Recent fire another reason all controls on screen are a bad idea!

[whitex]

I think it's worth noting that the piece does not contain one word spoken directly by the driver. It's all from his lawyer.

Of course. Tesla speaks through lawyers and can twist words like you wouldn't believe. Social media is even worse, taking things out of context for sensational headlines. If I had a brand new Tesla which caught on fire, I'd be speaking through an attorney too.

 

[drtimhill]

When your car is on fire, the last thing you want to do is go looking at your screen to find the unlock button or finding a push button on the door rather than feeling for a mechanical door handle you're instinctively used to using every day!! In panic situations, which this certainly qualifies, we need quick instinctive places to go for safety items, such as being able to quickly get out of the car in a panic / emergency.

But again, my post wasn't about electric cars catching fire.

Actually, your original pst was about having to use the touch screen to open the doors in an emergency. As others have noted, this is not true, as Tesla provide mechanical methods to open the doors (at least the front doors) that do not involve the touch screen (or battery power for that matter).

Others have said that these emergency controls are hard to find. I disagree .. in fact, on my Model 3, more often than not, a passenger who has never been in the car before will (when going to open the door) fumble with the door for a few seconds and then stumble on (and use) the emergency unlock before they find the unlock button (to the detriment of the car window seals).

 

[2101Guy]

I always carry a ball bearing... just in case

wont work with the cybertruck!
Oh wait..I take that back! haha

 

[qdeathstar]

Do you own a Tesla? Did you know that they have mechanical handles on the front doors? You also do not need the screen to exit the vehicle. I am thankful too that he is alive and I hope Tesla can determine what happened here.

I think it is a bad idea to require people to know where hidden emergency release handles are in order for them to escape during an emergency. Busses trains and planes do have emergency exits, but they are all plainly and clearly marked making them easy to find during an emergency. Of course the owner of the vehicle is responsible for reading the manual, but what about the passenger who is just going for a ride, or the people sitting in the Tesla taxi?

I think electronic door releases in general probably aren’t the safest bet.

 

[CyberGus]

I should start dating a Flight Attendant so she can give all my passengers the "safety lecture"

 

[CyberGus]

What about explosive bolts in the doors? Doesn't SpaceX have those?

 

[kizamybute']

Actually, your original pst was about having to use the touch screen to open the doors in an emergency. As others have noted, this is not true, as Tesla provide mechanical methods to open the doors (at least the front doors) that do not involve the touch screen (or battery power for that matter).

Others have said that these emergency controls are hard to find. I disagree .. in fact, on my Model 3, more often than not, a passenger who has never been in the car before will (when going to open the door) fumble with the door for a few seconds and then stumble on (and use) the emergency unlock before they find the unlock button (to the detriment of the car window seals).

I honestly don't remember, does the push button door open button on the door handle work if the car is locked?

 

[paratrooper]

Did Tesla bring the walk-though back? Last I heard a walkthrough was deemed too expensive and cut from the delivery process. Even delivery quality inspection is reportedly discouraged.

Due to pandemic we didn't get a walk through or overview. Maybe they'll bring it back when things settle down?

 

[MorrisonHiker]

This video shows how to escape from all Tesla models (S, 3, X and Y):

Since the video was made, the refreshed S came out. For the front seats, you would use the lever under the button, just as with the 3 and Y. For the rear doors, you can still pull the tab to open the doors.

 

[dark cloud]

…… said his client struggled to unlock the doors but eventually extricated himself from the sedan. The Model S Plaid continued rolling down the street for around 25 to 30 yards, before becoming totally engulfed in flames,……

How does this happen in a Tesla? He leaves the seat and the car is not in park?

 

[CyberGus]

…… said his client struggled to unlock the doors but eventually extricated himself from the sedan. The Model S Plaid continued rolling down the street for around 25 to 30 yards, before becoming totally engulfed in flames,……

How does this happen in a Tesla? He leaves the seat and the car is not in park?

I'm assuming the computer (and all electronics, really) were offline due to the power source being ummm unavailable

 

[travwill]

…… said his client struggled to unlock the doors but eventually extricated himself from the sedan. The Model S Plaid continued rolling down the street for around 25 to 30 yards, before becoming totally engulfed in flames,……

How does this happen in a Tesla? He leaves the seat and the car is not in park?

Dunno, will have to see. Yeah, if you leave seat or exit, at low speeds it shifts into Park. Software (as we know) isn't always dependable with Tesla though, sensors don't always work, electronics fail.

 

[captanzuelo]

I always carry a window breaking tool and/or folding knife in every car I own. After a collision, the doors can get jammed in any vehicle.

 

[Dan D.]

I always carry a window breaking tool and/or folding knife in every car I own. After a collision, the doors can get jammed in any vehicle.

That won't work in the new S and other cars with laminated windows. The much higher safety factor they give you in rollover accidents is a tradeoff to impossible to quickly escape a fire/water submersion.

Some companies are making tools for cutting through them though. Mostly for rescue people. Perhaps a portable reciprocating saw would work. Watch out for fine glass though, you're supposed to wear a mask, eye protection, and gloves when cutting laminated glass.

The Ripper™

rescue42.com

Glass Master Glass Saw - Carleton Rescue Equipment Ltd

www.carletonrescue.com

Here you go, a new tool to cut through your laminated windows. The Extrication Tomahawk. Not sure how easy it is to use from the inside, and perhaps someone can make a smaller one...

673-RT Extrication TOMAHAWK | Ajax Rescue Tools

TOMAHAWK EXTRICATION AJAX RESCUE TOOLS 673-RT

www.ajaxrescuetools.com

 

[CertLive]

Ok so we know electric cars can randomly catch fire if not produced properly or manufacturing defect. So why the hell does the car not have a built in fire supression system? They could hardly put it out and the driver almost couldn't get out. If these facts ring true then a fire supression system should be mandatory. That picture of the entire car going up in flames and not in an accident is ridiculous.

 

[CyberGus]

Ok so we know electric cars can randomly catch fire if not produced properly or manufacturing defect. So why the hell does the car not have a built in fire supression system? They could hardly put it out and the driver almost couldn't get out. If these facts ring true then a fire supression system should be mandatory. That picture of the entire car going up in flames and not in an accident is ridiculous.

It's not like a wood fire where you can just douse it with a bucket of water. Once the cells short internally, they're going to turn all their Wh capacity into heat, which makes everything around them catch fire.

However, you would think that sensors would tell the computer "oh sh!t, fire!" and automatically unlock the doors and tell the occupants to exit (even showing a picture of the release handles on the screen).

 

[sorka]

There's a mechanical door release on the armrest just forward of the window switches. You don't need the screen or buttons for anything to exit the car. The 3/Y is the same. When I got out of a 3 for the first time I instinctively pulled that lever instead of hitting the button.

The bigger secret is opening the rear doors when there is no power as there is no mechanical release on the rear doors:

I really don't understand that one.

My S has a mechanical release for the rear doors.

 

[CertLive]

It's not like a wood fire where you can just douse it with a bucket of water. Once the cells short internally, they're going to turn all their Wh capacity into heat, which makes everything around them catch fire.

However, you would think that sensors would tell the computer "oh sh!t, fire!" and automatically unlock the doors and tell the occupants to exit (even showing a picture of the release handles on the screen).

Totally and why it took over 2 hours to put out. But when you see so much detail going into how safe these cars are the vital safety with thermal runaway has not been addressed 10 years on. So why not invent a better containment safety system? Why not eject the battery? Etc idk its just insane to see this because there should be better sensors to detect this before even the power drops and save the people inside if they were knocked unconscious.

 

[EVDRVN]

Of course. Tesla speaks through lawyers and can twist words like you wouldn't believe. Social media is even worse, taking things out of context for sensational headlines. If I had a brand new Tesla which caught on fire, I'd be speaking through an attorney too.

Why? He was not hurt and the insurance should replace it. You don't need a $2000 an hour celebrity lawyer for that unless insurance stiffs you and even them you don't need on the next day tweeting. I addition I think that lawyer dropped representation today. New news about the owners occupation again that smells a bit. If my car caught on fire and I was not hurt I would not run out the next day and hire a lawyer nor would one represent me unless I paid them as there are no damages. On the other hand Tesla twists words no mater how they communicate

 

[CertLive]

Why? He was not hurt and the insurance should replace it. You don't need a $2000 an hour celebrity lawyer for that unless insurance stiffs you and even them you don't need on the next day tweeting. I addition I think that lawyer dropped representation today. New news about the owners occupation again that smells a bit. If my car caught on fire and I was not hurt I would not run out the next day and hire a lawyer nor would one represent me unless I paid them as there are no damages. On the other hand Tesla twists words no mater how they communicate

How do you twist 1 in 250 cars spontaneously burst into flames when only a few hundred of all the cars on US roads catch fire each year for many reasons. Most of them not being new. Damn well need a fire suppression system of some kind.