Tag: Tesla

Autonomous driving technology continues to creep forward

Autonomous driving

Its been some time since we commented on autonomous driving. In fact, its been seven years. But the topic has seen a resurgence in the news of late, so its a moment to contemplate.

The primary “driver” for the latest upswing is Tesla’s unveiling of its self-driving Robotaxi earlier this month (Oct. 2024). Elon Musk said that the model could be in service in 2025, but this is completely dependent on regulators.

That said, Musk had also said previously that Tesla could reach full autonomy in 2021, which didn’t happen, and first talked about a robotaxi service in 2019, which also didn’t happen.

However, drivers of current models equipped with the Autopilot technology love it, or at least claim to. Further, Tesla employees are currently hailing existing Tesla models as robocabs in a test program in the San Francisco area, still with a human driver on board.

Which is where regulators come in. They must approve of the service currently on a state-by-state basis. Its likely waaay down the list of legislative priorities, but its time for the U.S. Congress and the Department of Transportation to weigh in.

We are well aware of the risks surrounding self driving cars, and in fact most of our commentary to date plead for caution.

However, we are also acutely aware of the disruption and frustration experienced by ordinary drivers, perhaps more so than anyone or anywhere else. Helping drivers navigate new technology is, in fact, our primary mission. And we came to the conclusion some time ago that ordinary drivers would ne best served if the advance of technology took that technology out of their hands.

Despite the obstacles and risks, autonomy is the only end result possible.

And here’s something we’d said, and forgot. “Perhaps as vehicles became more computerized, a second seat could be given the driving responsibility at times.” Its our idea — so far as we know — but it remains intriguing. Admittedly, this flies in the face of getting rid of human control functions — steering wheels, pedals, etc., but so long as a human driver is needed to back up autonomy, why not??

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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

Marc Favreau

The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/10/autonomous-driving-technology-continues-to-creep-forward/

We have a new YouTube video getting in a Tesla that has a dead 12-volt start battery

Dead 12-volt start battery

Earlier, August of 2024 to be exact, we got a panicked call from a friend whose car, a Tesla Model Y, was giving her real headaches. It turned out to have a dead 12-volt start battery.

A number of messages were being displayed in a seemingly random fashion on her instrument panel, but one indicated a problem with the 12-volt battery. Her car is electric, so when she seeing battery caused the panic, but in effect all EVs have 12-volt batteries too, needed to start the electronics. We posted on this at our website and you can see it here.

She was fortunate to have enough power left to actually get in the car. However, no Tesla models have mechanical keys available to accomplish this if the 12-volt battery is actually dead.

The video demonstrates how to get inside a Tesla if the 12-volt battery dies so that the battery can be charged or replaced. The instructions are in the owner’s manual, which inside the locked car on the center screen.

Each model has are two wires, red and black or positive and negative, available somewhere at the front of the Tesla to connect to. The Model 3, Model Y and Model S give identical access behind tow eye cover in the bumper on the left side. The gif file to right is a pretty good demo, but its more difficult in practice.

We added the Model X and Cybertruck as well. You can see the video here on our Tesla page here or on YouTube here.

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Marc Favreau

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/09/we-have-a-new-youtube-video-getting-in-a-tesla-that-has-a-dead-12-volt-start-battery/

Recall Targets Tesla Typefaces

What Size Type?

Way back in 2012, we noted in a post linked here that a group at MIT (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) was doing a study on typefaces that would mitigate driver distraction. That is, typefaces that would be the least distracting.

And while it was a time where there was a lot of attention focused on driver distraction, our take was that while the intent of the research was laudable, it would make more sense to remove text altogether! That is, if a GPS system can give audible turn by turn directions, couldn’t text be shifted to spoken word?

A “Recall”?

Well, we appear to be full circle, as Tesla has had to “recall” pretty much every car they’ve ever produced to correct the size of the type they use in warning lights on instrument panels! Twelve years after we posted on the typeface study, the maker of some of the most sophisticated cars ever built, is being forced to adjust the text in its warning lights with what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) terms as a “recall”.

The word “recall” belongs in quotes throughout because the problem was handled within days by an over-the-air (OTA) update.

Critics on the social media platform X have made fun of the issue, with some poking fun of the notices sent to Tesla owners through the mail that arrived after the OTA update had already been applied (above, right)!

Still others noted that manufacturers are required to send the notifications under the NHTSA rules!

And still others noted the ridiculous waste of paper (trees!) and postage involved. One even took a photo of an envelope addressed to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (right). In the envelope, aside from a letter asking for a change in the rules, he included the letters that were sent to him by Tesla.

We called for the warning light system to be scrapped years ago, but no dice. The legacy warning indicators persist, not to mention the legacy recall system, so we’ll call for that to be replaced as well. Maybe the phase out of ICE vehicles will lead to a phase out of both the warning light and recall systems.

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Marc Favreau

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2024/02/recall-targets-tesla-typefaces/

Charging an Electric Car: The Basics You Need to Get Started

Just Plug it In?

Charging an electric car or electric vehicle (EV) might well seem mysterious to the uninitiated, so we’ve set out here to simplify the charging process. Just like charging your smartphone, at first blush the car just needs to be plugged in.

There are three levels of charging that, in effect, move from slow to fast. They are aptly named Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. The first two levels can be done at home, and descriptions of all three are next.

Opportunities to Charge at Home

Level 1: This level requires only a standard 110V/120V plug found in your home or apartment. A grounded adapter, like the one shown to the right, will have been supplied with the car. Charging at Level 1 adds 3 to 4 miles of range per hour of charging.

Level 2: This level requires can use a standard 220V/240V outlet, like one you may have available for a household clothes dryer and adds range at 15 to 20 miles per hour of charging. This is a superior option easily “filling” your car overnight and the adapter, likely supplied with the car, is shown to the right.

However, we recommend having a charging station set up at your home as there are many tax incentives available that can be taken advantage of. The stations will allow for additional programming to take advantage of lower electricity rates. The car itself can likely do this as well, but the station set up will avoid the hassle of unplugging an d plugging in your dryer over and over.

Note that there are public Level 2 chargers available in some municipalities intended for shoppers or restaurant goers to charge while shopping or eating. They might even be free. The results will only be 20 to 30 miles of range added in most cases.

Fast Charging On the Road

Level 3: This is fast charging public networks using direct current (DC) and is not something available for set up at home. These stations can add up to 600 miles of range per hour of charging depending on both what the car will allow and what the charge station can supply! Further, the chargers are specifically tied to charging standards set by manufacturers, but in the majority of cases, you will spend roughly 30 minutes charging to 80% charge. Please follow this link to learn why you should actually stop there!

There are three standards: Combined Charging System (CCS), CHAdeMO (CHArge de(for) MOve(ing)), and North American Charging Standard (NACS). We’ll ignore the second one, which was developed in Japan, and you should as well in deciding on a purchase as it is used by only a handful of manufacturers, has only a small charging network, and is being superseded. Due to simplicity, lighter weight cabling and extensive network, the NACS standard, a Tesla creation, is slowly being adopted by nearly all auto manufacturers selling vehicles here in the U.S. However, be absolutely sure the connectors on the car are correct if you choose something other than a Tesla and wish to use its network.

The CCS standard does have a significant and useful charging network from a number of suppliers, most notably Electrify America and EVgo, and is used currently by the majority of non-Tesla auto manufacturers. There is no reason to shy away from a vehicle using these Level 3 chargers. Some Tesla stations have been adapted to charge CCS-equipped cars as well, but they are few and far between currently. Finally, the CCS network will also be transformed to handle the NACS standard.

Just know that the vast majority of us do only local driving and the easiest and most efficient means of charging is with a Level 2 station set up at home, like the one seen to the right. You’ll never need to pump gas again, never be overcharged for an oil change again, and will always leave home with a full “tank”!

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Marc Favreau

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2023/12/charging-an-electric-car-the-basics-you-need-to-get-started/

EV Charging: Whose Electric Vehicles Have the Fastest Charging Speed?

Speed Kills? Not Here!

Back in July, we posted on the efficiency of electric vehicles, or EVs, using miles per kilowatt as the metric. You can see that post here.

But whose electric vehicles have the fastest charging speed?

We promised to then post on charging efficiency or charging speed when DC, or Level 3, charging. This proved to be a really difficult nut to crack as manufacturers throw numbers around that are near meaningless and mostly self serving. Whatever number makes their car or cars look good, they will use. There is no standard metric. Or at least there wasn’t until now.

The Real Pros

Enter Edmunds.com. Working with P3, they have the resources and the access to do this properly and have researched the topic which has culminated in their article, Which EVs Charge the Fastest? The link will take you there.

So we will defer to them on the topic — they will do it best, and have already done it. By all means when doing research on your next or first EV, check out their work.

They tested charge rates when batteries are at 10% charge and charged only to 80%, which is exactly how you should charge your car at a DC or Level 3 charge station. By stopping at 80% charge, you spare a battery’s overall lifespan and better maintain its long-term performance. Charging power for most, if not all, vehicles also significantly slows beyond 80% (see the charge curve and discussion below), so it’s generally best to unplug at that point. Its the best use of your time as well as the car’s battery and frees up the charging station.

We’ll make one notable observation. In our efficiency research, Hyundai’s fleet was second only to Lucid and tied with Tesla. You can see it in our previous post. Edmunds testing places two Hyundai models and one Kia — same manufacturer — at the very top of charging speed! So, not only does Hyundai come in with the best range but many of their models charge the fastest as well!

Edmund’s leaderboard is here. They use an interesting metric of miles added per hour while DC charging, leading to numbers that do not reflect range! The Ioniq 6 adds range (charges) at 868 miles per hour! This does not mean that the car will go 868 miles when done charging. It means it will hit its roughly 300 mile range and be done charging well before the rest of the field!

The next fastest charging model that is not a Hyundai or Kia is the Porsche Taycan at 690 miles per hour, a full 20% less. The first Tesla is the Model 3 at 569 mi/hr, 35% slower than the Ioniq 6.

A final note here. All EVs feature a charge curve, like the one shown below from P3. It’s a little difficult to read, but reading it is not the point (you can read it here). All of vehicles shown behave in a very similar fashion, and yours will too. They start fast and finish slow. It is the nature of today’s battery technology and stopping at 80% is best for you, the battery and the charging public. Adding another 10% could take as long as the first 70!

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Marc Favreau

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2023/11/ev-charging-whose-electric-vehicles-have-the-fastest-charging-speeds/

EV Efficiency: Range’s Ignored Stepsister — While We Ignore MPGe

EV Efficiency

Most commonly any talk about EVs is about range. And while that’s certainly important, we want to shift the focus to fuel efficiency. And yes, there is such a thing! Click here for charging speed information.

The industry talks about kilowatts used per 100 miles, which is just so far from anyone’s experience and difficult to truly understand, unless maybe you’re an electrical engineer.

We use miles per gallon when talking about internal combustion engine or ICE cars, so how about miles per kilowatt?

We offer this as part of our continuing efforts to simplify the latest in automotive technology as much as possible. And yes, we in turn are choosing to ignore miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent (MPGe). It is a tortured stat meant to compare EVs to vehicles run on liquid fuels. It will be extinct soon enough.

The chart below is a translation primarily but not exclusively of work from ev-database.org, and I’ve linked their chart here. It’s in kilometers and the twisty kW per 100. I did a video as well that is also posted below, but here can be updated easily as improvements are made and new models are introduced. Note that our chart focuses on EVs available in North America while ev-database goes world wide and that the it can be expanded to show all entries.

Manufacturer	Model	Battery (kWh)	Range (mi)	Miles per kW (m/kW)	Fleet Ave. m/kW
Renault
	R5	52 kWh	249	4.8	4.8
Lucid
	Air Pure / Touring	88	336-348	3.8-4.0	3.8
	Air Dream	112	405-419	3.6-3.7
Tesla
	Model 3	58	252	4.3	3.7
	“	75	286-301	3.8-4.0
	Model S	95	348-357	3.7-3.8
	Model Y	58	218	3.8
	“	75	258-270	3.4-3.6
	Model X	95	283-295	3.0-3.1
Hyundai
	Ioniq 6	54	227	4.2	3.7
	“	74	273-308	3.7-4.2
	Kona	48	186	3.9
	“	65	248	3.8
	Ioniq 5	54	183	3.4
	“	74	239-242	3.2-3.3
Lexus
	RZ300e	71	266	3.7	3.6
	RZ450e	63	200	3.5
Volkswagen
	ID.7	86	323	3.8	3.5
	ID.7	77	292	3.8
	ID.4	52	177	3.4
	ID.4	77	249-255	3.2-3.3
Honda
	Prologue	85	273-296	3.2-3.5	3.4
BMW
	i4	81	280-320	3.5-4.0	3.4
	“	67	267	4.0
	i5	81	264-295	3.3-3.6
	iX	65	230-236	3.5
	“	71-74	224-239	3.2
	i7	102	314-323	3.1-3.2
	iX	105	301-314	2.9-3.0
Polestar
	4	94	348-372	3.7-4.0	3.4
	2	78	255-273	3.3-3.5
	3	107	292-305	2.7-2.9
Chevrolet
	Bolt	65	259	4.0	3.4
	Bolt EUV	65	247	3.8
	Silverado	200	450	2.3
Kia
	Niro	65	239	3.7	3.3
	e-Soul	39	143	3.7
	“	64	230	3.6
	EV6	74	224-255	3.0-3.5
	“	54	190	-3.5
	EV9	100	280-286	2.8-2.9
Nissan
	Leaf	39	146	3.7	3.3
	Leaf e+	59	211	3.6
	Ariya	63	208	3.3
	“	87	252-280	2.9-3.2
Porsche
	Taycan models	84	236-286	2.8-3.4	3.3
	“	71	230-236	3.2-3.3
	Macan	100	310-381	3.1-3.8
Genesis
	G80	83	274	3.3	3.2
	GV60	74	227-242	3.1-3.3
	GV70	74	218	2.9
Volvo
	EX30	49	174	3.6	3.2
	“	64	224-230	3.5-3.6
	C40	66	221	3.4
	“	79	249-261	3.2-3.3
	XC40	66	214	3.2
	“	79	242-252	3.1-3.2
	EX90	107	280-289	2.6-2.7
Lotus
	Eletre	112	354	3.2	3.2
Audi
	Q4 e-tron	52	239-264	3.4-3.5	3.1
	“	77	177-183	3.1-3.4
	e-tron GT	85	252-261	3.0-3.1
	Q8 e-tron	89	261-277	2.9-3.1
	“	106	283-326	2.7-3.1
Fisker
	Ocean	105	326	3.1	3.1
	“	75	236	3.1
Acura
	ZDX	102	288-325	2.8-3.2	3.0
Mercedes
	EQS Sedans	108	336-395	3.1-3.7	2.9
	EQS SUVs	108	301-311	2.8-2.9
	G-Wagon	116	250	2.2
Ford
	Mach-e	91	264-298	2.9-3.3	2.9
	“	70	233	3.3
	Lightning	98	230	2.4
	“	131	320	2.4
Vinfast
	VF 8	88	264	3.0	2.8
	VF 9	123	323	2.6
Rolls Royce
	Spectra	102	260	2.6	2.6

The Rankings

So, I’ve ranked manufacturers by efficiency, based on the fleet average miles per kW. This is exactly what we’re used to using in ICE vehicles — fleet average miles per gallon. The miles/kW figures are derived simply by taking a vehicles range and dividing by the battery’s kWh size. Note that the numbers are rather small, which may be what drives the use of kilowatts per 100 miles, but they are still very telling.

Few models reach or exceed an efficiency of 4 miles per kilowatt. Further, those numbers are nearly all associated with smaller models and often with smaller batteries! For instance, the industry leader is Tesla’s Model 3 with the 58 kWh battery! A smaller battery weighs less and is thus more efficient, while lacking some range. The higher range Model 3 features a 75 kW battery.

*In fact a May, 2024 update finds a Renault R5, available only in Europe, a small car with a small battery, comes in at 4.8 m/kW! It now leads the list!

Overall, Lucid, Tesla and Hyundai lead with the most efficient fleets. Oddly, Kia in particular and Genesis as well fall short of their Hyundai cousins. Kia’s smaller vehicles should have it neck and neck with Hyundai, who’s offerings tend to be smaller as well.

Bigger batteries, while offering more range generally, are not a guarantee. Note that Vinfast’s VF 9 models holds a whopping 123 kWh battery, but only 323 miles in range and lands at the bottom of our list at 2.6 miles per kilowatt. This is a full 40% less efficient than the 58 kWh Tesla Model 3.

Speaking of big batteries, battery power trains are already heavier than their ICE counterparts. For example the Ford F150 Lightning weighs in at 2500 lbs more than the gas powered version. The battery alone in the upcoming Hummer is said to weigh 2900 lbs.

The hyphenated ranges and efficiencies are identical models most often with single vs dual motors. Single motor variants are always more efficient. In some cases there are adjustments that up the horse power as well, which then cuts into efficiency.

Note who’s missing from this list: Toyota/Lexus (since added)! Honda/Acura (since added). Mazda. Subaru (missed this one)! Stellantis (at work in Europe). Even those we’ve added remain well behind a changing landscape…

So we’ll keep an eye on that landscape. Expect to see battery chemistries get more efficient and to see weight reductions, also adding efficiency.

We also expect to see faster and faster charge rates — which is also an upcoming topic.

Updates:

8/21/23, Acura introduces a ZDX EV, but comes in near the bottom. Big battery, low average efficiency.
12/21/23, Rolls Royce Spectra added. Also a big battery and landed at the very bottom of the list…
1/21/24, Two Lexus models added. Just above the middle on the list.
2/3/24, Porsche Macan added, which moved the brand average from 3.2 to 3.3 m/kW.
5/21/24, Renault R5, available only in Europe, a small car with a small battery, comes in at 4.8 m/kW!
5/21/24, Honda intros the Prologue with an 85 kWh battery and nearly 300 miles of range.
5/22/25, the Mercedes adds the G-Wagon and drops fleet efficiency from 3.1 to 2.9.

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Marc Favreau

Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2023/07/ev-efficiency-ranges-ignored-stepsister/

Tesla Dashboard Symbols and Warning Lights

Tesla Symbols

So, what is that light on your dashboard? What follows is easily the most complete list available of symbols and warnings that may appear in and on your car’s dashboard or instrument cluster.

The following are warning lights and indicators found in vehicles built by Tesla. Lacking an internal combustion engine, their models use fewer warning lights then most. Nevertheless, those that are used are here. Click the link to the right of each one to learn more.

How They Are Presented

They are roughly ordered by importance, which tends to be by color (red, amber, yellow, orange, green, blue). There are only about 35 of them, but search carefully anyway!

Need the symbols for another manufacturer? Click here!

Serious trouble or fault indicators
	Brake trouble indicator -- click for more
	Brake booster fault indicator -- click for more
	Parking brake indicators -- click for more
	Air bag warning indicator -- click for more
Common or routine indicators
	Seat belt reminder -- click for more
	Door ajar indicator -- click for more
	Frost warning indicator -- click for more
Trouble or fault indicators
	Master warning indicator -- click for more
	Tire pressure monitor indicator -- click for more
	Anti-lock brake system fault indicator -- click for more
	Park brake fault indicator -- click for more
	Stability control indicator -- click for more
	Traction control off indicator -- click for more
	Air suspension system trouble indicator -- click for more
Driver assist systems and accessory indicators
	Brake hold indicator -- click for more
	Cruise control indicator -- click for more
	Tow mode indicators -- click for more
	Transport mode indicator -- click for more
Electric vehicle indicators
	Power limitation indicator -- click for more
	Charge system fault indicator -- click for more
	Charge system indicator -- click for more
	Cold weather warning indicators -- click for more
Lighting indicators
	Adaptive front lighting system malfunction indicator -- click for more
	Automatic high beam indicators -- click for more
	Fog lamps on indicator -- click for more
	Park lamps on indicator -- click for more
	Turn signal indicator -- click for more
	High or low beam indicator -- click for more