Live data from Hacker News

Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

myelectricsparks.com

31–40 of 188 posts

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#31
post #2

Another similar incident happened around a week after that one: https://www.channel3000.com/news/dane-county-sheriffs-office... . One thing to note is that the car doors in Teslas are electrically controlled and a different failsafe method of opening the doors is required when the electrical system isn't working. Here's the steps for manually opening the Model Y's rear doors (car in the story the post links to): http…

What is an "unlikely event" for any given passenger is nearly a 100% certainty for Tesla. The engineers and product managers who came up with that solution probably have trouble sleeping at night these days.

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#32
post #8
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why are the doors electronically controlled to start with? is it cost savings?

It is more cyber that way. Also, yes, electromechanical systems are easier to design.

There’s still a second mechanical release so this is strictly more complicated than simply having a mechanical system to begin with.

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#33
post #14
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why are the doors electronically controlled to start with? is it cost savings?

A lot of cars have electronically controlled doors. It’s due to the frameless windows. Opening the door requires the windows to roll down slightly to avoid damage to the outer trim. The doors still have a mechanical release so there’s no cost savings involved. For the front door they’re right next to the electronic release. For the rear doors they’re hidden under the passenger door pocket. Edit: to everyone replying…

Not necessarily. Many cars have manual doors and frameless windows. A 1996 Subaru comes to mind. Tesla could easily make the windows dip when a mechanical handle was activated.

Electronic door latches are fine, it’s the backup mechanism that is the problem. Some cars have the mechanical alternate forward of the electrical release such that if you are grabbing frantically you would eventually pull it. This still looks minimal if that is more important than safety.

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#34

> Tesla has faced criticism in the past for the design of its manual release levers, which are considered poorly designed and unintuitively placed. These emergency measures require intimate knowledge of the car, something that may not be feasible in a panic situation. First, how is this remotely legal? Are there not safety standards to ensure adults can easily exit a vehicle on fire? Second, regardless of regulations…

And now he's bought his way into US aristocracy so he can do whatevr he wants and no one can stop him. He doesn't like criticism from the NTHSB? Well he can deem the NTHSB "inefficient" and have it downsized and the leaders sacked. Does the FTC think he's lying about his self-driving claims? Well maybe the FTC is inefficient and he just makes a call to Trump and the DoJ won't be investigating anything either. The US is now completely an oligarchy and kleptocracy.

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#35

I’ll leave a thought that isn’t a Tesla criticism (because the others are good): everybody should carry a lifehammer in their car. If not for saving your own life, it might come in handy for saving somebody else’s. https://www.amazon.com/Lifehammer-Brand-Safety-Hammer-Nether... Don’t buy the cheap Chinese knockoffs.

I'd add that for anything your life depends on, my general rule is don't buy from Amazon. Buy from the manufacturer. Way too many counterfeits on Amazon.

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#36
post #13
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why are the doors electronically controlled to start with? is it cost savings?

They use frameless windows, so the electronic release slightly lowers them to avoid them scraping the door frame.

In 2008 I had a BMW Convertible with frameless doors. When you pulled the door handle the window dropped. Same from the inside.

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#37

I’ll leave a thought that isn’t a Tesla criticism (because the others are good): everybody should carry a lifehammer in their car. If not for saving your own life, it might come in handy for saving somebody else’s. https://www.amazon.com/Lifehammer-Brand-Safety-Hammer-Nether... Don’t buy the cheap Chinese knockoffs.

[deleted]

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#38
post #32
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is more cyber that way. Also, yes, electromechanical systems are easier to design.

There’s still a second mechanical release so this is strictly more complicated than simply having a mechanical system to begin with.

Routing the mechanical linkage to a place in the door that would make sense for a door handle to be is the difficult and expensive part.

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#39
post #2

Another similar incident happened around a week after that one: https://www.channel3000.com/news/dane-county-sheriffs-office... . One thing to note is that the car doors in Teslas are electrically controlled and a different failsafe method of opening the doors is required when the electrical system isn't working. Here's the steps for manually opening the Model Y's rear doors (car in the story the post links to): http…

"Tesla didn't account at all for what happens ..."

Tesla might not have, but you can. Always have a glass breaker and seatbelt cutter in your vehicle. Doors get crumpled and can't open regardless of make/model.

Re: Four dead in fire as Tesla doors fail to open after crash

#40
My Chevrolet truck while having an actual door latch, doesn’t open the doors if they’re locked. You have to pull twice.

Is that an electronic counter (likely) or mechanical? If the latter, no big deal, if the former it’s even worse than the Tesla - at least my MY has a separate mechanical over ride.

Post reply on HN