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Supercharger Live Status
- Thread starter tbleakne
- Start date
I am guessing the data is only a certain radius (superchargers you might be close to actually using).
This is kind of fun. Here is what LA looks like at 9PM on a Wednesday night (a presumed "slow" time )
This is kind of fun. Here is what LA looks like at 9PM on a Wednesday night (a presumed "slow" time )
This is a good first step.
We need more though to make this really useful.
What drivers really need is information on how many USABLE charging spots are available, and if all spots are full, how long the wait might be.
Even with charging spot sensors, that doesn't provide enough information for Tesla to determine which spots are actually usable. Spots that may have a problem with the charger (such as a damaged cable) will show open, when they aren't usable. Spots that have cars parked and not connected aren't detected. And spots which are inaccessible because access is blocked (such as by construction equipment) also aren't detected.
Rather than trying to add enough sensors to detect this, Tesla could "crowd-source" this by providing an easy way for drivers to report unusable parking spots. Perhaps a feature added to the charging window on the center console or in the smartphone app, the ability for drivers to report an unusable spot and why - such as "charger 1B is blocked by parked vehicle". And then if the charger shows up as running, Tesla can automatically clear the unusable condition for that charger.
The other feature that should be added - when all USABLE spots are busy, Tesla can indicate how many cars are in the proximity of the supercharger and provide that count, such as "all usable chargers in use and 5 additional cars may be waiting". Though, Tesla may even be able to add one more data item "with 10 cars projected to arrive before you", since Tesla can use the trip planner routing data to detect how many cars are on their way to that supercharger, and when they will likely arrive.
We need more though to make this really useful.
What drivers really need is information on how many USABLE charging spots are available, and if all spots are full, how long the wait might be.
Even with charging spot sensors, that doesn't provide enough information for Tesla to determine which spots are actually usable. Spots that may have a problem with the charger (such as a damaged cable) will show open, when they aren't usable. Spots that have cars parked and not connected aren't detected. And spots which are inaccessible because access is blocked (such as by construction equipment) also aren't detected.
Rather than trying to add enough sensors to detect this, Tesla could "crowd-source" this by providing an easy way for drivers to report unusable parking spots. Perhaps a feature added to the charging window on the center console or in the smartphone app, the ability for drivers to report an unusable spot and why - such as "charger 1B is blocked by parked vehicle". And then if the charger shows up as running, Tesla can automatically clear the unusable condition for that charger.
The other feature that should be added - when all USABLE spots are busy, Tesla can indicate how many cars are in the proximity of the supercharger and provide that count, such as "all usable chargers in use and 5 additional cars may be waiting". Though, Tesla may even be able to add one more data item "with 10 cars projected to arrive before you", since Tesla can use the trip planner routing data to detect how many cars are on their way to that supercharger, and when they will likely arrive.
HankLloydRight
No Roads
Although the market isn't very big, the crowdsourcing thing is something Waze (i.e. Google) could add pretty easily to their app. I'd guess that most Tesla owners already have it and use it to augment the on-board Nav (I do on long trips for traffic and police awareness -- I like it better than Tesla-Waze).
Sure, someone else could write a specific SC status app, but it would be hard to get it to the same installed base level as Waze. And I don't think the Tesla app developers want to get into an entire crowdsourcing module. It's a great idea, though!
Sure, someone else could write a specific SC status app, but it would be hard to get it to the same installed base level as Waze. And I don't think the Tesla app developers want to get into an entire crowdsourcing module. It's a great idea, though!
Way too complicated and unnecessary for most locations and most drivers on most days that are not holiday weekends. Even in the LA area, the map posted above showed every supercharger location had open stalls. Also most people don't use trip planner unless they're making an unfamiliar drive, so it wouldn't capture the locals who are probably the majority of the users. I'd rather Tesla focus it's limited resources elsewhere.
WannabeOwner
Well-Known Member
I agree, but one thing that could perhaps be "harvested" is how many cars are waiting. i.e. all stalls full and X cars parked nearby (or perhaps "number of cars with low-ish state of charge parked nearby"). Just an indicator of: "none", "several" or "lots" would be helpful to get people to divert, if they can. It happens very rarely but, when it does, I imagine it is very aggravating for anyone involved.
Not sure why people are so concerned about ICEing and stalls being blocked. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it's extremely rare in my experience and at most it will affect one of the stalls, two is really pushing it.
Agree that what some are suggesting is just way too complicated.
Agree that what some are suggesting is just way too complicated.
PatrickCH4313
Member
Not really, I just checked the supercharger availability in Nancy (France) located at about 200 km (125 miles) from my location (Switzerland). 7 free stalls out of 8.
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Out of driving range sites are displayed also, but they are 'greyed' out and more difficult to see on the display.
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Some are, and some aren't. I have most of the northeast greyed out but with statuses, but nothing south of Virginia.
This very useful new feature is just in its early stages and no doubt will be improved upon and made more accurate over time, like all Tesla software. Right now it seems difficult to determine the criteria used for which Supercharger locations show the status bar and which do not. But it does seem that any location you could in theory drive to with a full charge have the status bar displayed.
One can imagine many ways to enhance this new feature. It will be interesting to see how it develops. But thank you Tesla for implementing this!
Given the high number of complaints posted on multiple TMC threads over the past few years regarding why some version of this new feature had not been implemented yet, I am surprised that this thread is not getting more views and posts than it is.
The title of threads is important. The title of this one makes it look like just another thread of people complaining and suggesting, rather than a revelation that the functionality is implemented and available.
Expect a rash of threads being started over the next few days, as owners "discover" this new feature.
Glad to see this status display now seems to be live all over, although it appears a few SC stations are not yet reporting.
Yesterday, when I first discovered that this display was live, it appeared limited to the SC locations reachable with my current charge, but now the bars show for all SC in the window.
One tip: touching an SC flag has the side effect of opening the info box for that location, blocking some of the display and also re-centering it. This is annoying in areas like Los Angeles with lots of SC. You can avoid this by just touching the lightning bar on the right side margin.
Yesterday, when I first discovered that this display was live, it appeared limited to the SC locations reachable with my current charge, but now the bars show for all SC in the window.
One tip: touching an SC flag has the side effect of opening the info box for that location, blocking some of the display and also re-centering it. This is annoying in areas like Los Angeles with lots of SC. You can avoid this by just touching the lightning bar on the right side margin.
CuriousG
Active Member
What could be helpful is if there was some API command that could poll how many spots are available every 5 or 10 minutes so we can have some type of histogram of busier times. That is if Tesla won't provide that information themselves in the future.
I don't see any reason to know what's happening beyond your driving range, other that just curiosity. By the time you might get there the spots would have turned over several times.
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