One thing is not like the other

Bob Wilson

 

Loaded and installed today:



Tesla runs at the speed of thought. I'll test it Tuesday, tomorrow.

Bob Wilson

 

I stopped the first article at:

"reports he was being considered for an advisory role in a second Trump administration "​

Elon was on a business advisory group in Trump's first term but quit. The article did not mention that in this paragraph or the next.

The second one dated from "Apr 10, 2015.". I'm sure it is fascinating but the next year, I bought TSLA and four years later, 2019, my Tesla and paid extra for AutoPilot and later that year, $6,000 for Full Self Driving.

Bob Wilson

 

I did a 200 mi, test drive this morning that included the newest CCS-1/J3400 charger.

Results:

• PHANTOM SPEED ZONES - still exist but the softer speed change give time to avoid a "phantom brake" event.
• ACTIVITY MONITOR (cabin camera) - keeping eyes on a narrow lane front works. But neither sun glasses nor UV protected safety glasses. Both lead to disabling the hands free, camera monitor. Did not have eye glasses to test but we need a volunteer.
• VERNIER SPEED CONTROL (GONE) - the right scroll wheel could adjust the cruise control up or down by 1 or 5 MPH changes. Totally gone in my testing.
  • WORKAROUND - use accelerator to reach target speed and one 'down' on the right stalk sets the speed . . . but it can wander down.
• RAN RED LIGHT - early morning testing, a pickup about 100-150 yards ahead passed through a traffic light. But to my surprise, the car flat out ran the red light. Stay alert!
• LANE DISCIPLINE - somewhat better including changing lanes well ahead of a turn. But watch it as there was one attempt to merge right at a navigation point left turn.
• LEFT TURNS - finally tame, reliable, and not scary.
• SPEED LIMIT SIGNS - it acted as if the signs were not there but using the defective 'speed map.'
• CONSTRUCTION BARRELS - failed to render them on display.

Overall impression, less 'frantic' but still has some unpleasant surprises. The traffic light was flat out wrong. More accelerator pedal operation needed. We really need vernier speed thumb wheel and I liked the long gone, following distance control.​

Recently had my second use of a magic dock, J3400, charger. Impressions:

• The longer cable - Some standard V2/V3 charging lanes have a concrete, curb barrier over 1 ft (30 cm) from the true curb. This minimize the chance of backing into the charge dispenser BUT I've had to park my Model 3 at an acute angle or off the end to get the cable to reach.
• J3400 vs CCS-1 - first attempt, I pulled out the CCS-1 plug. Reinserting and not touching the release button with a bit of wiggling, the J3400 came out. Practice will probably solve my inexperience. I was tempted to put my CCS-1 adapter on the Tesla and see if the J3400, CCS-1 plug, would work and charge the car. I wonder what the cost per kWh would be.
• Improved disconnect button - in the past, it was nearly impossible to tell when the thumb was pressing on the correct spot. I felt a slight but distinct tactile feel when pressing the spot.
• Heavy cable high mounted - likely liquid cooled and prepped for higher than 250 kW charge rates, they are high enough without excessive droop to reach the car. Some CCS-1 cables are much heavier and a 'snake' to plug in.
• Invoice - the bare minimum, recent ChargePoints do better:
  • Needs charge graph - kW vs time so see how our batteries are aging.
  • One minute resolution - works better than smaller or different charge time intervals.
  • WORKAROUND - set iPhone camera on "time lapse" and record the charging session in the car.

Bob Wilson