Project Palladium Wishlist - New Model S and X

[AMPd]

And, to add to the list:

A. Fix the friggin' NVH issues--a Model S should be the quietest interior on the planet.

B. Automatic GAIN on the radio's volume, aka "speed dependent volume." As the speed increases the issues in A. make the radio hard to hear . . . .

C. Shrink the door sills--they don't have to be as huge/tall with better crash safety software enhancements, and better use of material science advances (i.e. better metal).

D. Coat hooks. It's been almost NINE years and we still don't have them in the S?!?

E. Landscape format for the MCU, at 17" or larger, and keep the IP display in front of the driver too please.

F. Ditto on the Model S loaners. Buying a six-figure car and hearing, "Here are some Uber credits" just doesn't cut it . . . .

G. Bulletproof reliability, across the board. That means TEST, TEST, and TEST some more. Set up stronger warranty provisions with suppliers so that they too learn how to adopt Deming's Quality principles.

H. Consider inflatable A-pillars so they can remain shrunk until an impact (see recent patents on this) as the current pillars are huge blind-spot makers.

I. Interior materials should be better than Impala standard, especially the door seals. It seems every YouTube video shows a curled up window seal behind the driver . . . .

J. Paint that looks like you can swim in it.

K. Heated armrests--those would be cool.

L. Fludetic(sp?) washers, a la any Ford from the past few years?

M. Individual wiper motors, one per side, a la the Ford Fusion. Less noise and friction, better range.

N. Upgraded steering wheel rollers; current ones have a cheap feel and similar actuation.

O. Laser headlights.

More to follow . . . .

Agree with almost everything, except inflatable A Pillars, id rather not be a beta tester for something so crucial to safety of a vehicle.

 

[ICUDoc]

Heated armrests--those would be cool.

Nice list, but this one is
1. Incredibly luxurious
and
2. Logically inconsistent

 

[TSLA Pilot]

Yes, somewhat, but given the price of the Model S, and that both BMW and MBZ have heated armrests, well, consider the bar raised.

This isn't even the latest tech:

Mercedes-Benz is the current leader in heated-car-surface technology (a category we sort of made up), what with its top models offering heated armrests and door panels in addition to the usual heated seats and steering wheel. Now the automaker is eyeing a new interior component to heat: the seatbelts.

Mercedes-Benz Developing Heated Seatbelts - In the Name of Safety.

P. Of greater import, and already mentioned by another poster, is cooled seats. Tesla has a patent on some of the latest tech here--please use it! Current seats (that lost their ventilation fans about two years ago) can get quite heat soaked and then become very uncomfortable as a result (one cannot always pre-cool the car and even then, the seats have a lot of thermal mass):

Tesla Patents New Way to Heat and Cool Your Rear End

 

[Battpower]

Geesh, get off the leather people--I know that sitting on the skins of murdered animals was a "thing" back when we were children, but that time has long past.

I hope that synthetics can outperform leather on every front, and I'm absolutely against use of animal products if there is a viable alternative, but if there is leather produced with an ecological focus and in conjunction with necessary food production, I would not be totally against its use in a car. Most important is getting best value and longest life from the most appropriate materials imo.

Bulletproof reliability, across the board. That means TEST, TEST, and TEST some more.

Absolutely. Somewhere in the Tesla system there is an important part missing. Stupid stuff like rear camera image way too dark in low light with MCU2, random 'window down' messages and totally inconsistent and unreliable voice controls are just a few examples of poor quality control. Pushing out 'updates' that just don't work suggests that Tesla have plenty to fix before we start dreaming of the next round of products with their own over optimistic promises.

Automatic GAIN on the radio's volume,

I don't get why this wasn't implemented ages ago. Even really basic cars have this now.

Landscape format for the MCU

This would make sense, although 17" is plenty big enough imo. Landscape would really help unify layout across models and also free up sideways knee space. After (v8?) when you could no longer resize the browser, the mcu became far less flexible. I suppose you need a mix of fixed layout (for safe automotive use) and flexibility.

I would not go for a car with no IC or equivalent display, but a decent head-up display would be an alternative. The trouble is that Tesla seem happy to take consumer grade parts and put them in demanding applications hoping they will hold up. I would rather have effort go towards longevity and reliability than more and more extreme promises / features just to grab headlines.

 

[TSLA Pilot]

More on Fluidic washer nozzles:


When tested on actual vehicles against other nozzle types in simulated, real world conditions, the dlhBOWLES fluidic nozzle:

• Cleaned 62% -70% faster
• Used 65% -74% less fluid to clean
• Allowed for 53 -65 more cleanings per bottle fill
• Pre-wet an area 19 -23 times larger
• Held spray position better at all road speeds
• Greatly improved visibility and driver safety
• Dramatically reduced smearing, streaking
• Significantly reduced wiper blade wear

Source:
Nozzles - dlhBOWLES

Also, this patent was from the previous century; they should have been on Teslas from 2008 on but I guess they rarely have to clean their windshields in CA . . .

US5749525A - Fluidic washer systems for vehicles - Google Patents

 

[vic1]

Count me out when it comes to all the motorized seats, doors, frunks, ports, etc etc etc. Each a new and unique opportunity to experience Tesla’s service organization. No thanks.

Hi everyone, few weeks ago we first heard the leak about "Project Palladium" - a big refresh to the premium models S and X. Currently it is unknown what changes it will bring, so I decided to speculate and make my own wishlist of updates, improvements and features that the new models hopefully would feature. Just wanted to share it with you guys. Any features that I've missed? Feel free to comment below and tell me what you think!


Project Palladium Wishlist

1. Big changes:
• Design refresh (exterior and interior)
• New battery technology (project roadrunner) - better range, faster charging
• Plaid version

2. Features that should be streamlined between the S and the X:
• Motorized doors that open when approaching them and close when the break pedal is pressed (or by pressing the key on the screen or on the fob)
• Magnetic sun visor

3. Newer features that the 3 and/ or the Y already have, that the S and X lack:
• Hidden air vents
• Passive entry and exit (with Bluetooth)
• Key cards
• Chrome delete (door handles, side mirrors, blinkers, pillar trim)
• Cabin camera
• Frunk polymer seal
• Trunk vents
• Buttons instead of door handles
• Completely motorized charging port
• Heat pump instead of resistive heat system (for better range)
• Radar heaters
• Panoramic roof (at least for the model S)
• Landscape screen instead of Vertical screen (?)

4. Features that other luxury EVs already have that the Teslas are missing:
• Cameras instead of sideways mirrors for the European model (better design and airodynamics) (like the Audi E-tron)
• 3D camera assist (like the Audi E-tron and Porsche Taycan)
• Range potential monitoring (like the Audi E-tron)
• Integrated toll module (like the Audi E-tron)
• Camera washers (like the Porsche Taycan)

5. More improvements and features:
• Improved quality control
• Improved interior and seats
• Improved speakers
• Improved door seals
• Improved auto high beam
• Center console cover material change from glossy to matte
• Motorized Frunk
• Cooled seats
• Blind-spot assist lights on side-view mirrors
• Completely motorized back seats row (fold down for extra storage and also back up when you're done)
• A small screen for the back seats (to control AC, heat/ cooled seats, media etc)

half this stuff will add a lot of weight and most not necessary. I have a 2019 model s.

1. need to make the car more luxurious and improve aoverall build quality
2. better sound system
3. improve the cars road and wind noise some how. Car very loud at 50mph and over. better sealed openings and better insulation.
4. the ride is quite rough. hitting bumps is awful.. need to work on that with insulation or improved suspension or something.
4. exterior changes....back looks nice already so just make few small modifications there. please make the front end look like the new roadster. That would be soooo hot.
5. handles dont pop out half the time. need to fix that.
6. Large horizontal screen. larger that the model 3

 

[MJP.P3D-]

Again, I can’t take credit for the photoshop efforts however I do think this would be a welcome evolution to the already timeless, iconic and beautiful design of the Model S. Here’s hoping 1Q2021 brings with it some welcome (and overdue) enhancements...

 

[TSLA Pilot]

Forgot to add another long, long overdue feature:

A method to automatically RAISE the parcel cover when the hatch is opened. While Abstract Ocean sells the workaround (the Hawaii fishing line and hook invention), this is really, really tacky at this price point. I'd posit that no one at Tesla ever loads luggage in their Model S?

Crazy.

Even my brother's early-2000's VW Golf had an over-engineered device that was elegant and impressive at the same time, possibly these:

1J6867791A Pair Rear Parcel Shelf Strap for VW Golf MK4 MK5 2000-2013 | eBay

But Model S owners get to buy these from 3rd parties instead?

Auto-Lift kit for the Tesla Model S Parcel Shelf

 

[MJP.P3D-]

Forgot to add another long, long overdue feature:

A method to automatically RAISE the parcel cover when the hatch is opened. While Abstract Ocean sells the workaround (the Hawaii fishing line and hook invention), this is really, really tacky at this price point. I'd posit that no one at Tesla ever loads luggage in their Model S?

Crazy.

Even my brother's early-2000's VW Golf had an over-engineered device that was elegant and impressive at the same time, possibly these:

1J6867791A Pair Rear Parcel Shelf Strap for VW Golf MK4 MK5 2000-2013 | eBay

But Model S owners get to buy these from 3rd parties instead?

Auto-Lift kit for the Tesla Model S Parcel Shelf

I agree with this. Prior to my Tesla ownership, I had multiple Audi A6 Avants over the years. When Audi stopped importing the A6 in Avant guise to the USA, I knew I had to find another vehicle with comparable handling and cargo capacity that wasn’t an SUV. Well, I ended up with a Model S and equaled the cargo capacity, improved on the performance and added a whole new dimension of EV-ness from which I’ll likely never stray. I’m now on my second Tesla with a reservation for a third. So—why write all this, you say? Well, for 2021, Audi has brought the A6 Avant back to these shores and dressed it in RS6 trim! Wow! Unfortunately, at a buck thirty-ish, it’s out of my price range (and it guzzles petrol) but, and here’s the point, it does have a really trick automated rear parcel shelf. Check out the link to Doug DeMuro’s review below (the shelf makes its first appearance around the 8 minute mark when the hatch is raised and then again when lowered).

Pretty slick!

 

[TSLA Pilot]

Wow, that parcel movement system looks remarkably German (complicated, or elegant, depending upon your point of view). Regardless, Tesla could/should do SOMETHING to allow easier access to the hatch area, especially with luggage.

And did I mention the lack of coat hooks in the Model S too? Even the Model 3 has those, AFAIK!