Tesla’s software update 10.0 has rolled out to enough cars to give us a pretty good idea of what’s good and what’s bad in it. And although there are a number of improvements that have been long-time coming, none of them is as disputed as the Smart Summon feature.
Just a few days with this feature enabled were enough to paint a pretty grim picture of modern-day American parking lots.
Smart Summon was designed as a tool for lazy people, unwilling to take a few more steps from wherever they are to where they parked the car. It is also a testimony to Tesla’s ability to make cars drive themselves, a dream the company is intensely pursuing.
But, for some people, Smart Summon is turning into a nightmare. Reports of fender-benders, near-misses, navigation mistakes and even pranks are flooding the Internet, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to say who is having more trouble with the feature: Tesla owners, or everybody else.
Perhaps prompted by the mishaps, or perhaps not, Tesla published on Monday (September 30) a short video showing how to use the feature safely.
They start by telling everyone how to enable Smart Summon: open the Tesla app, tap the “Come to Me” button and wait for the car to drive itself to your location. Then come the warnings.
Ever since it introduced the feature, Tesla said Smart Summon needs a clear line of sight to work safely. That means you’d better be able to see the car before you call it to you, and not do that while hiding behind a corner or garage door.
It’s important to note that the car will not only come to the one summoning it, but it can also be sent to a target location. You can do that by tapping the target icon, setting it on the map and then pressing the “Go to Target” button.
Then, make sure there are no obstacles in the car’s path. Sure, the system could maneuver around and stop for objects as necessary, but Tesla says you should always be ready to stop the car, as it is “driver’s responsibility to use the feature safely.”
“You are still responsible for your car and must monitor it and its surroundings at all times and be within your line of sight because it may not detect all obstacles. Be especially careful around quick moving people, bicycles and cars,” Tesla says.
It is possible to stop the car remotely in case of an emergency. Smart Summon only works if you hold down the “Come to Me” button. Once you release it, the car will automatically stop. The same applies to the “Go to Target” feature.
If you’re not sure how to use the full potential of Tesla’s self-driving capability, please check the info provided at this link.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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