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2010 Tesla Roadster Sport first drive
- dkokelley 17y ago"Surprisingly, it was intuitive and easy to input a street address using the minimal controls, all while stopped at traffic lights (the system doesn't allow input while the car is in motion)." (emphasis added) I've never heard of this practice before. Is it common for cars with built in navigation to lock the controls while in motion? Part of me thinks 'That's nice. People are less likely to crash' and part of me thinks 'If I ever get one like this, the first thing I'm gonna do is figure out how to disable the lock.'
- hallmark 17y agoYes, it's very common with built-in navigation systems that are standard or optional equipment on a model. I'm not sure about after-market systems that you happen to install in the dashboard, such as the JVC unit that is shown in the article (vs the portable ones that you mount on the windshield). EDIT: Made the distinction between factory-installed units and after market systems.
- dkokelley 17y agoThanks. Now another question. Why would they do this? Isn't it plausible that the passenger/navigator is trying to update their navigation settings?
- MikeCapone 17y agoPlausible, but would probably be a minority of cases considering that most people drive alone in their vehicle. Maybe they could set it so that weight on the passenger seat unlocks it?
- dkokelley 17y agoI was just thinking about the weight sensor. Still, I think that there's too much baby-sitting going on.
- smiler 17y agoLiability most likely - dictated by lawyers!
- snprbob86 17y agoMost of these systems have "cheat codes" you can enter to unlock them.
- _ck_ 17y agoWhere is the $50k family sedan they promised? Now that would be a game changer, the Roadster is just a playtoy.
- callmeed 17y agoLooks sweet. Is there a reason it has no power steering?
- dkokelley 17y agoPossibly to save energy. Possibly to increase performance. Power steering takes juice. It also adds weight, which takes more juice to move, and could reduce the performance. Do many other roadsters have power steering?
- utexaspunk 17y agoWith a car that small and light, power steering isn't really necessary. It adds weight and diminishes the driver's ability to feel what the car is doing and feel the road through the wheel.
- dkokelley 17y agoExactly. At that point it's more of a trade-off between luxury and performance.
- frankus 17y agoThis is definitely written like a tech review, not a car review. The sort of minor interior refresh Tesla did is not uncommon for larger car companies to do every year or two. The complete redesign that happens every five to eight years is a lot more complete than what Tesla has done. Also, a big weight toward the rear of the car will (all else equal) lead to oversteer. (To the uninitiated, understeer = "I missed the turn", oversteer = "I spun out"). A little oversteer is what you want in a sports car, but that can be adjusted pretty easily by tuning the anti-roll-bar stiffness. Most cars from the factory are tuned to understeer slightly, as most consumers who lose control of their car expect to leave the road facing forwards and not backwards.