I don't think this question can be answered until the final ones are out and enough people are using them in day to day circumstances. Are they gimmicky? Sure. Doesn't mean they can't work well and be practical.
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gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
Fair enough. I think we could have the best of both worlds if, as discussed on the other thread about the Fashion Island event, Tesla simplified the mechanism by simply doing the following (or atleast provided some setting in the console to do this instead of the current behavior):
- when the car is shifted into Park, leave the handles open like any other car.
- when the car's driven, once over a certain speed (say, 10 or 15 mph), the handles retract and stay flush till the car's parked.
Similar to auto-folding mirrors in BMWs and such.
I still wish they had gone with the Aston Martin concept in the prototype car. Press on the front of handle and the rear rockers out. Get the same benefit of flush handles with none of the complexity of the current design.
Anyone have videos of that in action? I picture it as press down on one end, then quickly grab the other end as it pops up, then pull the door open?
spatterso911
P100DL - Raven
My VW trunk handle works the same way. I can video it if anyone is interested.
strider
Active Member
I think they're cool. And for folks w/ the technology package the handles will auto-present as you approach the car so you won't even notice them. If you have passengers I believe if you hit the Unlock button on the fob twice all the handles will extend so you could do that as you're approaching and no one will have to "wait" for their handle.
Made this exact suggestion at Fashion Island. They are in the mode of making those kind of decisions. The answer was my note above that the closing mechanism is quite safe. Does not mean they won't do a 15MPH closing though.
From a personal safety POV, it should be possible to get in the car and lock it, recessing the handles. Absent an explicit locking action, though, I really like this idea of retracting the handles at speed.
SByer
'08 #383
My 2 cents:
I carefully played with the handles on #65 (so, not sure if they are representative of the final product), but they were definitely capacitive for extension and motion sensing/IR for open. Lightest touch would extend the handles, didn't have to touch anything (like playing Doctor!) to hear the latch go (but required a pull to really open the door).
For me, the timing like this (thus, without the electronics package) was just the slightest smidge slower than I would like - but really, not slower than the Roadsters tap-and-pause buttons.
With the electronics package, I would be so diggin' on them. I'm pretty convinced they'll be darned slick.
(Where's my AWD Model W with all this stuff?!?)
I carefully played with the handles on #65 (so, not sure if they are representative of the final product), but they were definitely capacitive for extension and motion sensing/IR for open. Lightest touch would extend the handles, didn't have to touch anything (like playing Doctor!) to hear the latch go (but required a pull to really open the door).
For me, the timing like this (thus, without the electronics package) was just the slightest smidge slower than I would like - but really, not slower than the Roadsters tap-and-pause buttons.
With the electronics package, I would be so diggin' on them. I'm pretty convinced they'll be darned slick.
(Where's my AWD Model W with all this stuff?!?)
smorgasbord
Active Member
Here's a video I shot this morning of the Aston Martin Vantage door handles that are on the first Model S Alpha prototype:
[video=vimeo;42230464]https://vimeo.com/42230464[/video]
I think these make a lot more sense than the electronic gizmos Tesla is apparently still wrestling with. The engineering effort that's gone into the Model S door handles could have been better used in so many other places, IMHO.
[video=vimeo;42230464]https://vimeo.com/42230464[/video]
I think these make a lot more sense than the electronic gizmos Tesla is apparently still wrestling with. The engineering effort that's gone into the Model S door handles could have been better used in so many other places, IMHO.
True, but I like they stuck to their guns. Similar to them not needing the falcon wing doors on the X, but it's a staple of the design at this point. They did seemingly step down on the mirrors though, so they at least have some degree of understanding of when to stop.
gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
Yeah, I love the handles; one of the things that really got me hooked early on when the original prototype was unveiled. I had specifically posed that question when Tesla was soliciting questions last year for Franz to answer:
Model S: Designing the Perfect Endurance Athlete | Blog | Tesla Motors
If they hadn't panned out, I'd have been fine with regular pull handles (and the probably very minor increase in drag and loss of range) - the Aston Martin-style ones look cheap IMO.
Model S: Designing the Perfect Endurance Athlete | Blog | Tesla Motors
If they hadn't panned out, I'd have been fine with regular pull handles (and the probably very minor increase in drag and loss of range) - the Aston Martin-style ones look cheap IMO.
I would agree plus i wouldn't want to explain to everyone how to open the door. ... Push the side ... no the other side
smorgasbord
Active Member
They look all beat up on the S Alpha-1, but in real life I think they look very cool:
Here's a review gushing over them: http://jalopnik.com/5556819/whats-the-coolest-car-door-handle
Note the bars to identify where your thumbs go.
This reminds me of NASA figuring out how Astronauts would write in space. They spent a ton of time and money coming up with a pressurized pen. The Russians simply used pencils.
I love technology, but it has to be applied appropriately to the problem at hand. Given that Tesla is still tweaking how the handles work, and given that the handles mostly don't work on the Beta models, I'm predicting troubles for owners, especially Sig owners.
Maybe the first iPhone app I'll write is one that lowers the driver's side window so you can reach in and open the door after you've unlocked it, but don't have an exposed handle to grab on the outside.
Here's a review gushing over them: http://jalopnik.com/5556819/whats-the-coolest-car-door-handle
Note the bars to identify where your thumbs go.
This reminds me of NASA figuring out how Astronauts would write in space. They spent a ton of time and money coming up with a pressurized pen. The Russians simply used pencils.
I love technology, but it has to be applied appropriately to the problem at hand. Given that Tesla is still tweaking how the handles work, and given that the handles mostly don't work on the Beta models, I'm predicting troubles for owners, especially Sig owners.
Maybe the first iPhone app I'll write is one that lowers the driver's side window so you can reach in and open the door after you've unlocked it, but don't have an exposed handle to grab on the outside.
Most of the expense for the pen (and the toilet seat) was because each Congressman and Senator had to have their input which caused the designs to be changed again and again.
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