So...why does the center console have a soft-close sensor?

[WilliamG]

So I discovered today that the center console has a sensor that actually warns you if you’re closing it too hard.

Like...seriously? WHY? Why would Tesla program this and actually have a circuit/electronics to even detect this?

Is this over-engineering or...is it used for something else? I just couldn’t believe it detects this.

 

[StealthP3D]

So I discovered today that the center console has a sensor that actually warns you if you’re closing it too hard.

Like...seriously? WHY? Why would Tesla program this and actually have a circuit/electronics to even detect this?

Is this over-engineering or...is it used for something else? I just couldn’t believe it detects this.

The car acts as if it's almost alive, it could be your pet. It has more feedback than any other machine I've ever owned This will be even truer when advanced summon with "follow me" is released. It will follow you around like a puppy. True, nobody "needs" that but it's still pretty cool.

 

[SMAlset]

I had an alert show up once when I was having trouble getting the lid to close and pushed it too hard. I’ll guess it’s a way of training its owners how to treat it when closing so it doesn’t get broken. I know I learned it really only needs a soft touch in the right areas to close it and haven’t seen the alert re-appear since that first time.

 

[phigment]

I'm guessing this is just a software engineer having fun with a non critical sensor. There is likely no pressure sensor there.

Some switches, when closed will 'bounce'. This means that the sensor that produces the on/off electrical signal will oscillate for a short period of time until it settles down. Chances are that slamming the centre console produces a longer period of oscillation. The software programmer likely just added a small piece of code to indicate if the signal has settled after a certain amount of time.

Again, likely no fancy hardware involved. This is just a little example of innovative thinking.

 

[Darwood77]

Pretty sure the car’s MCU just sees that the light inside is being repeatedly switched on and off rapidly. Don’t think there’s any sensor involved. Still, a clever and interesting detail.

 

[StealthP3D]

Pretty sure the car’s MCU just sees that the light inside is being repeatedly switched on and off rapidly. Don’t think there’s any sensor involved. Still, a clever and interesting detail.

Doesn't the fact that the light inside goes on/off when open/closed kind of prove that there is a sensor to determine the state of the lid?

 

[Darwood77]

Probably. Or a switch. Lol

 

[StealthP3D]

Probably. Or a switch. Lol

Would you suggest a more sophisticated sensor to determine whether the lid is open or closed?

 

[animorph]

Probably in response to a lot of frustration from early testers who couldn't get it closed. It was a handy reminder, even after we've had the car long enough to know better.

 

[Darwood77]

Nope, I think the implementation is very clever. No need for extra sensors or circuits like OP was thinking.

 

[matsoutback]

I want a sensor and a big warning for passengers who slam their doors, "close gently please". I’m in the habit of saying in a sarcastic tone, "that’s closed", when people hop in and slam the door.

 

[qdeathstar]

i don’t think it has a sensor, one of my a-hole family members inserted the center console insert the wrong way and slammed the cover closed resulting it a tear of the fabric inside the storage area!

 

[WilliamG]

Pretty sure the car’s MCU just sees that the light inside is being repeatedly switched on and off rapidly. Don’t think there’s any sensor involved. Still, a clever and interesting detail.

Very clever. Very clever indeed. That makes a lot of sense. I’m guessing this warning feature wasn’t initially enabled when the car was first released, but perhaps in response to people slamming it closed.

 

[Roy Wasson]

It is so we do not wear out the latch by closing it too hard and then wasting time at the service Dept to fix it.

 

[WilliamG]

It is so we do not wear out the latch by closing it too hard and then wasting time at the service Dept to fix it.

I doubt you can wear out the “latch.”

Also, I tested the “light” theory today. I think that’s exactly it. You can close and open the center console multiple times quickly and gently, and it will still pop up the warning. So that pretty much confirms it’s based on the light coming on and off.

 

[Aellinsar]

Very clever. Very clever indeed. That makes a lot of sense. I’m guessing this warning feature wasn’t initially enabled when the car was first released, but perhaps in response to people slamming it closed.

I think it's been there since launch.

 

[WilliamG]

I think it's been there since launch.

Good to know. I’ve only had my car a few months. Perhaps in testing prior to release then they found people slamming it and implemented this clever fix.

 

[Magnets!]

I saw a youtube review of the 3 and the tester actually said he couldn't get the console doors to stay closed and it showed him slamming them shut and bouncing back. He was serious. He kept doing it over and over.