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Tesla Model S Plaid Owner’s Manual reveals how “Auto Shift” works

Credit: Tesla

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“I think generally all input is error,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk when he explained the Model S Plaid’s Auto Shift feature. Tesla removed the stalks when reinventing the Tesla Model S Plaid’s design. “If you have to do something that the car could have done already, that should be taken care of; the software should just do it,” Musk remarked. 

This approach was evident in the Model S Plaid’s Auto Shift feature, which uses software to determine if the vehicle should be in Drive, Park, Neutral, or Reverse. The new Tesla Model S manual goes further into detail about Auto Shift and the vehicle’s gears.

Touchscreen Gear Shift

For drivers who would still prefer shifting gears manually, the new Model S has a gear strip available on the car’s touchscreen under “Controls.” The gear strip will be displayed on the left side of the touchscreen when a driver presses the brake pedal while parked.

  • Drive – Swipe up on the gear strip on the touchscreen. Drivers can only shift into “D” when the Model S is stopped or moving less than 5 mph or 8 km/h in Reverse.
  • Reverse – Swipe down on the gear strip. Drivers can only shift into “R” when the Model S is stopped or moving less than 5 mph or 8 km/h in Drive. Drivers can manually close the park assist view on the touchscreen by touching the “X” in the upper corner.
  • Neutral: To shift into Neutral, drivers should touch the “Controls,” then press and hold the Neutral icon until the Model S engages the “N” gear. When the Model S is traveling over 5 mph or 8 km/h and swipes up or down on the gear strip, a Neutral icon will appear at the top of the gear strip that drivers can engage. 
https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1403226784074813442?s=20

Model S Park

The Park button is only displayed when the brake pedal is pressed. Shifting into Park is allowed when the vehicle’s driving speed is less than 5 mph or 8km/h. 

The Model S will automatically shift to Park when it observes signs that drivers are about to exit the vehicle, like when the driver unbuckles his/her seat belt and the car is stopped. Other instances the Model S will shift into Park would be when the driver’s door is open or the vehicle hasn’t moved within one minute of shifting into Drive gear.

Auto Shift Out of Park

Auto Shift Out of Park allows the Model S to shift out of Park on its own, providing more convenience. In the Model S owner’s manual, Tesla notes that Auto Shift out of Park is a BETA feature and is disabled by default. 

“When Auto Shift out of Park is enabled, Model S is designed to use inputs from various sensors to automatically select a driving gear when you are ready to drive. The selected gear is displayed on the instrument panel when the driver’s door is closed, and the seatbelt is buckled,” said the manual.

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Drivers can override the selected gear by pressing the brake pedal, then use the touchscreen to choose the gear they prefer. Drivers must always press the brake pedal to shift out of Park. 

Tesla cautions drivers to follow the instructions on the panel before pressing on the accelerator after confirming their gear selection. The Model S will not shift out of Park if it is still plugged into a charging port. 

(Credit: Tesla)

Model S in Drive Gear

The Model S automatically selects the driving gear when the following conditions are met:

  • Auto Shift out of Park is enabled (touch Controls > Pedals & Steering > Auto Shift out of Park). 
  • The vehicle is in Park. 
  • The driver’s seat belt is fastened. 
  • The brake pedal is pressed. 
  • All doors and trunks are closed. 
  • The gear selector on the center console is not activated. 

Emergency Gear Shift Controls

Drivers can use the gear selector on the center console in the unlikely event that the touchscreen is unavailable and the gear shift is unaccessible. The letters “P,” “R,” “N,” and “D” are displayed in the center console and can be activated when pressed. The frunk, trunk, and doors must be closed to select a gear in the center console.

Tesla notes that the gear selector in the center console activates when the touchscreen is unavailable or the Model S in Valet or Transport Mode. Otherwise, drivers must press the letter buttons to activate the gear selector.

“If you try to shift into a gear that the current driving speed prohibits, the instrument panel displays an alert, a chime sounds, and the gear does not change,” Tesla states in the manual.

As a side note, Tesla stated that drivers could also activate the gear selector by briefly pressing the scroll buttons on the yoke steering wheel simultaneously. Holding the scroll buttons for a longer time would activate the gear selector in the center console and restart the touchscreen as well.

Model S Owners Manual North America en Us by Maria Merano on Scribd

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla adjusts one key detail of Robotaxi operations in Austin

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Tesla is adjusting one key detail of Robotaxi operations in Austin: service hours.

Tesla’s Robotaxi platform in Austin has been active since late June and has been running smoothly since then. It has its limits, as Tesla has set hours that Robotaxis can operate, as well as a distinct Service Area, also known as a geofence, which has expanded three times already.

While the geofence is currently approximately 170 square miles in size, Tesla has recently enabled freeway drives, which also necessitated an adjustment to the company’s strategy with its “Safety Monitors.”

Tesla explains why Robotaxis now have safety monitors in the driver’s seat

Traditionally, they sit in the passenger’s seat. During highway driving, they move to the driver’s seat.

These are just a few adjustments that have been made over the past two and a half months. Now, Tesla is adjusting the service hours of Robotaxi operation in Austin, but only slightly.

Tesla will now operate its Robotaxi ride-hailing service from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., extending the hours by two hours. It previously shut down at midnight.

Tesla has implemented a variety of safeguards to ensure riders and drivers are safe during Robotaxi rides, and they have made it a point to adjust things when they feel confident that it will not cause any issues.

Many people have been critical of Robotaxi, especially because a person sits in the front of the car.

However, an accident or some type of mistake could do more damage to the autonomous travel sector than anything else. This would not just impact Tesla, but any company operating an autonomous ride-hailing service in the country.

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Tesla Model Y ownership two weeks in: what I love and what I don’t

With any new car, I don’t really find things I dislike within the first few months; the novelty of a shiny new vehicle usually wears off eventually.

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Credit: Tesla

I am officially two weeks into Tesla ownership, having picked up my Model Y Long Range All-Wheel-Drive on Saturday, August 30. I have many things I really love, and I’ll do my best to come up with a few things I don’t, although I find that to be very difficult currently.

With any new car, I don’t really find things I dislike within the first few months; the novelty of a shiny new vehicle usually wears off eventually. In the past, I’ve had a car I only kept for nine months, but I loved it for the first two months. I am sure down the road, some things about the Tesla will bother me, but right now, I don’t have too much to complain about.

As for the things I love, I’ll try to keep it to just five, and as I continue to write about my ownership experience in the coming months, I’ll see if these things change.

A Quick Rundown

In the two weeks I have had my new Model Y, I have driven 783 miles. I have driven it manually, used Full Self-Driving, navigated tight city streets in Baltimore, and driven spiritedly on the winding back roads of Pennsylvania.

I traded my ICE vehicle for a Tesla Model Y: here’s how it went

I have had the opportunity to put it to the test in a variety of ways, and I feel like I have a great idea of this car and how it handles and drives just two weeks in.

What I Love About My Tesla Model Y

I am only going to pick a handful of things, but do not take this list as a complete one. I truly have so many things I love about this car, but I want to mention the ones that are not necessarily “novelties.” I love the A/C seats, but it’s not something I feel deserves a mention here, because it would not likely sway someone to consider the car.

Instead, I want to highlight what I feel are things that truly set the Model Y apart from cars I’ve had in the past.

Tesla Full Self-Driving

Available on all Teslas, Full Self-Driving is something I use every day. It is not only a convenience thing, but it is also truly a fun feature to track improvements, and it’s been fun to show a lot of my friends who are not familiar with its capabilities just how safe and impressive it is.

My Fiancè and I have watched Full Self-Driving make slight changes in performance in the two weeks we’ve been using it. I tracked one instance on a Pennsylvania back road when the car stopped at an “Except Right Turn” Stop Sign. Initially, the car stopped, holding up traffic behind it. Just days later, FSD proceeded through that same Stop Sign cautiously, but without coming to a complete stop, which is the proper way to navigate through it.

This quick adjustment was very impressive, and it even caught the attention of my better half. I will say it has been very fun to watch her fall in love with this car after being very reluctant to watch me get rid of our Bronco Sport.

The Handling

Tesla refined the suspension with the new Model Y, and you can surely feel it. Coming from a larger SUV, I did miss being able to really push the limits of my car on a beautiful, sunny, and warm day, and the winding roads of Pennsylvania are calling me for a drive.

The way this car hugs turns and genuinely puts a smile on my face when I’m pushing it. Dare I say I like driving it more than I like it driving me?

Interior Storage

One of my biggest complaints about my Bronco Sport was that, despite being an SUV, it felt smaller than it was supposed to be. I had trouble fitting golf bags and luggage in the back without having other storage options. It led me to install a roof rack and get a cargo container. I would have to put longer clubs in the back seat so the bags could lie without clubs getting bent.

I don’t seem to have a significant problem with this in the Model Y. Plus, the frunk and the additional cargo under the floor of the trunk are great for bags and other things. It offers 10 cubic feet more of space with the seats down than the Bronco Sport does.

The Entertainment

Not only is the sound system in this car absolutely unbelievable, but I also really enjoy the Tesla Theater, which is really something that has revolutionized how we spend our time in the car.

Charging at the Superchargers has become a new way for us to spend time together. Even if it’s just 30 minutes, my Fiancé’s busy work schedule at the hospital means we don’t get to spend as much time together as we would like. The charging lets us go grab a snack, watch a movie or show in the car, and just be with each other.

It’s honestly my favorite thing about the car so far, that we’ve both truly enjoyed what it has done for us. It put a smile on my face to hear her say, “It’s just so much fun to be in this car” last night when we met friends for dinner.

What I Don’t Love

I’m just going to get nitpicky here, because I don’t have much to complain about.

The Paint

I love the Diamond Black, and it gets so many compliments. However, it sure does get dirty fast. I feel like I’m going to have to invest in a car wash membership or set aside time each week to clean it. This is not a Tesla-specific problem, of course.

Climate Control

Another “first-world problem,” but sometimes I do have trouble getting the A/C to go right where I need it. I feel like, to feel the air, I have to put the fan speed to 7 or higher.

Swing Mode has been a real savior in this sense, but my Fiancè sometimes complains that my cold air will hit her when she’s already freezing. I think this is just something I need to get used to, as the vents are significantly different than any other car. It’s really not that bad, but it is worth mentioning that we’ve both said we are still adjusting to it early on.

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Tesla brings closure to head-scratching Cybertruck trim

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla has ended the production and sale of a Cybertruck trim level that had many people scratching their heads. The move comes after slow sales on the trim, as many Cybertruck buyers opted for other configurations that seemed to be a better value for the money.

On Friday, Tesla officially brought closure to the Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck, a build that was introduced earlier this year at a lower price point than its All-Wheel-Drive counterparts, but missed many of the key features that made the Cybertruck, the Cybertruck.

Tesla Cybertruck RWD production in full swing at Giga Texas

Rolling the variant out at a price of $69,990, only $10,000 less than that of the All-Wheel-Drive configuration. However, it was also void of many other things:

  • Single Motor
  • Textile Seats instead of Leather
  • 7-Speaker Audio System instead of 15-Speakers
  • No Rear Touchscreen
  • No Powered Tonneau Cover for Truck Bed
  • No 120v/240v outlets

For $79,990, just $10,000 more, owners could receive all of these premium features, plus a more capable All-Wheel-Drive powertrain, which truly made this Rear-Wheel-Drive build of the Cybertruck a sitting duck for criticism.

It was simply not enough meat for the price, and demand was evidently low. From those I spoke to, orders were few and far between; people simply found more value in the All-Wheel-Drive configuration based solely on the additional motor. Adding all the premium interior and functionality features made it a no-brainer.

In a way, it seems Tesla was overly optimistic about the Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck, but even after it was launched, plenty of loyal fans were confused by it:

The Cybertruck is a great vehicle, and it is among the best vehicles in the company’s lineup. However, it really missed a price point for the Rear-Wheel-Drive configuration that was effective enough to drive people toward it. Many said they would have considered it if Tesla could have brought the price down into the high $40,000 or low $50,000 range.

I took a Tesla Cybertruck weekend Demo Drive – Here’s what I learned

It seems it just did not have the appeal to keep up. Now, Tesla has the All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast for $72,490 and $114,990, respectively.

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