'Summon' feature enabled on Tesla's in the UK
Discussion
Got another software update over the weekend and my car now has 'Summon' feature enabled in Beta form. It's be on trial in the US, China and latterly Australia, so good to see it available in the UK too.
Overall, it's pretty damn cool. You can drive the car backwards and forwards via the phone app, and it will steer around obstacles and stop before it hits anything. Theoretically if the technology is there to do that and also to Autopilot with you in the car, then the car could happily drive itself, albeit with further software development and subject to legislation.
As a Beta version, it's pretty patchy at the moment. If my phone is on 4G and the car is on 3G, or both are on WiFi, it's pretty reliable and works OK. If either the phone or the car is a bit low on signal, the connection drops out pretty swiftly - presumably a safety measure.
Moving the car operates on a 'deadman's finger' system, i.e. you hold the forward/backward button down on phone and when you release it it stops. The maximum operating distance is 40ft in (roughly) a straight line, but this will soon expand I'm sure. It also connects to your garage door via Homelink, so can open and close the door behind itself when you drive it in and out of the garage. Pretty clever stuff!
Overall, it's pretty damn cool. You can drive the car backwards and forwards via the phone app, and it will steer around obstacles and stop before it hits anything. Theoretically if the technology is there to do that and also to Autopilot with you in the car, then the car could happily drive itself, albeit with further software development and subject to legislation.
As a Beta version, it's pretty patchy at the moment. If my phone is on 4G and the car is on 3G, or both are on WiFi, it's pretty reliable and works OK. If either the phone or the car is a bit low on signal, the connection drops out pretty swiftly - presumably a safety measure.
Moving the car operates on a 'deadman's finger' system, i.e. you hold the forward/backward button down on phone and when you release it it stops. The maximum operating distance is 40ft in (roughly) a straight line, but this will soon expand I'm sure. It also connects to your garage door via Homelink, so can open and close the door behind itself when you drive it in and out of the garage. Pretty clever stuff!
ewenm said:
Nice toys to play with!
Really hope they've got the security side of it nailed down though
Yeah, that would be a fly in the ointment!!Really hope they've got the security side of it nailed down though
When it was first released in the US it was all operated off the key, since then they've switched it to being App operated but the key has to be in range of the vehicle. I think/hope this is a temporary measure for the Beta software version, as there's not much point summoning a car if you have to go and stand next to it!!
ewenm said:
Really hope they've got the security side of it nailed down though
The security side isn't necessarily 100% under their control. Even assuming they haven't made basic and monumental security holes, like Nissan did, you're still communicating with the app via an easily hackable (or stolen) device over a publicly-available network.What could possibly go wrong?
It's massively over hyped in my book. It doesn't park itself as such, it either moves forwards or backwards into a space so long as you have good mobile reception and the key is close to the car. As a party trick it's ok, as a useful feature, other than pulling your car out of a spot when someone's parked too close I'm struggling to see one.
Meanwhile.. If your door handle breaks you've a months wait for a replacement.
Meanwhile.. If your door handle breaks you've a months wait for a replacement.
BMW shown something similar at CES with an i3 that could park with no one in the car, or fold the mirrors in and drive into a garage. Theirs is still a development and show car thing though (can an i3 be updated like a Tesla?) https://youtu.be/w6U1EUSRbIc
ajprice said:
BMW shown something similar at CES with an i3 that could park with no one in the car, or fold the mirrors in and drive into a garage. Theirs is still a development and show car thing though (can an i3 be updated like a Tesla?) https://youtu.be/w6U1EUSRbIc
Already on the 7 series I think - and dint you just love the diesel rattle as he parks ithttp://youtu.be/f7IJWpkMwAE
JonV8V said:
Already on the 7 series I think - and dint you just love the diesel rattle as he parks it
http://youtu.be/f7IJWpkMwAE
I didn't know BMW made tractors http://youtu.be/f7IJWpkMwAE
JonV8V said:
It's massively over hyped in my book. It doesn't park itself as such, it either moves forwards or backwards into a space so long as you have good mobile reception and the key is close to the car. As a party trick it's ok, as a useful feature, other than pulling your car out of a spot when someone's parked too close I'm struggling to see one.
Meanwhile.. If your door handle breaks you've a months wait for a replacement.
I agree, in it's current (Beta) version it certainly is more a gimmick than a useful too. Having said that, last night the parking space I park in to charge up is quite narrow, and the car next to me was quite far over in his space towards mine. So I did get out, and use Summon to back the car into the space, with a wall on the other side of the vehicle. Saved my trying to squeeze in and out of the quite wide doors in a narrow space!Meanwhile.. If your door handle breaks you've a months wait for a replacement.
The important thing for me is that the car can already park itself (parallel and bay parking) with you in the vehicle, and now it can Summon back and forth with you out of the vehicle. It can't be long before the two are combined to make a genuinely useful feature, and where Summon can be used over longer distances, once the Beta version is proved off
Haha, if only!
On the subject of Summon, any Tesla owners been able to reactivate Summon operation from the key? When it was first released it was key-only, then they swapped to App-only, but I am told it is possible to still use the key if you can find the right menu options to do it. I've had a look and cant see anything, anyone know if this is possible/true?
On the subject of Summon, any Tesla owners been able to reactivate Summon operation from the key? When it was first released it was key-only, then they swapped to App-only, but I am told it is possible to still use the key if you can find the right menu options to do it. I've had a look and cant see anything, anyone know if this is possible/true?
Mike_C said:
Haha, if only!
On the subject of Summon, any Tesla owners been able to reactivate Summon operation from the key? When it was first released it was key-only, then they swapped to App-only, but I am told it is possible to still use the key if you can find the right menu options to do it. I've had a look and cant see anything, anyone know if this is possible/true?
I don't believe it's ever been possible from the key in the uk. On the subject of Summon, any Tesla owners been able to reactivate Summon operation from the key? When it was first released it was key-only, then they swapped to App-only, but I am told it is possible to still use the key if you can find the right menu options to do it. I've had a look and cant see anything, anyone know if this is possible/true?
Are you on the tesla Facebook group? It pretty active for tesla info,
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