. IF you have to search for a new address or a new point of interest, and your internet is down, then you are screwed. So I do not think you need to keep your Garmin in the car. I would just pre-load and search for your main destinations before a trip to ensure that they are in your recent locations or address book.

along the same lines of thought though, it would be amazing if the Model S could cache some Google Maps information.... at least for some zoom level and certainly around the general location you are driving in. This would help with the situation you described but also make normal driving around your usual areas much more pleasant as the refreshing of google maps on the screen can sometimes be painfully slow. I am tired of the tiles going blank while it refreshes when the internet speed happens to be slow.

 

[HankLloydRight]

That's good that the car can still probably know your location, but without detailed maps I wonder how functional it is. My firmware idea was specifically about charger locations so if there was a way to have a built in list of chargers on a base map so when out of cell tower range it might still be able to get you there, but I'm realizing now that base maps usually don't even have street names listed :/

So the question is, how functional is the Model S map software when out of range of cell towers? Does anyone have experience with this? Does it go completely blank/how low-res is the base map underlay? Even best case scenario it still wouldn't be able to route you there, right? so could definitely be a problem... (Again, I'm thinking more about what would be help the general public at large avoid range issues as EVs become more popular - thus more potential PEBKAC)

All of this is making me think I should keep my Garmin 62Sc when I'm traveling (I often end up in places with zero cellphone bars), maybe with some pre-loaded charger waypoints...

Those are all valid points, I don't know what happens to the maps when out of a service area. I know that Google won't allow Tesla to store the maps locally (I think I read that here on TMC)... but since they're already using GARMIN/NAVIGON for the dashboard display, those maps have to be stored at least once in the car. And there must be a hard drive or SSD in the car for all the software, having a basic map, with roads and road names for basic navigation doesn't take up much space (by today's standards), so it is possible for TM to have a "fallback" Nav function available, and yes, with some sort of update-able list of public charging stations, but that's data that PlugShare owns, so will they license that to Tesla?

 

[znino]

I know that Google won't allow Tesla to store the maps locally (I think I read that here on TMC)... but since they're already using GARMIN/NAVIGON for the dashboard display, those maps have to be stored at least once in the car.

Storing the maps locally and caching a certain amount of data are two different things. Tesla could certainly cache the most recent areas around where you are driving but that wouldn't solve the problem when going on a long trip. They basically chose to have Google Maps on the main screen and Garmin for the turn by turn navigation. I guess they didn't want to license both. As I said in my previous post, if someone is worried about not having GPS directions when going on a trip, just do a little planning and punch in all the destinations you might head to or need and once in your recent destinations you will be able to call them up and have turn by turn guidance and the dashboard maps. You just lose the ability to see a map on the big screen but presumably you are mostly concerned about being directed to your destinations.

 

[Bugeater]

Over a year ago my wife and I went on a 5540 mile trip around the western US in our Model S. There were many times when we had no 3g connectivity. No, you will not be able to SEARCH for new destinations WHILE you have no 3g. However, never were we without 3g for that long. Even when we arrived at Grand Canyon late in the evening, we still had maps showing where everything was. We just had no satellite images. We could pick new locations we found on the map and navigate to them. Also, when on a long trip, there are very few places where you don't get 3g back within some reasonable distance! Back then maps were NOT a big concern. Charging was always what we were worried about. Sure Plug Share can help, but we mostly charged at RV parks! They almost always have 40 amps @ 240V! And most of them are very welcoming. Add all the friendly RV parks to Plug Share and then you'd have something really useful!!!

 

[znino]

Even when we arrived at Grand Canyon late in the evening, we still had maps showing where everything was. We just had no satellite images. We could pick new locations we found on the map and navigate to them.

If you have maps showing up and if you can pick new locations and select them to navigate to is necessarily means that at that time you DID have 3G connectivity and therefore you DID have satellite images. The satellite images are exactly the same as the maps. They are fixed images sent as tiles to the car over 3G. They have nothing to do with actual connection to any satellite in real time or GPS. They are simply 'data', identical to the maps.

If you did not see satellite images I suspect that it was probably that you had very low internet signal and your data throughput was very low. Perhaps the satellite image tiles are larger size (in bytes) and therefore they take longer to load than the maps tiles. You may have then incorrectly concluded that the satellite images were not available. But again, if you have 3G, then you have 3G for any application that uses it (maps, satellite, traffic, web etc)

On the topic of Satellite view, just because many people do not realize this, although Google uses the word satellite, most of the high-resolution imagery of cities is aerial photography taken from aircraft flying at 800 feet (240 m) to 1,500 feet (460 m); for the rest of the areas, especially the high altitude renderings, the images are really from satellites. When you see your house and can clearly make out your car etc, those images were taken from low flying planes, not satellite

 

[Olen]

The car must already use internal sensors (in addition to the GPS) to track its location. By using the tracklog from teslams I could follow the movements of my car even inside the garage in the basement of our apartment-building. So the car had somehow logged my turns inside the garage to get in position and then reversing in to the spot, and I could follow them on the map.

 

[R²B]

May have been mentioned before but would love to have:

1. Native email client that aggregates popular email providers into a single streamlined inbox interface. Allows for sending and receiving of email via the touchscreen.
2. SMS integration with supporting Bluetooth devices. Allows for sending and viewing of SMS messages using the touchscreen while a compatible device is connected.

 

[znino]

The car must already use internal sensors (in addition to the GPS) to track its location. By using the tracklog from teslams I could follow the movements of my car even inside the garage in the basement of our apartment-building. So the car had somehow logged my turns inside the garage to get in position and then reversing in to the spot, and I could follow them on the map.

It's not so much a question of sensors. Most cars that have GPS (and the model s is no exception) use their GPS receiver for precise location but also take inputs from compass and speedometer to supplement the location when inside underground parking lots, tunnels etc. this is why if you go inside a long tunnel the cars position on maps continues to accurately display. The car locally knows it's speed and heading and will plot changes to location on the map using this information until it emerges, gets a good view of the GPS satellites and then corrects for accuracy.

 

[NoMoGas]

SECURITY: The option to NOT pop all the doors when getting in the car. This is one of those things that every manufacturer does but Tesla doesn't and it's only a matter of time before something happens and this gaping security flaw is exposed.

What features would you like Tesla to add in future versions of the firmware?

One minor feature I'd like to see is for the Model S to recognize via GPS when I'm close to home or any other location where I have a HomeLink signal saved and bring up the window on the 17" screen to open the garage door.

 

[pete8314]

It's not so much a question of sensors. Most cars that have GPS (and the model s is no exception) use their GPS receiver for precise location but also take inputs from compass and speedometer to supplement the location when inside underground parking lots, tunnels etc. this is why if you go inside a long tunnel the cars position on maps continues to accurately display. The car locally knows it's speed and heading and will plot changes to location on the map using this information until it emerges, gets a good view of the GPS satellites and then corrects for accuracy.

Exactly right. This is the one big advantage of factory navigation vs. a $200 TomTom.

 

[HankLloydRight]

It's not so much a question of sensors. Most cars that have GPS (and the model s is no exception) use their GPS receiver for precise location but also take inputs from compass and speedometer to supplement the location when inside underground parking lots, tunnels etc. this is why if you go inside a long tunnel the cars position on maps continues to accurately display. The car locally knows it's speed and heading and will plot changes to location on the map using this information until it emerges, gets a good view of the GPS satellites and then corrects for accuracy.

Just for future reference, it's called "dead reckoning".

Dead reckoning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dead reckoning is today implemented in some high-end automotive navigation systems in order to overcome the limitations of GPS/GNSS technology alone. Satellite microwave signals are unavailable in parking garages and tunnels, and often severely degraded in urban canyons and near trees due to blocked lines of sight to the satellites or multipath propagation. In a dead-reckoning navigation system, the car is equipped with sensors that know the wheel diameter and record wheel rotations and steering direction. These sensors are often already present in cars for other purposes (anti-lock braking system, electronic stability control) and can be read by the navigation system from the controller-area network bus. The navigation system then uses a Kalman filter to integrate the always-available sensor data with the accurate but occasionally unavailable position information from the satellite data into a combined position fix.

 

[DenT]

My Wish list... Charge cable unlock when i have my key and i press the plug button and security code to avoid to start the car when the car is in demo

 

[4SUPER9]

I'm sure that this was discussed in one of the previous 754 posts, and at least other threads as well:
The ability to see available SpC bays. TM clearly has this ability now, as I posted in the SJC thread. I was at the Hawthorne SpC today and took a look at their new and improved dashboard. Not only does it show how much energy each location is using, but it shows how many cars have charged there the last 24 hours, and most importantly, exactly how many cars are actively charging in real time, and even which bays are being used.

So, the technology is not only there, it is live. If this dashboard can show real-time usage and bay availability, down to the specific bay, then why can we not see that in our vehicles? At the very least, if not in our firmware, we should be able to view it as a webpage.

- - - Updated - - -

Here's another pic of the dashboard from Hawthorne today. My car is 2nd from the left.

 

[Gregsbeach]

The most obvious thing is: Why do we have side mirrors? Why are they not high def cameras? Less wind resistant and more stylish. Can be played on the two screens right by the speedometer.