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Why didn't the car go into Park Automatically here?
- Thread starter ShayZ
- Start date
OxBrew
Active Member
OP, really sorry this happened to you. Also sorry for all the weird responses blaming you for the problem.
This is one of the risks of too much automation: it can trigger mode confusion, which is a heightened risk when the driver is only half paying attention, if distracted by, for instance, a waiter arriving to hand you your dinner, and trying to complete that transaction.
If most of the time the hold feature works one way, and the auto park engage on door opening works one way, when confronted with a new scenario, likely the first time ever it did not work as expected, all the holes in the slices of swiss cheese aligned and a pretty bad accident happened.
I recently went through an exercise in UI development of turning off an electric scooter. We did not anticipate any scenario exactly like this, after brainstorming for hours over many weeks, with dozens of engineers, UX and product designers, civilian end users. Our situation by chance seems to cover this, but I will for sure add it to the list of possibilities (distracted user during power down, plus accidental throttle activation).
If I was responsible for any of this at Tesla, I would (internally) acknowledge the issue, and take ownership of mitigation of the risk, even if Tesla can be shown to not technically be directly at fault. They have a vested interested to not run over their customers.
If I were you, I would go back to the scene, once you feel better, and carefully see if you can re-create the failure.
Again, sorry this happened, hope you make a full and speedy recovery.
This is one of the risks of too much automation: it can trigger mode confusion, which is a heightened risk when the driver is only half paying attention, if distracted by, for instance, a waiter arriving to hand you your dinner, and trying to complete that transaction.
If most of the time the hold feature works one way, and the auto park engage on door opening works one way, when confronted with a new scenario, likely the first time ever it did not work as expected, all the holes in the slices of swiss cheese aligned and a pretty bad accident happened.
I recently went through an exercise in UI development of turning off an electric scooter. We did not anticipate any scenario exactly like this, after brainstorming for hours over many weeks, with dozens of engineers, UX and product designers, civilian end users. Our situation by chance seems to cover this, but I will for sure add it to the list of possibilities (distracted user during power down, plus accidental throttle activation).
If I was responsible for any of this at Tesla, I would (internally) acknowledge the issue, and take ownership of mitigation of the risk, even if Tesla can be shown to not technically be directly at fault. They have a vested interested to not run over their customers.
If I were you, I would go back to the scene, once you feel better, and carefully see if you can re-create the failure.
Again, sorry this happened, hope you make a full and speedy recovery.
What went wrong here is that you as the DRIVER messed up.
Except the running you over part, skip that step.
You were in your car and then you said one or two feet out but then put your leg in to hit the brake and now suddenly you are outside of the vehicle and it runs you over.
If you are in the vehicle not sure how you suddenly ended up outside and if you were outside of your vehicle and got your leg back in to press the brake not sure how you suddenly ended up under it.
This story doesn't even make sense.
If you are in the vehicle not sure how you suddenly ended up outside and if you were outside of your vehicle and got your leg back in to press the brake not sure how you suddenly ended up under it.
This story doesn't even make sense.
Well, the whole concept of it does as I’m sure all of us have, at one point or another, had to scramble out of a car for some reason. And if I just got run over I would probably be sketchy on the exact course of events as well. But I could see how this could happen and it is a good reminder to all. Just glad the OP is ok.
Admittedly, after nearly four years of driving a Tesla, every now and then I forget to hit Park when I get in my garage. Luckily auto-P has always engaged. Good reminder for me anyway.
I don't see how anyone forgets to put the car in Park as that's just part of driving a car. Why anyone would get themselves out of that habit, I don't know.
Well, there are lots of things that people forget to do everyday while driving. I think they call those accidents when someone makes a mistake. Seems like those happen at least several times a day throughout the world, but I could be wrong.
Or maybe I’m just stupid and the only one to ever forget to hit the park button. Never said “I got myself out of the habit”. Just that I have done it before from time to time. Don’t know why and have never done it in rental cars (which I drive nearly every week). Glad to hear you are always perfect.
It’s a shame this happened to you. Everyone must train themselves to verify the car is in park before they get out. And then double check.
The problem has been around for almost 20 years now, since Prius introduced a non-standard ‘return to center’ shifter and an engine that shuts down. Jeep‘s rotary shifter got that Star Trek actor killed in front of his house when he stepped out to open a gate or get the mail. Same mistake.
And it doesn’t help that CRAP V11 made P R N D smaller and horizontal , when the shift stalk functions vertically.
I tell my wife repeatedly to look and MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN PARK before she opens the door and gets out.
The problem has been around for almost 20 years now, since Prius introduced a non-standard ‘return to center’ shifter and an engine that shuts down. Jeep‘s rotary shifter got that Star Trek actor killed in front of his house when he stepped out to open a gate or get the mail. Same mistake.
And it doesn’t help that CRAP V11 made P R N D smaller and horizontal , when the shift stalk functions vertically.
I tell my wife repeatedly to look and MAKE SURE THE CAR IS IN PARK before she opens the door and gets out.
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Tam
Well-Known Member
Quite a few of my friends and family who always remember to shift to the park gear in their ICE but they don't when I let them test drive my Tesla. I guess the technology spoils them.
Sure..but if you look at the post I responded to, it isn't a one off. You said, you've done it multiple times...as if you're ok with relying on the auto park. I since you mentioned it with your Tesla, assuming it didn't happen to you PRIOR to having the Tesla...and you've said you've never done it in a rental car. So whatever it is with your Tesla, you're forgetting or your mind has relaxed itself thinking it is ok, when really it isn't. To be honest, I don't even think about putting the car in park, I think for most people it is very much just a habit....So ask yourself, how did you break yourself of this habit multiple times? Is it the car? Is it you? It is like forgetting to turn off the stove...it might happen..if it starts to happen multiple times, that is a sign of something going on..
Is it that? Or is it the gear selector? If you're not used to it (there are other non teslas that do it this way but not all new cars) then you might not get that you need to press that button to put it into park..and because the car isn't moving (depending on mode) when they're stopped they might not quite get they have to do that....Do I think they'd have this issue if they were driving the car regularly? I doubt it....
Video of the accident, start it at 1:11
1:11 in you can see my brake lights turn on. 1:38 I start reversing, probably never exceeding 1-1.5mph. 1:49 is when I make a full stop in the vehicle. I appear to try to exit around 1:56 so 7 seconds later. It would not be possible for me to have a seat belt at this point since I am exiting the vehicle and eventually do fall out. Around 1:58 is where you can see the car basically looking like it went in reverse over a speed bump. Video ends around 2:05 but you can see the car still reversing at the end of the video. An entire 7 seconds after Car door is open, no passenger in the seat, and obviously no seat belt buckled.
Glad you are adding so much value to this thread. Why don’t you quit worrying about others and go back to your high castle.
Was the seatbelt latched? The post only mentions seatbelt off. Just making sure it’s not latched behind the back.
Sounds like a defective seatbelt latch switch.
And of course car should be secured in park before exiting.
The car will allow driving with the door open as long as the seatbelt is latched Or a butt is in the seat.
Sounds like a defective seatbelt latch switch.
And of course car should be secured in park before exiting.
The car will allow driving with the door open as long as the seatbelt is latched Or a butt is in the seat.
seatbelt was not latched. Watch this video I made. Seatbelt not latched, door open, butt not in seat. Go to 0 mph and start the process. Car NEVER goes into park.
I've never forgotten until I got this car. I forget all the time now as I don't need my foot on the brake to be stopped. I'll be more careful in the future.
Sorry this happened to you. Sounds crazy. Glad you are okay. How is the waitress?
Also sorry for all the posts kicking you while you are down. Take care.
It wasn't rotary AFAIK and I'm a huge Trek fan so I remember his unfortunate death.
See Recalled Shifter May Have Played a Part in Actor Anton Yelchin's Deat, The recalled Jeep shifter is just bad user interface design and FCA speeds up gear-shifter recall in wake of actor Yelchin’s death. From the latter:
As for the Prius you mentioned, as an owner of a gen 2 (spanned 04 to 09 model years) for 13 years, at least there was a large Park button instead of the above funkiness. And, the actions are very distinct for reverse vs. drive vs. park. Example pic at https://cdn.dealrimages.com/DO/SU/BI/I5UMNXLXM9YLON.jpg?h=500.
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