[KD007]

And now Tesla takes a new route for its product sales

http://www.retailingtoday.com/articl...&mid=11809628#

The nation’s highest-profile electric car-marker is taking an unusual route to get its product out in front of potential customers.

Tesla Motors on Saturday will open a 400-sq.-ft. gallery in Nordstrom’s store at The Grove, an upscale shopping center in Los Angeles. The space will be dedicated to Tesla's Model X SUV, and also feature mix-and-match interior car panel displays and on-site test drives with Tesla employees. The gallery, which will be located in the men’s department on the first floor, will be open through 2016.

"We’re focused on listening to our customers and seeing how they respond to this type of differentiated experience," Nordstrom said in a report by Fast Company.

Tesla sells its vehicles through its own branded stores as opposed to traditional dealerships. It also operates showrooms or galleries where customers can learn about the cars but not always buy them on site. Tesla is currently in the process of obtaining a sales license for its gallery in Nordstrom, according to Fast Company.

[rokindotnish]

One thing I found interesting was the front power door opening.
Elon Musk demo'ed it when he unveiled it - as he came near the door, it opened by itself.

However, I am sceptical about its functionality in real-life conditions. Please go through the following scenarios;
1. The owner is coming towards the car intending to get in. The car detects the owner and starts to open the door. Suddenly a speeding motorcyclist comes from nowhere towards the car (driver side).
2. The owner stops the car by the kerb and prepared to get out. The door starts to open by itself. A speeding motorcyclist comes from behind.

Assume that in both cases, the motorcyclist will hit the door if it opens.

I assume the car can detect static obstacles near the door opening range ( a bin, a pillar, a wall). I am wondering if the power door opening would be able to detect dynamic obstacles ( a motorcycle, a running pedestrian).

This would need a range of sensors which will detect and a sophisticated algorithm to predict the trajectory of the possible obstacle. Ideally, the door won't open until the obstacle passes.

Since Elon is aiming self driving capabilities for Tesla by 2020, I am sure there are some good sensors in the car.

What are your thoughts BHP'ians?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S524IXJasQI

[volkman10]

Tesla Model X is the first SUV ever to receive a 5-Star safety rating in every category and becomes the safest SUV ever tested.

Federal regulators have given the Tesla Model X a perfect five-star safety rating, the first SUV ever to get the top score.

Hundreds of other SUV models have been given five stars overall by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. But in each case, the SUV received only four stars on one of the component ratings, typically rollover risk. SUVs have a higher center of gravity and are more prone to roll over than a typical family sedan.

link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCXaR3_r164

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scvG5aCl47c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjapNSJJT0I

[reihem]

I’ve booked one for tomorrow ! I’m taking it down the pacific coast highway ! I’m really excited :-)

[abhi]

Would love to hear your thoughts on the Model X

As someone who now parks in a tight garage with 2 motorcycles just outside the driver side door, I just love the auto opening doors and even more the obstacle detection. Fantastic stuff.

[reihem]

I had a blast. Will add some videos.

[StarrySky]

A friend visited us in a Model X which he had taken out for a TD. I took the opportunity to have a short 10-12km drive in the car. The Model X is probably the biggest car in terms of dimensions that I have ever driven. However, it doesn't feel so big from behind the wheel. The huge front windshield provides fantastic visibility. The rear view camera was always on (probably a configuration setting), which provided superb visibility towards the rear as well in the dark. I sat only in the driver's seat in the car and it felt a bit too narrow for my liking, especially the seat base.

Although it is called an SUV or crossover, I felt the car does not sit so far off the ground. Yes, getting in is far easier then getting into a sedan, but it's not as if we need to climb into it.

The Model X is also the heaviest car that I have ever driven. The weight is apparent in the way the car moves. Due to the nature of EVs, I didn't feel bogged down by the weight while accelerating. However, maneuvering it around 90-degree turns even at slow speeds felt weird after being used to driving a sedan in the same route.

The regenerative braking was in "Standard" setting and I felt that it was quite aggressive. There is a round about near my home. I usually approach it at 50 km/h in my car and then take the foot off the A-pedal a few metres before I reach it in order to slow down enough to take it. If I take the foot off the A-pedal in the Model X at the same distance, it would be at crawling speeds by the time I reached the round about. It would take a bit of getting used to.

The other thing I felt was that it doesn't have that composed feel that a $100k car from another manufacturer might have. I took it only upto 80km/h speeds on a road that I take every day in my Octavia. The Model X didn't feel like a car that's 3 times as expensive. By contrast, I had taken TD of a Passat on the same road a month back. At 80km/h, I then felt as if I was going in slow-motion compared to what I am used to in the Octavia.

After having seen videos of Teslas beating the crap out of supercars in drag races, I half-expected the Model X (it was a 100D variant) to be scary fast during acceleration. Granted that I didn't put pedal to metal, but it didn't scare me. It was a good thing, for this short TD

[UB_007]

More news on autonomous driving. Tesla X on autopilot mode crashed into a lane change barricade. Tesla announced that the obstacle was visible 150m away before the crash and driver did not take charge on the wheel to avoid this.
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