Tesla has the highest death rate of any manufacturer

The bottle only moves if you accelerate or brake a bit briskly. And it doesn't matter how fast you're going as long as you don't accelerate or brake.

So you accelerate or brake so gently that the bottle doesn't move. After a bunch of gentle accelerating you reach and then maintain a high speed and anticipate when you need to stop so you are able to brake gently enough so as not to move the bottle.

Doing all that would be quite a trick. They were (supposedly) looking for drivers who could do it. I have to say it would be rather nice sipping a martini in the back seat, and making great cross country time, while all this was going on.

Jackie Stewart comes to mind. He drove very gently (though perhaps not quite gently enough for this job) but also drove very fast. Fast enough for 3 world championships anyway.
Please stop …
 
Seems there is a dichotomy of sorts - they have to drive fast but the bottle does not move - so how does one get up to speed - that was the basis of my joke …
Anyone struggling with this or the Coke joke - that car has to crawl up to speed for the bottle to not move - this is how I see this:

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I don't disagree with that, I just don't see why people would attempt to do stupid, unsafe things behind the wheel, yet many do.

There was a row of slowly moving cars , I was at the 4 way, observed 2 cars go in the left hand lane as it kept moving slow and steady.
there was no one from the other directions in the 4 way stop so I went through, then they stopped and I was midway in the intersection.

The road is a 15/25mph 3 lane road going up a steep hill, with one very wide rh lane unmarked running 1500’+ ending in an off ramp to the Highschool that is only marked directly where it terminates. The lane is only gone temporarily for about 1000’ them re-emerges past the high school for the rest of the drive.

Cars then came from the other direction so I entered the empty rh lane to clear the intersection passed everyone at the very slow 15mph limit who were mostly trying to make left turns across traffic into a church.

As I was leisurely merging left in front of the mass to avoid the narrowing section where the lane ends and the curb begins the only guy who didn’t turn in the church stomped on it then slammed on the brakes so he sat about 3” from my car and matched my speed in an attempt to force me off the road.

My car is extremely narrow and it was very tempting to stay next to him splitting the lane but I instead braked rapidly and got in behind him before he could stop. He kept moving then started going 40mph in the 15mph zone. Instead of going to the roundabout I turned off into the neighborhoods since I can get to the same destination, he made a right turn from the left lane on the next block up into the neighborhoods as I did.

Why he figured he couldn’t cross a dotted white line into a 25’ wide rh lane instead of sitting in a line of 50 cars half an hour I don’t know. Everyone else after me just went directly in the rh lane without any issue with ragers in the blocked left lane.

Why the town has the lane completely unmarked with no signs until a 100’ before the turn off and then marked starting about 100’ past the school has never made sense to me.

Worlds longest off ramp or right turn lane for a school you can’t even see until your nearing the off ramp
anyone unfamiliar with the area would just assume it’s a 3 lane (or possibly 4 lane ) road
 
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Somewhere back in the mists of time I heard that one of the tests for a driver for the Royal Family was to be able to drive so smoothly that a bottle on the floor wouldn't roll. The prospective driver would be expected to drive at a high rate of speed of course, with that bottle staying put.

Apocryphal? Maybe, but the story makes a point.

It seems to me that driving as smoothly as possible was one of the race winning strategies for Jackie Stewart too. You'd have to think that driving smoothly would make your car more likely to hold up in a long race than vigorous lurching around.
Royal family is a joke in general and they'd be responsible for their own transit if it were up to me. What people will do to pacify others is a bit much.
 
I read all these posts, ive been notably silent on them. Im kind of wondering the significance, I do not think there is enough data to blame Tesla for anything vs any other manufacturer but it seems like many of these posts do just that.

Critical thinking to me would suggest that the data isnt complete and there is no saying that Tesla is anymore dangerous than that of another EV maker in the USA. I notice the "headlines" highest death rate of all other manufacturers. I ask so what does that mean?

Tesla is unique in that it is only an EV maker, it doesnt build gasoline vehicles. On top of that, the EVs it does build blow away all other EV makers sales numbers which is undisputed. So I ask, comparing all EV products to Tesla EV products, is the death rate any different? When just talking EV death rates and taking into account percentage of each EV maker automobiles on the road.

I ask these publishers, give me numbers and percentages of ACTUAL EV death rates per manufacturer of EV only vehicles.
The article already states the powerful engines of Tesla are not the main cause and some other EVs have just as much power and sports cars are more dangerous in general but the main cause seems to be driver distractions according to the article.

EVs are new to the public, so in time we need to learn what is distracting the public in Electric vehicles and is it just in electric vehicles? The new gasoline vehicles seem to have a large percentage of many distractions as well. Is it all the wiz-bang, jee wiz of the electronics and screens, plus the very limited experience the public has with EVs in general?

Is it the lack of physical buttons and scrolling through menu screens to get to basic functions of the vehicle? I suspect this is the #1 cause. Too much of the vehicle operations on multiple pages of a touch screen maybe the culprit. I suggest that as time goes on and more data comes in, that in order to protect the public we will see some government regulations (and more brutal reviews) of these touch screens. I can imagine in time legislation requiring basic functions to have physical buttons or some type if menu with a thoughtless response to a touch screen. The article mentions distractions and those touch screens have many, so I have to ask if this is unique to Tesla? Some of it might be, from the posts I read in here of people that own one. It seems the controls might be too futuristic for the general population.

Im only mentioning this as having picked up a new gasoline 2025 Equinox for my wife last week. car is loaded but wow, the pages of menu options is amazing, yet the car has a ton of buttons and switches still, some even redundant on the touch screen. I think GM got it right, as we also sat in the EV verision of the same car with physical buttons that I find useful. The dashboards are very much the same, EV and Gas, car looks totally different though. Gas looks like a real truck, EV looks like a sports SUV

I still experienced those initial distractions hunting around for things that are now in different places and my wife and I are still finding new things to play with and still have more to learn, We are blown away by the technology having no idea what we just bought into with all the options on the car. We still have a way to go, to know everything. We really bought this car on the fly, we were on our way to VW to check out specific models but I wanted to see the new Equinox EV. I liked it a lot and could have had the base model taking into account the EV tax gift as the gasoline. But the gasoline model was loaded with options still and the ultimate decision was with my wife, who wanted the large footprint of the gasoline version which with her, being petite gives her a better view of the road. The color Cacti green also was a factor for her ;)


I was a little disappointed she chose the gasoline and not getting the EV but I will admit, this was strictly her decision with no interference from me. I was glad for her choice as I dont have to think about future range issues should her car become our main car one day and I end up with an EV if we ever get rid of the boat and I no longer need the large Traverse to tow it.

I know from what I hear many EV brands forgo most all buttons but maybe I am wrong on that? All I am saying, we need accurate data for useful comparisons. I will say that I cant imagine how much more a Tesla is to insure. I should get a quote by grabbing a VIN # off the internet to compare what I am now paying on the new 2025 gas vehicle which is less than $600 a year insured to the max.
 
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@alarmguy That was really well thought out and I really didn't look at the angle of it specifically being an EV. I just thought of the speed associated with it. You have a point here. They drive completely different to an non-EV, especially if someone is using one pedal driving which sounded like a completely foreign concept before I tried it. My natural tendency is to coast up lights to conserve brakes and fuel and that took a hint of retuning of how my foot interacts with the vehicle. Regenerative braking stops more abruptly that I want to most of the time if I just let go of the pedal since it has more retarding force than a coasting vehicle with normal driveline drag.

As far as the rest of it, really we're all guessing. All we have is numbers and a lot of ideas. I do wonder if there's a reliable way to narrow it down to a specific issue or set of issues.

I still wonder why a appliance is on a car forum.
I hate to break it to you, but they have four wheels and are motorized for road usage so the government classifies them as a motor vehicle. I guess get the Corollas and base Elantras out of here too.

I've never understood this take on cars. I usually swing towards cars that give me that extra, because I say I'm not an appliance driver. The problem is modern cars have always been appliances first. Look at the average car that people buy. Guess what, the basic transportation average people buy are appliances. Have a Camry in the garage? That's an appliance. The VW Golf? I had a GTI and that was a car made for the masses that they took very seriously when adding more power and performance oriented upgrades. Full size truck? Really nice appliance for pulling things. Sure we can have fast versions of those things and for some those are no longer appliances. I tend to fall into that category of thinking as well. Does that apply to fast EVs as well? Where do you draw the line on appliance?
 
@alarmguy That was really well thought out and I really didn't look at the angle of it specifically being an EV. I just thought of the speed associated with it. You have a point here. They drive completely different to an non-EV, especially if someone is using one pedal driving which sounded like a completely foreign concept before I tried it. My natural tendency is to coast up lights to conserve brakes and fuel and that took a hint of retuning of how my foot interacts with the vehicle. Regenerative braking stops more abruptly that I want to most of the time if I just let go of the pedal since it has more retarding force than a coasting vehicle with normal driveline drag.

As far as the rest of it, really we're all guessing. All we have is numbers and a lot of ideas. I do wonder if there's a reliable way to narrow it down to a specific issue or set of issues.

.../
You should know by now that I think too much!
Yes, the "numbers" we have fit a news story but it's not a scientific set of data like an agency NTSA (or whatever the initials are) would use to set requirements. These kinds of numbers used in the story drive me nuts. *LOL* when someone starts bashing a product without actual data comparing the same exact product to other manufacturers.
 
@alarmguy nice post, but the idea that you have to scroll through windows is just not true. If you do, you don't know how to operate the car. Yes, Teslas are different, and yes they are not for everyone. They are extremely easy to drive and operate. My guess is, the digital interface will continue to be adopted (and improved) by car companies as younger generations, who grew up with cell phones, etc, dominate the market. Remember, digital interfaces include more than touch screens; voice is huge.
Here's the Neue Klasse dash:
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It's unfortunate that we live in a world where personal responsibility is lacking, to say the least. Tesla is no more to blame for a user misusing a feature than they are for an individual texting and driving. I do not own a Tesla, so if they do not offer warnings about the self-drive system, then I would be wrong.

No different IMO than the adaptive cruise in my 17 Outback. Pretty solid system that works well but I still have to do my part or I could end up in a negative situation. Lane assist on same vehicle I have to turn off as I often drive on tight backroads and Taconic Parkway where lanes are tight and you cross them often. Turned off as it is annoying but just as important is the yank it gives you back into your lane.

Maybe I'm off on an Island alone but to me a driver has to be a driver and as a driver you are responsible.
It's not about personal responsibly but about basic human nature. The problem arises when a company like Tesla ignores basic human behavior which is that the human brain inherently does a poor job at passive monitoring for long periods of time. As the degree of human intervention decreases so does the degree of attention.

People aren't texting and driving in a Tesla. They're texting while sitting the driver seat of the Tesla. Sure from a legal perspective the driver is responsible but with regards to Tesla are they really?

Active cruise control is not analogous with FSD because unlike FSD you the driver still must provide steering input.
 
@alarmguy nice post, but the idea that you have to scroll through windows is just not true. If you do, you don't know how to operate the car. Yes, Teslas are different, and yes they are not for everyone. They are extremely easy to drive and operate. My guess is, the digital interface will continue to be adopted (and improved) by car companies as younger generations, who grew up with cell phones, etc, dominate the market. Remember, digital interfaces include more than touch screens; voice is huge.
Here's the Neue Klasse dash:
View attachment 250669
That's jsut a concept.
 
@alarmguy nice post, but the idea that you have to scroll through windows is just not true. If you do, you don't know how to operate the car. Yes, Teslas are different, and yes they are not for everyone. They are extremely easy to drive and operate. My guess is, the digital interface will continue to be adopted (and improved) by car companies as younger generations, who grew up with cell phones, etc, dominate the market. Remember, digital interfaces include more than touch screens; voice is huge.
Here's the Neue Klasse dash:
View attachment 250669
You do have to look at the screen to the side, right, can that at least be admitted? On your tundra you have tactile feel and learning. Your gauges are in front of your eyes. These may be throw away trade in every three year cars to some, but others look more long term. I guess the tablet screens are going to work perfectly in 23 years? The tundra dashboard still works I assume. So which vehicle is “better” long term, I say the tundra is.
 
@alarmguy nice post, but the idea that you have to scroll through windows is just not true. If you do, you don't know how to operate the car. Yes, Teslas are different, and yes they are not for everyone. They are extremely easy to drive and operate. My guess is, the digital interface will continue to be adopted (and improved) by car companies as younger generations, who grew up with cell phones, etc, dominate the market. Remember, digital interfaces include more than touch screens; voice is huge.
Here's the Neue Klasse dash:
View attachment 250669
That interior is hideous. I wouldn't count on that being appealing to younger buyers because they use friggin cell phones. LOL
 
You do have to look at the screen to the side, right, can that at least be admitted? On your tundra you have tactile feel and learning. Your gauges are in front of your eyes. These may be throw away trade in every three year cars to some, but others look more long term. I guess the tablet screens are going to work perfectly in 23 years? The tundra dashboard still works I assume. So which vehicle is “better” long term, I say the tundra is.
Here's how it works for me... The screen MPH (and pertinent information) is just off to the right of your right hand, up high. You tend to look at it out of the corner of your eye; it becomes 2nd nature. This is an older picture; it has evolved. The additional benefit of the digital interface is upgrades via OTA updates. New functionality is not limited to manual buttons. Again, there cars are not for everyone; they are different. An open mind helps. If you have your mind up, you are likely to struggle with the tablet digital interface. And, of course, there is somewhat of a learning curve.
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I think that more of a performance buyer's metric... Ya think?
But it does beg the question why so many vehicle manufacturers, etc. publish those numbers, so you may have a point there.

Did you know the 0-60 metric became popular because that was considered "Highway speed"? So yes, it is possible that that the average buyer is concerned for acceleration, at least they could be disappointed with a turd. Adequate acceleration is important for safety, such as avoiding a crash.

So acceleration is a reference point, right? Most modern cars have sufficient power, so head-to-head comparison is not so necessary. But for those who want something special, there are performance cars and they tout their numbers.

I hope this helps. LOL.

My lens on the 0-60 time is that the average owner doesn't really care about the 0-60 time but does notice when the umph isn't there like uphill on a steep, lengthy, highway ramp.
It's not about personal responsibly but about basic human nature. The problem arises when a company like Tesla ignores basic human behavior which is that the human brain inherently does a poor job at passive monitoring for long periods of time. As the degree of human intervention decreases so does the degree of attention.

People aren't texting and driving in a Tesla. They're texting while sitting the driver seat of the Tesla. Sure from a legal perspective the driver is responsible but with regards to Tesla are they really?

Active cruise control is not analogous with FSD because unlike FSD you the driver still must provide steering input.

We have fundamental differences. Certain basics of personal responsibility remain constant for me, like when you get into a vehicle. You, the driver, are responsible. You appear to be rather comfortable contorting a matter to make it malleable. No animosity in this statement but the sentiment I claim is there.

"Sure from a legal perspective the driver is responsible but with regards to Tesla are they really?" You may disagree with me but this is muddying the waters to make it malleable to what you want to be. The human nature portion has validity but fails IMO when tested. Pilots sure seem to function under long stretches in a cockpit, no? I'll already agree that pilots require a greater degree of caution....
 
@alarmguy nice post, but the idea that you have to scroll through windows is just not true. If you do, you don't know how to operate the car. Yes, Teslas are different, and yes they are not for everyone. They are extremely easy to drive and operate. My guess is, the digital interface will continue to be adopted (and improved) by car companies as younger generations, who grew up with cell phones, etc, dominate the market. Remember, digital interfaces include more than touch screens; voice is huge.
Here's the Neue Klasse dash:
View attachment 250669
I think we need to be clear about something. I am certainly more well-versed and informed with technology than the younger generations as you call them.
 
Here's how it works for me... The screen MPH (and pertinent information) is just off to the right of your right hand, up high. You tend to look at it out of the corner of your eye; it becomes 2nd nature. This is an older picture; it has evolved. The additional benefit of the digital interface is upgrades via OTA updates. New functionality is not limited to manual buttons. Again, there cars are not for everyone; they are different. An open mind helps. If you have your mind up, you are likely to struggle with the tablet digital interface. And, of course, there is somewhat of a learning curve.
View attachment 250672
Do have to switch screens to adjust your climate control system?
From your photograph, I’m only seeing a map. Are there physical controls for climate control, heat, defrost, vents controls, high and low, cruise control Settings for following the car in front of you, wipers, all the traditional things of an automobile?
 
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