Hello, here is a email I just sent to [email protected] in case it is of any value to other owners or potential owners of the Mod S:
Hello, I am an owner of the 2022 Mod S Plaid since Mar 22 and have some feedback after multiple road trips and 5,000 miles.
I am planning on selling my Plaid next week at a 40K loss and buying a Mod 3, which is disappointing because I really like everything about the Plaid minus the yoke. You guys did a really good job on that car.
I have noticed on road trips that the Plaid is the most fatiguing car I have ever driven by far. This is because there is no balance points on the yoke as there is on a 360 degree steering wheel. Also, the driver position can not be easily modified to release blood flow into different parts of the body, as it can with a 360 degree steering wheel.
Over the last Month or so, I have driven my Plaid from Southern CA to WA and from WA to OR several times. It is highly fatiguing to operate manually to the point where I am forced have the autopilot on nearly all the time.
I like the autopilot and I think it does a pretty good job. My problem is that I do not want to be forced into using the autopilot all the time because I can not operate the car in a reasonable or efficient way manually. I was formerly a US Air Force pilot and while automated features such as autopilot are very nice, there is simply no substitute for being able to manually operate the vehicle when needed or wanted. The most dangerous pilots I ever flew with were the ones that had to rely so much on autopilot because there were not very skilled in manually operating the aircraft. Every once in a while the autopilot puts me in a bad position on the road, a position I would not have put myself, and that is going to equate to more accidents over time. This is unacceptable in my opinion. The driver experience becomes exclusively reacting to what the computer is going to do next and this is also fatiguing over long periods of time.
For instance, on my last road trip a couple of days ago, I challenged myself to take the car off autopilot for 5 minutes a couple of time. Within 15 seconds I had the autopilot back on because of how fatiguing the yoke is for long trips. Do you put your hand on the right side? The Left side? Evern worse, do you put you hands on both sides and see which ones weighs do the yoke faster. Also there is no ability so shift driving positions to change blood flow in the body in those positions.
In addition, the car is so much fun to drive and a steering wheel would allow the operator to drive the car more, which is good, enjoyable, and fun with this car.
As stated above, next week I am selling my Plaid at a 40K loss and moving into a Mod 3. I'd really rather not have to do this and I have heard rumblings that a steering wheel replacement option may become available for the Mod S soon. If this it the case, please let me know. I'd hate to sell my Plaid to later find this out because I really like the car otherwise.
As state above, I was a US Air Force pilot for a while so I may have a better sense of human ergonomics and interactions with equipment than most.
Please forward this feedback to the highest level possible and let me know if I can be of further assistance. Thank you for your time, and thank you for helping the world shift to sustainable energy.
Hello, I am an owner of the 2022 Mod S Plaid since Mar 22 and have some feedback after multiple road trips and 5,000 miles.
I am planning on selling my Plaid next week at a 40K loss and buying a Mod 3, which is disappointing because I really like everything about the Plaid minus the yoke. You guys did a really good job on that car.
I have noticed on road trips that the Plaid is the most fatiguing car I have ever driven by far. This is because there is no balance points on the yoke as there is on a 360 degree steering wheel. Also, the driver position can not be easily modified to release blood flow into different parts of the body, as it can with a 360 degree steering wheel.
Over the last Month or so, I have driven my Plaid from Southern CA to WA and from WA to OR several times. It is highly fatiguing to operate manually to the point where I am forced have the autopilot on nearly all the time.
I like the autopilot and I think it does a pretty good job. My problem is that I do not want to be forced into using the autopilot all the time because I can not operate the car in a reasonable or efficient way manually. I was formerly a US Air Force pilot and while automated features such as autopilot are very nice, there is simply no substitute for being able to manually operate the vehicle when needed or wanted. The most dangerous pilots I ever flew with were the ones that had to rely so much on autopilot because there were not very skilled in manually operating the aircraft. Every once in a while the autopilot puts me in a bad position on the road, a position I would not have put myself, and that is going to equate to more accidents over time. This is unacceptable in my opinion. The driver experience becomes exclusively reacting to what the computer is going to do next and this is also fatiguing over long periods of time.
For instance, on my last road trip a couple of days ago, I challenged myself to take the car off autopilot for 5 minutes a couple of time. Within 15 seconds I had the autopilot back on because of how fatiguing the yoke is for long trips. Do you put your hand on the right side? The Left side? Evern worse, do you put you hands on both sides and see which ones weighs do the yoke faster. Also there is no ability so shift driving positions to change blood flow in the body in those positions.
In addition, the car is so much fun to drive and a steering wheel would allow the operator to drive the car more, which is good, enjoyable, and fun with this car.
As stated above, next week I am selling my Plaid at a 40K loss and moving into a Mod 3. I'd really rather not have to do this and I have heard rumblings that a steering wheel replacement option may become available for the Mod S soon. If this it the case, please let me know. I'd hate to sell my Plaid to later find this out because I really like the car otherwise.
As state above, I was a US Air Force pilot for a while so I may have a better sense of human ergonomics and interactions with equipment than most.
Please forward this feedback to the highest level possible and let me know if I can be of further assistance. Thank you for your time, and thank you for helping the world shift to sustainable energy.
