3 ms·

the defective design of the door latch system entrapping him in the vehicle This was discussed furiously in the HN articles of the time; the latch apparently h

the defective design of the door latch system entrapping him in the vehicle This was discussed furiously in the HN articles of the time; the latch apparently has a manual actuator, but how to use it is not obvious at all, especially in an emergency. I also noticed the subtitle is "Settlement Comes After Automaker in April Struck Confidential Accord". That had to be deliberate.

jader201 2y ago
> the latch apparently has a manual actuator, but how to use it is not obvious at all, especially in an emergency. The result of prioritizing design over function — and in this case, safety!
- maxerickson 2y ago
  Is it even that? Are there a lot of people that are put off by mechanical pulls?
  - tadfisher 2y ago
    Why would you be caught in a car where the doors open like _this_ instead of like _this_?
  - rurp 2y ago
    No but novel UX gimmicks can be appealing to some customers. Tesla cars have a number of unusual features that are functionally bad but get attention.
- nomel 2y ago
  Maybe ideally they should have mixed the two: a light pull does the electronic thing (rolls windows clear of weather stripping, etc), a hard pull does the manual thing.
  - toast0 2y ago
    I test drove a Lexus TX recently, it has a door assist too, but it's real simple: push the handle and the door assist operates, pull the handle (maybe twice if locked) and the door operates like a normal door. Easy and intuitive.
    - Tempest1981 2y ago
      Apologies, but what is "door assist"? (My car must be old, from an era when doors were simpler)
      - toast0 2y ago
        Apparently it's too hard to open a car door yourself anymore. I guess Tesla popularized pushing a button and then the car electrically pushes open the door a bit; but Lexus has it too now. Electric sliding doors in minivans are pretty old too, but this is for the front doors.
ClassyJacket 2y ago
I don't know about the older Model S, but in my Model 3 the mechanical door opener is completely blank and unmarked. I love my Tesla but that company is horrible with making it apparent how to open doors. My passengers never know how to get in or out. Worse, look at the Cybertruck... I swear their next car will only open the doors from the app.
- dawnerd 2y ago
  The older 3 had the rear door manual latch under the liner in the door pocket and in the first year or so there wasn’t anything to easily grab it
  - iJohnDoe 2y ago
    I remember something about the manual door latch being behind a speaker like cover in early Tesla models? Also, in the last year or so, I remember if you use the manual latch, it will crack the window?
    - Terr_ 2y ago
      > I remember something about the manual door latch being behind a speaker like cover in early Tesla models? Was curious and did some searching, AFAICT it looks like someone on the front-seat is often OK, but if you're in the back seat you may be in trouble. Model S involves a cable behind your ankles: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/models/en_us/GUID-AAD769C7-88A3-4695-987E-0E00025F64E0.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/models/en_us/GUID-AAD769C... The Model X involves removing a speaker grille and pulling a cable down and towards the front of the car: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modelx/en_us/GUID-AAD769C7-88A3-4695-987E-0E00025F64E0.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modelx/en_us/GUID-AAD769C... In the Model 3 you have to know to pry up a piece of molding in a lower pocket of the door before manipulating a cable: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/model3/en_us/GUID-A7A60DC7-E476-4A86-9C9C-10F4A276AB8B.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/model3/en_us/GUID-A7A60DC... Model Y is like 3 except some of them do not have a manual release for rear-passengers, and those that do involve another step to pull up a mat from the bottom of the door-pocket: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/en_us/GUID-AAD769C7-88A3-4695-987E-0E00025F64E0.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/en_us/GUID-AAD769C...

jader201 2y ago

> the latch apparently has a manual actuator, but how to use it is not obvious at all, especially in an emergency. The result of prioritizing design over function — and in this case, safety!

maxerickson 2y ago
Is it even that? Are there a lot of people that are put off by mechanical pulls?
- tadfisher 2y ago
  Why would you be caught in a car where the doors open like _this_ instead of like _this_?
- rurp 2y ago
  No but novel UX gimmicks can be appealing to some customers. Tesla cars have a number of unusual features that are functionally bad but get attention.
nomel 2y ago
Maybe ideally they should have mixed the two: a light pull does the electronic thing (rolls windows clear of weather stripping, etc), a hard pull does the manual thing.
- toast0 2y ago
  I test drove a Lexus TX recently, it has a door assist too, but it's real simple: push the handle and the door assist operates, pull the handle (maybe twice if locked) and the door operates like a normal door. Easy and intuitive.
  - Tempest1981 2y ago
    Apologies, but what is "door assist"? (My car must be old, from an era when doors were simpler)
    - toast0 2y ago
      Apparently it's too hard to open a car door yourself anymore. I guess Tesla popularized pushing a button and then the car electrically pushes open the door a bit; but Lexus has it too now. Electric sliding doors in minivans are pretty old too, but this is for the front doors.

ClassyJacket 2y ago

I don't know about the older Model S, but in my Model 3 the mechanical door opener is completely blank and unmarked. I love my Tesla but that company is horrible with making it apparent how to open doors. My passengers never know how to get in or out. Worse, look at the Cybertruck... I swear their next car will only open the doors from the app.

dawnerd 2y ago
The older 3 had the rear door manual latch under the liner in the door pocket and in the first year or so there wasn’t anything to easily grab it
- iJohnDoe 2y ago
  I remember something about the manual door latch being behind a speaker like cover in early Tesla models? Also, in the last year or so, I remember if you use the manual latch, it will crack the window?
  - Terr_ 2y ago
    > I remember something about the manual door latch being behind a speaker like cover in early Tesla models? Was curious and did some searching, AFAICT it looks like someone on the front-seat is often OK, but if you're in the back seat you may be in trouble. Model S involves a cable behind your ankles: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/models/en_us/GUID-AAD769C7-88A3-4695-987E-0E00025F64E0.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/models/en_us/GUID-AAD769C... The Model X involves removing a speaker grille and pulling a cable down and towards the front of the car: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modelx/en_us/GUID-AAD769C7-88A3-4695-987E-0E00025F64E0.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modelx/en_us/GUID-AAD769C... In the Model 3 you have to know to pry up a piece of molding in a lower pocket of the door before manipulating a cable: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/model3/en_us/GUID-A7A60DC7-E476-4A86-9C9C-10F4A276AB8B.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/model3/en_us/GUID-A7A60DC... Model Y is like 3 except some of them do not have a manual release for rear-passengers, and those that do involve another step to pull up a mat from the bottom of the door-pocket: https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/en_us/GUID-AAD769C7-88A3-4695-987E-0E00025F64E0.html https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/en_us/GUID-AAD769C...