Tesla - parental controls, PLEASE!

[saberjustin]

Dear Tesla,
I am LOVING my new P100D Model S. An amazing machine, without question.
My family is equally enamored. Especially my fourteen year old son, who is just ITCHING to turn 16 and get behind the wheel of this beast.
It would be SO much easier for me to allow that to happen than to tell him "no," which is what will happen happen as things stand*.
*That being said, how about creating PARENTAL CONTROL options/software???
The Teslas could be the first cars to allow parents such as myself to REGULATE the capabilities of the vehicle we are turning over to our kids. Think about how awesome it would be if I, as a parent, could...
(1) set a max acceleration rate
(2) limit the max speed
(3) disable sunroof (or other) functions
...prior to handing over the fob to my teenage child.
It would theoretically be accessible through our cell phone / app.
Wouldn't this be another fantastic automotive first?
Something to think about.

 

[gjunky]

All good ideas. Valet mode would get you part of the way there...

 

[saberjustin]

All good ideas. Valet mode would get you part of the way there...

Valet mode is a good start, but is somewhat restrictive is ways I like and less limited in ways I don't.
Opening up parental controls in the manner suggested (analogous to what TV cable boxes can do across the board) would provide a new level of safety and regulation to what is already an incredibly well engineered and safe vehicle. Not to mention making an even stronger argument regarding the remarkable nature of these vehicles AND allow owners such as myself to control their behavior when out of our hands.
Thanks for the reply!
~J~

 

[Paul in PalmCity]

Dear Tesla,
I am LOVING my new P100D Model S. An amazing machine, without question.
My family is equally enamored. Especially my fourteen year old son, who is just ITCHING to turn 16 and get behind the wheel of this beast.
It would be SO much easier for me to allow that to happen than to tell him "no," which is what will happen happen as things stand*.
*That being said, how about creating PARENTAL CONTROL options/software???
The Teslas could be the first cars to allow parents such as myself to REGULATE the capabilities of the vehicle we are turning over to our kids. Think about how awesome it would be if I, as a parent, could...
(1) set a max acceleration rate
(2) limit the max speed
(3) disable sunroof (or other) functions
...prior to handing over the fob to my teenage child.
It would theoretically be accessible through our cell phone / app.
Wouldn't this be another fantastic automotive first?
Something to think about.

Other car manufacturers are already offering this. Lincoln has two keys for one of their models, the second key being restricted in a variety of ways selected. Geofencing alerts too. Tesla has all the hardware in place - let's hope they realize the power they have to create the PERFECT car for a student driver to learn on - always keeping an eye on their actions, correcting them as/when needed. Voice prompts too. Let's hope they see this opportunity and incorporate fully ASAP.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

my ford fusion hybrid does this

also can i be your son?

 

[BerTX]

Please don't be offended, but I find this discussion a little sadly humorous. Especially the "control their behavior when out of our hands" concept.

 

[polymathic]

I think this is a great feature request. Not merely about teenagers... sometimes your old mother needs to drive your Tesla when she visits. Giving it Honda Accord acceleration and top speed would make many more comfortable and accidents less likely.

 

[eye.surgeon]

I would suggest that the parental control required in regards to lending your newly licensed child a $150k 500 hp car is going to come from you saying hell no.

 

[saberjustin]

Paul - I had no idea. Thanks for the input!
Xenoilphobe - LOL. Thanks for the reply.
BerTX - no offense taken. I appreciate the thought. In the 1990's, my parents chose not to purchase a souped up Camaro, basically because they feared the possibility of me or my brother injuring ourselves behind the wheel. This is not a trivial thing...I know that, had they gotten one, my brother and I would have tested that auto's abilities as soon as we got behind the wheel. I won't let my kids drive this thing (my Model S) as it is...the ludicrous acceleration is ABSURD. That said, if I could regulate its capabilities, it's an insanely safe car otherwise and I would love to know they were driving it (within governance) when that time came.
polymathic - a good example and good point! I agree. Thanks!
~J~

 

[saberjustin]

Paul - I had no idea. Thanks for the input!
Xenoilphobe - LOL. Thanks for the reply.
BerTX - no offense taken. I appreciate the thought. In the 1990's, my parents chose not to purchase a souped up Camaro, basically because they feared the possibility of me or my brother injuring ourselves behind the wheel. This is not a trivial thing...I know that, had they gotten one, my brother and I would have tested that auto's abilities as soon as we got behind the wheel. I won't let my kids drive this thing (my Model S) as it is...the ludicrous acceleration is ABSURD. That said, if I could regulate its capabilities, it's an insanely safe car otherwise and I would love to know they were driving it (within governance) when that time came.
polymathic - a good example and good point! I agree. Thanks!
~J~

eye.surgeon - LOL. At the moment, you are correct. I wouldn't let my son drive it as it stands.
However, it IS an insanely safe vehicle. IF they would allow me to regulate these things, I would INSIST my son drive it when going out and about.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Please don't be offended, but I find this discussion a little sadly humorous. Especially the "control their behavior when out of our hands" concept.

Why is that sadly humorous?

People and companies apply limiting controls all the time for perfectly valid reasons.

I mean, just recently Tesla employed Supercharger idle charges to control its customers...

Jest aside, I would say the extreme acceleration by Teslas would be a good reason to employ parental controls. Arguably giving the kids a very crash-safe Tesla to drive would be the responsible thing to do, as long as the acceleration could be limited.

Second, Teslas graphical user-interface and constant software updates would make this a very clear and easy opportunity for Tesla to add new possibilities to their cars the competition might not have.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

I would suggest that the parental control required in regards to lending your newly licensed child a $150k 500 hp car is going to come from you saying hell no.

Aside from the HP part, Teslas are aguably some of the most safest cars to drive on the road today. Why not put your kids in that, as long as HP can be limited (that would be the parental control part)?

The cost perspective is of course relative to what cost risks one can take financially, but a completely separate issue.

 

[saberjustin]

AnxietyRanger - thanks, I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[eye.surgeon]

Aside from the HP part, Teslas are aguably some of the most safest cars to drive on the road today. Why not put your kids in that, as long as HP can be limited (that would be the parental control part)?

The cost perspective is of course relative to what cost risks one can take financially, but a completely separate issue.

There is much more important risk than the financial one in allowing teen children to drive very expensive cars. It's one I worry more about than physical injury. That's why my daughter drives a Civic.

 

[gaswalla]

My algorithm- calculate the number of years the driver is away from the number 50. Take that number, multiply by 2 and this is the percent reduction in horsepower and torque when placed in 'safety' mode. This works at both extremes of age.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

There is much more important risk than the financial one in allowing teen children to drive very expensive cars. It's one I worry more about than physical injury. That's why my daughter drives a Civic.

I guess it is not readily apparent to me what you refer to. Perhaps you are referring to crime? Or maybe some parenting goals regarding appreciating what you've got?

Certainly I understand that many things may need to be factored in to the equation. But if one could limit certain features (e.g. limit HP or limit dangerous-seeming convenience features) through parental controls, it would allow one to have more choices.

Like all life, it is factoring in different risks and making a decision. It can be different for different people, in different places at different times...

I actually started out driving in a Civic way back when. A couple of close calls there. Model X would have been safer, HP-limited.

 

[shrspeedblade]

They could call it '75 AMC Gremlin mode. 0-60 in 12 seconds and a top speed of 65mph- think how much more range it would have too!

 

[brkaus]

I would like parental controls for my parents. At least until full self driving can make them better drivers.

 

[Scott-P]

Civic mode, Gremlin Mode, Taurus Mode, there are LOTS of possibilities here... ;-)

 

[saberjustin]

eye.surgeon - the financial risk doesn't factor into the equation for me. As I think you would agree, there are much more important things than $$$. That said, as a parent I emphasize that opinion to my kids (the reason my kids don't get a car of their own until they are in college). Overall, I think that's an entirely different issue though. I don't have a problem letting my kids borrow "the car," so long as it's safe. As it stands, I will not be handing my key fob over to my kids when the time comes. But with parental controls, I just might insist they take the Model S for a date rather than [something else].
gaswalla - LOL [thumbs up]
AnxietyRanger - again, very well said.
shrspeedblade - LOL
brkaus - LOL
Scott-P - so true.