Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC) should be standard free of cost - Let's vote and make Elon Hear

[TesFanboy]

Folks, Even though I'm a Tesla fan and happy to pay $5K for EAP, not many seems to be interested or can afford to stretch. Based on the forum survey's nearly 1/3 is not purchasing EAP due to steep cost. Tesla has to listen to the customers to not only improve the "fit and finish", poor customer service/experience with the Model 3 roll-out but also it should make it hard for any competitors to compete once the base model/SR ($35K) is introduced early next year with strong value proposition. If not, Tesla's future may be questionable in the long run and even though they are the leader in EV for forceable future. Traffic aware cruise control is one of the basic future these days in a $30K+ priced cars and it should come as standard in Model 3 as well. Paying $5K for that is ridiculous if the customer is not interested in any other options included in EAP. Let's vote and if there is enough support , I hope Elon will take notice of it to reconsider. I do understand that it may affect their bottom-line in the short term but they should look for other places to cut cost and gain efficiency to survive financially but not by charing crazy which itself will kill the company. So far, LR RWD volume spiked for 3 months and faded away.. next huge spike for LRD and P which appears to be fading away in the next 2 months.. so the same thing might happen for SR version as well both in US and overseas.. we want Tesla to survive and be there for decades innovating not just for another year. So let's the poll outcome speak loud and clear.

Note: If you are EAP fan like me, that's fine and this is not about EAP and more about making stand alone TACC for free or at nominal cost.

 

[Twiglett]

Or put another way.
Fully two thirds of Tesla customers are happy to pay for EAP and see the value in it.
But you suggest that in order to get the folks who don’t see the package value is to remove part of the package and give it away for free - and devalue the package for the two thirds?
Even worse your suggestion would remove one of the things that contributes to ts $5K value to the majority.
Sorry but that would seem that the only people who benefit are the 33% who don’t see the value of EAP, while everyone else suffers.

 

[Glamisduner]

It should be standard. However this is how Tesla dangles the carrot and gets people to buy EAP. So as of right now it's kind of too late to change. I mean maybe EAP could be standard one day as the cars are already equipped with so the hardware . The actual cost to push EAP is nothing. Of course the same can be said about any software and development isn't free. But looking at any individual car the cost to activate EAP is 100% profit for Tesla.

 

[voip-ninja]

For this to make any sense you'd have to demonstrate a comparable car in the same class (luxury compact sedan) that includes the feature standard.

Let's take a look at Cadillac CTS. You can get a luxury RWD version with the 2.0T engine for about $40,000. However, this version does not offer the option of traffic aware cruise control. You have to go up to the V6 version for about $45,000 and then you can add the package that includes the TACC feature for about $2900.

Cadillac TACC is supposed to be pretty good but only works on maps that are in the cars database, does not offer any updates and the car does not have TACC on any secondary streets.... all strengths of the Tesla AP.

Additionally the Caddy does not get $7500 or more in tax incentives and, in V6 trim will get about 18-20mpg in mixed city highway driving so it will cost a lot more to fuel it than the Tesla.

About the only thing the two cars have in common is both are made in USA.

Your premise is flawed.

 

[Electroman]

I agree with OP, with a slight change.

I would recommend that Tesla give entire EAP package for free, but increase the base price by $5K.

Or give TACC for free but increase the base price by $4k.

If the objective is to get the best Tesla feature for "free' then that would make everyone happy

 

[Maximilien]

Vaxe, is that you?





Joke aside, Tesla is selling EAP like a hot cake. Why would they make it free?

Come on, folks. Supply and Demand. High school economics.

 

[a.void]

For this to make any sense you'd have to demonstrate a comparable car in the same class (luxury compact sedan) that includes the feature standard.

Pretty much every 2018 Honda over $30k had tacc standard, as well as Lka.
I'm sure there are plenty of other brands delivering now or within next model year .

You can debate the ability vs Tesla, but tacc is becoming a standard

 

[TesFanboy]

Folks, who are voting "NO"..not arguing with you. I'm not talking about today, where 60,000+ of us ready to pay not only $60K (instead of $35K) as we see value in that but I'm talking about "tomorrow".. Think about the 300,000+ folks , which many be in US, who are waiting for the $35K car. for them, if there is another competitor offering better value, then they might jump ship or what about the 100,000's going to purchase an EV in the coming year. My point is, Tesla should make it compelling and in this case, it is a software and easy to customize the offering to kill the competition beyond the fan base. Model 3 is whole different ball game and not like S/X. We need everyone considering EV should consider Tesla first and go with other brands only if for some other reason other than quality, value, customer service. Thats what will make Tesla survive in the long run not just the fan base like us. If value of EAP can't stand without TACC thats proves the point. Please think from "yet to be customers" point of view and not us who are already in. Will today's hot cake, will be hot enough tomorrow for a mass market car ?

 

[TesFanboy]

@Maximilien, I'm not Vaxe.. just someone like you passionate about my M3 and it's future. Let's not make this personal and just stay focused on facts to see which arguments win and why.

 

[Maximilien]

@Maximilien, I'm not Vaxe.. just someone like you passionate about my M3 and it's future. Let's not make this personal and just stay focused on facts to see which arguments win and why.

It was a joke. "Joke aside..."

We had a very recent thread about how EAP should be free created by Vaxe.

I am sorry if I offended you.

 

[Maximilien]

On the bright side, the price of EAP may go down when Porsche Mission E and Jaguar I-Pace (already out) , Lucid Morors, and Faraday Future etc. create the rival EAP software with lower price. Definitely a possibility.

2018-2020 will be interesting years as the EV competition is getting more intense and Tesla may has to do something to keep customers.

 

[Msjulie]

2018-2020 will be interesting years as the EV competition is getting more intense and Tesla may has to do something to keep customers.

I'll admit to being somewhat of a fan-girl but I do like the fact that Tesla is essentially forcing other makers (sadly why are so few really American?) to be serious about EVs..

 

[MXWing]

@TesFanboy

Tesla burns $9000 per minute and has been deep in the red, RECORD deep in the red to bring us the Model 3.

You want them to be finished off or something?

 

[MikeATL]

I'm a stock holder, so I vote a big NO on giving away something that's 100% margin. In the future, if they need to tweak pricing to be competitive, they can easily do that by creating different bundles, changing prices, and/or having promotions. The low cost Model 3 will let new buyers enter the Tesla world without buying everything up front and Tesla will have the oppotrunity gain additional revenue from those buyers later when they can afford it - that's huge.

Like Apple and the iPhone, if Tesla can maintain a prestige brand image, they can charge more than things should cost indefinitely.

 

[Electroman]

TACC will become free and included in the base price, when other automakers start making their version of TACC with the same superior capability as that of Tesla and make it available for free. Not like some hodgepodge version that the i3 has today and charges for it.

 

[MXWing]

The low cost Model 3 will let new buyers enter the Tesla world without buying everything up front and Tesla will have the oppotrunity gain additional revenue from those buyers later when they can afford it - that's huge.

No one who buys a $35,000 base everything car is going to pump up the cost 25% post sales by adding in EAP and FSD.

If they couldn't afford it time of sale and roll it into financing at ~2.5 APR, they are not throwing $9,000 into a credit card at 16% APR.

Reasons like this is why Tesla should make every excuse not to release the $35,000 Model 3 since there will be no incremental revenue to be gained.

I'm with @Electroman on Base Model 3 being $40,000 but EAP bundled in so the margin issue is forced.

Tesla can look at a subscription model for EAP/FSD but its not as lucrative as upfront payment.

 

[MXWing]

TACC will become free and included in the base price, when other automakers start making their version of TACC with the same superior capability as that of Tesla and make it available for free. Not like some hodgepodge version that the i3 has today and charges for it.

I'll disagree here because one manufacturer having a certain set of features standard doesn't mean another manufacturer can't charge for it.

Look at the Chevrolet 'Driver confidence' packages. Tesla's safety features are all free and all standard. You want maximum safety for your family in a Chevy? It's pay to play.

 

[voip-ninja]

TACC is not standard on competing luxury cars.

Non luxury cars often have standard features you have to spend additional money on to get in a luxury vehicle.

 

[seattlite2004]

TACC is not standard on competing luxury cars.

Non luxury cars often have standard features you have to spend additional money on to get in a luxury vehicle.

Delta between the S and SV (includes Intelligent Curise Control) Nissan Leaf packages is $2500. But with the $2500....one gets XM, Android Auto/Carplay and Nav. So yeah...it might not be standard..but the package gets lots more other stuff.

 

[SoCalGuy]

Is there a "dumb" cruise control on the M3 without EAP?