User error and/or a safety concern? Tesla stalk placement.

[TrevRex]

Driving up to a intersection in the Model Y. I press the blinker to turn right while starting to decelerate on regen. The damn Model Y starts accelerating. WTF and onto the brake pedal I go. Car starts slowing normally again.

So what happened here? Well basically it was user error. I regularly drive many different cars, utes, trucks in my business and all of them have the indicator stalk on the right hand side of the steering wheel. Now I obviously stuffed up here with Tesla having the stalk on the left for the indicators and actually put the Model Y on cruise control and it started speeding up to the speed showing on the screen.

Now basically this whole episode was relatively a non event. I try to always indicate early to give other drivers plenty of warning what my intentions are (pet hate of mine is drivers indicating late and causing doubt about their intentions) so this acceleration happened some distance from the intersection and easily controlled I think. Late indicating and hitting the the wrong stalk and inexperience may have had a different outcome.

But it certainly gave me something to think about and warned my family of my stupidity or error or whatever we want to call it.

Now I have driven other cars over the years with the indicator stalk on the left of the steering wheel and have accidently hit the right stalk and embarrassingly made the wipers start. Geez over the years have seen plenty of others do it too and we have a laugh. Tesla's unusual layout may not be so funny for the unsuspecting IMHO.

Said it before (even on this forum before this incident) I wish Australia would standardize the bloody placement of indicator stalks. Shouldn't have to keep thinking to yourself "remember it's on the other side", "remember it's on the other side"............... I think.

Now it's easy to not admit to others our mistakes through life that caused unintentional consequences but I was brought up to be honest and hope others may learn from our mistakes so they may avoid them. I hope others learn from this one.

But have at it if you want to criticize my whole experience. I am big enough and ugly enough as they say to be able to handle it.

 

[moa999]

Way too late to do that now.
For anyone coming from European cars, non-issue with the Tesla.

In any event like the refresh S/X yoke and wheel, I suspect the 3/Y will eventually lose the stalks for steering wheel buttons.

(Albeit I wish Tesla had gone for a more intuitive left blinker on left, right blinker on right side layout - see the Ferrari 458 for example)

 

[RichardV]

There is a way to prevent future occurrences of this. The acceleration part at least. If you set the autopilot setting to current speed instead of detected speed, can't recall what they call that one, then as you activate cruise control it will not accelerate to the speed limit but maintain the current speed. In your situation you would have lifted off the accelerated as you approached the turn and the car would not have regen braked but then a quick tap of the brake will disengage cruise control and pedal brake and regen brake would then be activated. A much better result in my opinion. For getting to the speed limit in cruise control I prefer this mode but might require a readjustment to your cruise control activation strategy. I normally get close to the speed limit before activating then a few clicks, 1kph or flips 5kph, up of the right steering wheel scroll to get to my desired set speed for cruise control.

 

[rx80]

If you set the autopilot setting to current speed

This. First thing I changed when I collected my car

Controls > Autopilot > Set Speed -> Current Speed.

 

[Futuretech]

Many Europe car brands have the indicator stalk on the left of the wheel in Australia. Very common

 

[Speedst3r]

This. First thing I changed when I collected my car

Controls > Autopilot > Set Speed -> Current Speed.

Best of both worlds. When set this way, you can still hold down the right stalk to set cruise to the detected speed.

 

[Goanna]

Twice when I've been exiting a car park, I've stopped and indicated to go left, using the wrong stalk Then try to take off and go backwards! Luckily both times there was nobody behind me. I know I should have noticed the camera view come up, but if you are a bit flustered it's very easy to do if you are used to the stalk on the other side. Definitely a safety concern!

 

[singlespeed]

Twice when I've been exiting a car park, I've stopped and indicated to go left, using the wrong stalk Then try to take off and go backwards! Luckily both times there was nobody behind me. I know I should have noticed the camera view come up, but if you are a bit flustered it's very easy to do if you are used to the stalk on the other side. Definitely a safety concern!

Thanks reminding me about this. We have two cars, one Euro, so I make this “turn on the wipers” mistake all the time because I don’t change cars often. Will definitely be thinking about your scenario.

 

[TrevRex]

Way too late to do that now.
For anyone coming from European cars, non-issue with the Tesla.

In any event like the refresh S/X yoke and wheel, I suspect the 3/Y will eventually lose the stalks for steering wheel buttons.

(Albeit I wish Tesla had gone for a more intuitive left blinker on left, right blinker on right side layout - see the Ferrari 458 for example)

Ok in the order of your reply:

1. I assume you are mentioning me writing about standardizing the placement of indicator stalks. Too late? Certainly for me now with my purchase.
2. Yes if coming from European cars it probably will be a non-issue with the Tesla. If shifting from one to another it can be I think as seen with myself.
3. Losing stalks on the model 3/Y? Unknown yet I think.
4. I bought S3XY buttons back in late October last year from memory for mainly using them to control regen amount like on my PHEV that has paddles behind the steering wheel doing the same. Stuck the buttons on behind the steering wheel spokes 1 each side. Now since this incident I have reprogrammed them for turn signal duties. Seems to work well so far but as I hardly ever get to drive the Model Y I probably should restrain myself from too much comment on them yet. Told the wife about them and have forgotten to ask her whether she even bothers to use them lol. But have a photo I think.

 

[Gareth Oakes]

I think the point is valid. The consequence of a user error in other cars is low impact (wipers go on), the consequence of a user error in Tesla is higher impact (cruise control engages). I can't think of a solution, that's just the way it is designed.
EDIT: maybe if you could configure which stalk does what? e.g., default is left-hand indicator but could invert to be right-hand indicator.

 

[TrevRex]

There is a way to prevent future occurrences of this. The acceleration part at least. If you set the autopilot setting to current speed instead of detected speed, can't recall what they call that one, then as you activate cruise control it will not accelerate to the speed limit but maintain the current speed. In your situation you would have lifted off the accelerated as you approached the turn and the car would not have regen braked but then a quick tap of the brake will disengage cruise control and pedal brake and regen brake would then be activated. A much better result in my opinion. For getting to the speed limit in cruise control I prefer this mode but might require a readjustment to your cruise control activation strategy. I normally get close to the speed limit before activating then a few clicks, 1kph or flips 5kph, up of the right steering wheel scroll to get to my desired set speed for cruise control.

This episode I described happened geez probably at least 6 weeks ago from memory. But I still thought I should mention it here to maybe help others. Was rushed when I posted the other day and meant to come back earlier than now and describe what I have done to help myself try to alleviate to some extent what I think is poor design by Tesla but it has been a very busy here at work lately. I only write on this forum during smoko or lunch if I get a chance. But I really appreciate your effort here with this reply.

Now since that incident I did two things on the screen of the Tesla before I drove it again which probably was at least a week later I think. As I am a engineer that has to problem solve as part of my career I went through the menus again on the screen to see what I can do to try and help . Now the first was what you mentioned ie current speed.

But I am a little surprised no one has picked up on the second.

I said " I press the blinker to turn right while starting to decelerate on regen. The damn Model Y starts accelerating." Now no where did I say I heard a audible warning, the "bong", that says I entered cruise control. Why? Because I had turned it off previously on the menu. So back on with the TACC chime, I think it's called, was the second.

But these are just "band-aid" solutions I think.

 

[dietereater]

STOP
Indicate LEFT and you in reverse.
RHD vehicles should always have indicator stalk on the right,right?
Get anything engineered in Australia $$$ someone is FOMO

 

[Goneincognito]

Back in 2005, I got a VW Golf GTI which I had for 9 years. We also had other cars in this time with indicator stalks on the right.
In the beginning, I was always putting the wipers on when turning a corner.
I got better but would still do it occasionally during that 9 year period.

A couple of years ago, a family member got a Mercedes ML320 which I sometimes drive.
This car has a similar setup to the Tesla but instead of activating TACC, I put the car into Neutral when I indicate.

​

 

[cafz]

RHD vehicles should always have indicator stalk on the right,right?

No, plenty of vehicles sold here for decades have had the indicator stalk on the left (mostly euros).

 

[Quickst]

RHD vehicles should always have indicator stalk on the right,right?

I have a Toyota Landcruiser with indicator on right but the other Euro cars indicator on left
Ive even got a Euro car with bonnet latch on the passenger side

Most countries are LHD, only a few are RHD

 

[doggy1]

No, plenty of vehicles sold here for decades have had the indicator stalk on the left (mostly euros).

Absolutely true. In my 59 years of driving, I've always had Euro cars. While still working, I travelled the world (inc 104 trips to the US) and so nearly always had cars with indicator stalk on the left. I did drive heavy trucks for many years and they had the indicators around the other way, but my brain seemed to equate trucks with indicator stalk on the "other" side, therefore no worries. So I'm one of the lucky ones who found the Tesla perfectly familiar and I like it that way. However, I do sympathise with those for whom this is unfamiliar. I used to find it a slight pain when renting (non-Euro or US) cars in Australia. But I recently needed to drive my son's van around/through Sydney for many hours and managed to hit the correct stalk every time. So perhaps my old brain is still functioning..........

 

[Onshore]

Every car I’ve owned for the last 20 years has had blinkers on the left.

Motorcycles too for that matter.

 

[Zoltrix77]

Many Europe car brands have the indicator stalk on the left of the wheel in Australia. Very common

Very common, but a middle finger to RHD markets. Korean and Japanese manufacturers both to adjust the side for each market. I even had a Pathfinder built in the USA for the Australian market, how low would those numbers be in context, yet the indicator stalk was still on the RHS. Even Ford swaps sides for its Ranger utes depending on markets.

Been saying it for years, but really, Tesla could have allowed this to be done in software. Just the slight issues that the RH stalk does not have a forward and back function. But if they had added this to each side, it would have been 2 more functions that were possible via the stalk.

 

[Davemcd]

Tesla fixed the problem.. Removed the stalks
Yes we have 2 Teslas and a Subaru ICE car I drive less often.. Have tried putting the Subaru in reverse via the blinker he he

 

[Quickst]

At least when I go to LHD USA and rent a Tesla, I won't have issues

(Assuming I can still rent a Tesla).