Technology

If only we had the technology to open doors without power. One day, perhaps.

The car’s owner, Renee Sanchez, was taking her granddaughter to the zoo, but after loading the child in the Model Y, she closed the door and wasn’t able to open it again. “My phone key wouldn’t open it,” Sanchez said in an interview with Arizona’s Family. “My car key wouldn’t open it.” She called emergency services, and firefighters were dispatched to help.

Just so nobody thinks someone left a kid in the car and then went into a store or something. Tesla should be paying for the broken window repair at the very least.

Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment; it has dissolved its press office.

Whenever essential functions (e.g. access) are powered, they're supposed to have manual overrides. I'm pretty sure this is a regulatory requirement even here in the States where we're stupid and regulatory agencies are mostly captured.

So WTF happened, Tesla? Where's the manual override for when the battery fails?

Failsafe.

Fail Safe.

Fail Open.

Elon is why we need to write safety regulations. He's the kind of guy who would put sawdust in your food and call it innovation.

I had something similar happen to me years ago in a Toyota minivan. The car stalled and died in traffic, some kind of electrical glitch. I got out to raise the hood. The door closed behind me and it came up with just enough battery to lock itself, with my keys in the ignition and my two babies and quadriplegic husband inside. It was 107° outside. And pre-cellphones. I bolted to the nearby gas station to call 911 and grab something to break a window. Meanwhile hubby tried to coach toddler how to wriggle out of car seat and open door, but straps were too snug. Firehouse was near, and the jammed traffic was all in one direction so they used the opposite side and didn't take long, and they jimmied the door open quickly. But it was boiling in there. Sat the kids by the road to cool off with water and get checked by paramedics, gave water to husband in car with open doors, and waited for a tow to the gas station so I could lower the ramp and get my husband out. Meanwhile of course we made the traffic even worse, but people weren't too mad when they saw our plight as they squeezed past.

I'm wondering, did some similar glitch happen here, or do Tesla doors lock every time they shut?

There was a time I wanted a Tesla, but I don't anymore. This is just another reason why.

Does Tesla care about making a "neat thing" or do they care about making "a car that can drive me places". The doors clearly show they prioritize making a "neat thing", but I want a reliable car.

Opening and closing doors was a solved problem. Somehow Tesla made it worse.

According to a report from Arizona’s Family:

The 12-volt battery that powers the car’s electronics died without warning.

Tesla drivers are supposed to receive three warnings before that happens, but the Tesla service department confirmed that Sanchez didn’t receive any warnings.

Not even the door locks are mechanical? So much built-in obsolescence...

The fucking DOORS require a charged battery? Fuck that. That decision will age great in the next ten years. Not to mention emergency situations where the electrical system is compromised.

Now imagine this happens in a remote area with no cell coverage. In Arizona those are a thing too.

Why not just open the door with the key like every car ever

what happens when a car catches fire because the electrical system is on fire and you can't Open the door because it's electric

There should really be a law, requiring a certain list of mechanical things to exist on the car. So far, it's only the emergency turn signals, and what, the mirrors? The door handles absolutely need to be on that list