Saving kids and animals from heatstroke in cars

[alwaysru]

After yet another child passing away in a locked hot car (not a Tesla), I thought of an idea that Tesla could implement in its cars to make them even safer than they already are! All Tesla's have microphones inside as well as temperature sensors. What about putting in an update to the software to detect if someone/something (dogs?) are making noise in a locked & off car that is over a certain temperature. If so, notify the owner via the app or a text message, and after a certain time automatically turn on climate control to a livable temperature and set off the alarm to notify passers-by.

Seems fairly easy to implement, and could add to the already stellar safety features Tesla has. What do y'all think?

 

[Max*]

There are a lot of good ideas, I think there is a plethora of reasons why manufacturers are not chasing this problem
1. Not enough deaths. We're talking about a few hundred deaths. There are other low hanging fruit, which could save a lot more lives. While the death of an infant/animal is tragic, until this grows out of proportion (sure, 1 death is out of proportion, but you know what I mean) I don't expect manufacturers to tackle this
2. In sue happy 'merica, you can't sell something and advertise that it will stop infant deaths. The first infant that it "misses" and doesn't alarm on, will sue, and will likely win. There are ways to work around this, but now now you took a small simple project, and involved a lot of lawyers, skyrocketing your costs.

I remember reading a "company" (group of people, trying out an idea) who created a weight sensor into a carseat and had it communicate through bluetooth to a receiver on your keyfob which sets off an alarm on the fob if there is a weight present in the carseat and you walk away more than the distance of the bluetooth receiver. I don't think they ever took it to market due to the 2 items above (not enough market share, until it becomes mandated by law and afraid of being sued).

 

[alwaysru]

There are a lot of good ideas, I think there is a plethora of reasons why manufacturers are not chasing this problem
1. Not enough deaths. We're talking about a few hundred deaths. There are other low hanging fruit, which could save a lot more lives. While the death of an infant/animal is tragic, until this grows out of proportion (sure, 1 death is out of proportion, but you know what I mean) I don't expect manufacturers to tackle this
2. In sue happy 'merica, you can't sell something and advertise that it will stop infant deaths. The first infant that it "misses" and doesn't alarm on, will sue, and will likely win. There are ways to work around this, but now now you took a small simple project, and involved a lot of lawyers, skyrocketing your costs.

Great points - such a shame that fear of lawyers and people suing would prevent something so easy to implement in software.

 

[Max*]

Apparently, there are companies out there who have products already.

A teen from New Mexico -- Teen develops car seat alarm system to prevent hot car deaths

Here's a kickstarter for a different company that pairs with your smartphone - Starfish: Smart Seat Sensor Alerts iPhone of Child in Danger

Also, here's a big company that has a product now that uses a clip and plugs into your OBDII port: SensorSafe Car Seat Technology

 

[Boatguy]

Great points - such a shame that fear of lawyers and people suing would prevent something so easy to implement in software.

Lawyers (I'm not one) are really a proxy here for "negligent reliance", wherein the operator (i.e., parent or dog owner) relies upon the car to protect their child/dog, rather than taking any responsibility themselves. It's a bit like the problem we have with the AP today. 99% of the driver's pay attention while using AP, 1% think the car is taking care of them and are then shocked when they hit something, blaming the car rather than their own lack of attention.

There is the slippery slope between "vehicle occupant ventilation assistance" and "child passenger protection".

 

[Max*]

There is the slippery slope between "vehicle occupant ventilation assistance" and "child passenger protection".

Agreed.

Same reason our condo has "watchmen" and not "security guards". If we had security guards, the residents can come back and sue the association due to the security guards not protecting them. Since we have watchmen, we're off the hook to be sued. Very stupid, but someone somewhere has caused us to use the "proper name" to avoid a lawsuit.

 

[kort677]

After yet another child passing away in a locked hot car (not a Tesla), I thought of an idea that Tesla could implement in its cars to make them even safer than they already are! All Tesla's have microphones inside as well as temperature sensors. What about putting in an update to the software to detect if someone/something (dogs?) are making noise in a locked & off car that is over a certain temperature. If so, notify the owner via the app or a text message, and after a certain time automatically turn on climate control to a livable temperature and set off the alarm to notify passers-by.

Seems fairly easy to implement, and could add to the already stellar safety features Tesla has. What do y'all think?

how about people not doing stupid things like locking kids/pets in cars so time/money/effort doesn't need to be spent to protect the stupid from being stupid?

 

[Max*]

how about people not doing stupid things like locking kids/pets in cars so time/money/effort doesn't need to be spent to protect the stupid from being stupid?

How about people follow the law, so we don't have to pay for law enforcement.

O wait...

 

[Drivin]

Great points - such a shame that fear of lawyers and people suing would prevent something so easy to implement in software.

The problem isn't lawyers or sue happy america.

The problem is with the juries who don't laugh off the cases.

 

[SCDrJ]

After yet another child passing away in a locked hot car (not a Tesla), I thought of an idea that Tesla could implement in its cars to make them even safer than they already are! All Tesla's have microphones inside as well as temperature sensors. What about putting in an update to the software to detect if someone/something (dogs?) are making noise in a locked & off car that is over a certain temperature. If so, notify the owner via the app or a text message, and after a certain time automatically turn on climate control to a livable temperature and set off the alarm to notify passers-by.

Seems fairly easy to implement, and could add to the already stellar safety features Tesla has. What do y'all think?

Looks like you get your wish in 8.0, at least partially!

New Tesla software to prevent hot car deaths

 

[Todd Burch]

This is ok to have as a safety backup. But ONLY as a safety backup. Hopefully nobody ever relies on it as a primary means of keeping a car cool while they run inside for an errand on a hot day. (Sadly, I'm sure people will rely on it...)

 

[rog]

I wouldn't call it 'keeping the car cool' when it only kicks in at 105F... This is definitely a last resort kind of thing, and not a convenience function. I don't even know why Musk calls this a 'feature'...

 

[RubberToe]

This is ok to have as a safety backup. But ONLY as a safety backup. Hopefully nobody ever relies on it as a primary means of keeping a car cool while they run inside for an errand on a hot day. (Sadly, I'm sure people will rely on it...)

Toddlers and small animals required to keep their hands on the wheel at all times. Says so in the release notes.

RT

 

[Jo-]

We are new to our our Tesla (June). Just yesterday my wife picked up our 2 and 4 yr old girls from child care. Doors auto-presented and she threw in her wallet (keyfob attached) and phone in the passengers seat. She loaded the 2 yr old in her car seat, shut the door, and the 4 yr old in the back RFS. She shut the lift gate with the button. As she got to the drivers door, the handles were closing. She was unable to pull as the handle snapped closed. Phone and fob in the car. Immediately she ran into the daycare and called me and I unlocked the doors with my phone. She was really worried and not sure what she would have done if I didn't answer. I have since discussed with her to call Tesla directly- or never get in that situation again...she said she would have smashed the windows if the 4 yr old couldn't have gotten over the rear facing seats (child lock is always on in back as we have a 4 and 6 yr old we don't trust with it).

Did it lock since she used auto present and it timed out? Needless to say, lesson learned and it won't happen again- still scary though as it was 91 degrees and the car was in direct sunlight. I think I may get her an Apple Watch too just in case.

Hoping the new updates also help as mentioned in other threads.

Jo

 

[willcasp]

We are new to our our Tesla (June). Just yesterday my wife picked up our 2 and 4 yr old girls from child care. Doors auto-presented and she threw in her wallet (keyfob attached) and phone in the passengers seat. She loaded the 2 yr old in her car seat, shut the door, and the 4 yr old in the back RFS. She shut the lift gate with the button. As she got to the drivers door, the handles were closing. She was unable to pull as the handle snapped closed. Phone and fob in the car. Immediately she ran into the daycare and called me and I unlocked the doors with my phone. She was really worried and not sure what she would have done if I didn't answer. I have since discussed with her to call Tesla directly- or never get in that situation again...she said she would have smashed the windows if the 4 yr old couldn't have gotten over the rear facing seats (child lock is always on in back as we have a 4 and 6 yr old we don't trust with it).

Did it lock since she used auto present and it timed out? Needless to say, lesson learned and it won't happen again- still scary though as it was 91 degrees and the car was in direct sunlight. I think I may get her an Apple Watch too just in case.

Hoping the new updates also help as mentioned in other threads.

Jo

With the fob in the car (in range), wouldn't touching the handles have them come back out again so that the door could be opened?

 

[Saghost]

I think I may get her an Apple Watch too just in case.

That's what I was going to suggest - even with the fob and phone both in the car, the car can be unlocked by the Apple watch with any of several third party iPhone apps as long as the phone is on and connected to the watch and everything has a signal.

Not available for Android Wear so far.

 

[Jo-]

With the fob in the car (in range), wouldn't touching the handles have them come back out again so that the door could be opened?

That's what we thought. No, she said she did that to every door before running inside to call me.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

I wouldn't call it 'keeping the car cool' when it only kicks in at 105F... This is definitely a last resort kind of thing, and not a convenience function. I don't even know why Musk calls this a 'feature'...

That's just because you're not a mobster.

Have you ever left a body in trunk and then forgot to re-enable the HVAC?

All kidding aside I do think it's going to be a useful feature in the 8.1 version of it. In the 8.0 it's mostly a safeguard. I'll probably use it during the summers and I don't have pets/kids. I do have a forgetful mind and I don't always remember to cool down my car during the summers before getting in.

 

[SCDrJ]

He did say 8.1 would let you set the temp. I replied to him asking if we might get AC to our rear facing seats though. If we are worried (as we should be!) about heat related safety, shouldn't this glaring omission be rectified?

 

[MikeC]

We are new to our our Tesla (June). Just yesterday my wife picked up our 2 and 4 yr old girls from child care. Doors auto-presented and she threw in her wallet (keyfob attached) and phone in the passengers seat. She loaded the 2 yr old in her car seat, shut the door, and the 4 yr old in the back RFS. She shut the lift gate with the button. As she got to the drivers door, the handles were closing. She was unable to pull as the handle snapped closed. Phone and fob in the car. Immediately she ran into the daycare and called me and I unlocked the doors with my phone. She was really worried and not sure what she would have done if I didn't answer. I have since discussed with her to call Tesla directly- or never get in that situation again...she said she would have smashed the windows if the 4 yr old couldn't have gotten over the rear facing seats (child lock is always on in back as we have a 4 and 6 yr old we don't trust with it).

Did it lock since she used auto present and it timed out? Needless to say, lesson learned and it won't happen again- still scary though as it was 91 degrees and the car was in direct sunlight. I think I may get her an Apple Watch too just in case.

Hoping the new updates also help as mentioned in other threads.

Jo

Very scary and thank goodness for the app. There have been issues where a fob in the trunk area was not detected but this is the first I've heard about it happening in the passenger seat. Must have been RF interference from something?

 

[alwaysru]

I'm excited about the new release implementing this! Woohoo safety!