A study found Tesla drivers are distracted while using Autopilot
Tesla’s Autopilot is a hands-on driver-assist system, not a hands-off system
The study notes more robust safeguards are needed to prevent misuse
Driver-assist systems like Tesla Autopilot are meant to reduce the frequency of crashes, but drivers are more likely to become distracted as they get used to them, according to a new study published Tuesday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Autopilot, along with Volvo’s Pilot Assist system, were used in two separate studies by the IIHS and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s AgeLab. Both studies showed that drivers had a tendency to engage in distracting behaviors while still meeting the bare-minimum attention requirements of these systems, which the IIHS refers to as “partial automation” systems.
In one study, researchers analyzed how the driving behavior of 29 volunteers supplied with a Pilot Assist-equipped 2017 Volvo S90 changed over four weeks. Researchers focused on how likely volunteers were to engage in non-driving behaviors when using Pilot Assist on highways relative to unassisted highway driving.
Pilot Assist, in 2017 Volvo S90
Drivers were much more likely to “check their phones, eat a sandwich, or do other visual-manual activities” than when driving unassisted, the study found. That tendency generally increased over time as drivers got used to the systems, although both studies found that some drivers engaged in distracted driving from the outset.
The second study looked at the driving behavior of 14 volunteers driving a 2020 Tesla Model 3 equipped with Autopilot over the course of a month. For this study, researchers picked people who had never used Autopilot or an equivalent system, and focused on how often drivers triggered the system’s attention warnings.
Researchers found that the Autopilot newbies “quickly mastered the timing interval of its attention reminder feature so that they could prevent warnings from escalating into more serious interventions” such as emergency slowdowns or lockouts from the system.
2024 Tesla Model 3
“In both these studies, drivers adapted their behavior to engage in distracting activities,” IIHS President David Harvey said in a statement. “This demonstrates why partial automation systems need more robust safeguards to prevent misuse.”
The IIHS declared earlier this year, from a different data set, that assisted driving systems don’t increase safety, and it’s advocated for more in-car safety monitoring to prevent a net-negative affect on safety. In March 2024, it completed testing of 14 driver-assist systems across nine brands and found that most were too easy to misuse. Autopilot in particular was found to confuse drivers into thinking it was more capable than it really was.
Autopilot’s shortcomings have also drawn attention from U.S. safety regulators. In a 2023 recall Tesla restricted the behavior of its Full Self-Driving Beta system, which regulators called “an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.” Tesla continues to use the misleading label Full Self-Driving despite the system offering no such capability.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein)
#Study #Drivers #misusing #abusing #Tesla #Autopilot #system
The all-electric Cadillac LYRIQ was an Electrek favorite when it first made its debut two years ago. Now, LYRIQ buyers who have been waiting for a deal can score more than $10,500 in discounts on the Ultium-based Caddy.
Our own Seth Weintraub said that GM had come in, “a year early and dollar long at $60K” when he first drove the Ultium-based Cadillac LYRIQ back in 2022. He called the SUV “a stunner,” too, heaping praise on the LYRIQ’s styling inside and out before adding that the EV’s ride quality really impressed on long journeys.
Well, if the first mainstream electric Cadillac was a winner at its original, $57,195 starting price (rounded up to $60K for easy math), what could we call it at $10,500 less?
That’s a question that’s suddenly worth asking, thanks to huge GM discounts on the LYRIQ that prompted the automotive pricing analysts at CarsDirect to name the 2024 LYRIQ one of the industry’s “Best New Car Deals” this month:
A slew of incentives can enable you to save big on a 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ. First, EVs eligible for the federal tax credit qualify for $7,500 in Ultium Promise Bonus Cash from GM. Additionally, competing EV owners can score $3,000 in conquest cash.
With more than 100 kWh of battery capacity and 300-plus miles of real-world driving range (plus available 190 kW charging capability) the Cadillac LYRIQ ticks all the boxes – but you don’t have to take just my word for that.
Following successful inbound implementations in the Pacific Northwest, North Carolina, and Mexico, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is expanding the reach of its electric semi fleet into Arizona with long-time associate JB Hunt.
JB Hunt will add the new Freightliner eCascadia electric semi to its Arizona fleet immediately, and put it to work delivering aftermarket truck parts from DTNA’s parts distribution center (PDC) in Phoenix to multiple DTNA dealers along a dedicated route.
The electric Freightliner truck is expected to cover approximately 100 miles in a given day before heading “home” to a Detroit eFill charger installed at Daimler’s Phoenix facility.
This milestone marks the first all-electric route in the DTNA aftermarket parts distribution network, significantly reducing carbon emissions and setting a precedent for future sustainable outbound logistics operations.
“This solution with DTNA is a great example of our commitment to supporting customers’ efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and work towards energy transition,” explains Greer Woodruff, executive vice president of safety, sustainability and maintenance at JB Hunt. “JB Hunt owns and operates several eCascadias on behalf of customers, and our drivers have really enjoyed their in-cab experience. As customer interest continues to grow, we are here to enable their pursuit for a more sustainable supply chain in the most economic means possible.”
Daimler is analyzing future expansion opportunities throughout its internal parts distribution and logistics with an eye on electrifing additional routes and further reducing the carbon footprint of its logistics operations.
JB Hunt will evaluate its utilization of the charging station for other customers in the area, eventually enabling fully integrated zero-emission vehicle solutions into its 3PL fleets.
A study found the average EV battery degrades 1.8% per year
That means EV batteries could last over 20 years, or longer than the EV itself
New methods are being found to reduce degradation even further
Battery degradation can be a concern for potential electric vehicle owners, but new data indicates most batteries will outlast the EVs they’re installed in.
The data comes from the “Taking Charge” report released earlier this year by Geotab, a company that sells telematics systems and services, primarily to fleet companies. Geotab said it based its findings on data from 10,000 EVs operating in North America and Europe.
Analysis of that data showed average battery degradation of 1.8% per year, according to Geotab, which noted that batteries could last 20 years or more at that rate. Some vehicles performed even better, with estimated battery degradation of less than 1% per year.
Observed EV battery degradation (from 2024 Geotab
Both numbers are improvements from just a few years ago. In 2019, Geotab saw average annual battery degradation rate of 2.3% from its sample, although that decreased to 1.6% under ideal climate conditions and charging patterns.
The report underscores that higher EV use doesn’t mean higher degradation, but more fast-charging might. Geotab noted a correlation between greater DC fast-charging use and faster-than-average battery degradation—especially for vehicles in hotter climates. Owners are often cautioned about frequent fast charging for this reason, although 2023 analysis by battery-data firm Recurrent showed Teslas performed better in this regard.
Similarly, previous analysis from Recurrent showed that EV batteries degrade faster in hot weather, but owners can take steps to prevent that, such as parking in a garage or in the shade, as well as leaving the battery half charged in hot weather. Any degradation from hot weather is also unlikely to leave people stuck in EVs.
Chevrolet EVs at a Tesla Supercharger station
It’s also possible that battery degradation could be reduced even further with different practices. One study found that initial high-power charging at the factory could significantly extend EV battery life.
The slow rate of battery degradation observed in EVs already on the road should give fleet managers more confidence in electrification, Geotab says. In its report, the company estimates that 75% of light commercial vehicles could be replaced by comparable EVs today, and an EV could provide cost savings of $15,900 per vehicle over its life.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein)
#Study #mind #degradation #batteries #outlast #EVs #cases
It’s the 5-year anniversary of buying my Tesla Model 3 SR+. (Wow, time flies!) So, how is the lowest priced Tesla Model 3 doing after 5 years? What do I still love and like about it? What not so much? Can it go another 5 years? I’m diving into these and other issues below.
To start with, I’m just going to say that not a lot has changed with the car in those 5 years. A few things have needed fixed or replaced, and I’ll cover those below along with their costs. I’ll also briefly discuss charging experiences and costs, but I was in a unique position for most of those 5 years with free Supercharging and there’s not a lot to generalize from that. Then there’s wear and tear, in particular with the Model 3’s white vegan leather seats, something I imagine many people are curious about. Along the same lines, there’s the matter of battery degradation — or how much my car’s driving range on a full charge has changed over time.
There’s also the “Full Self Driving” (FSD) ownership experience, how the prevalence of Teslas and community responses to them have changed in the past five years, and what over-the-air software updates have provided over those five years.
Hopefully this article is useful to people who are thinking about buying a new Tesla Model 3, a used Tesla, or some other electric vehicle. However, if there is anything extra you’d like information on, feel free to ask down in the comments! Also, I know many of our readers also have had Tesla vehicles for several years, so feel free to add in anything you think I’m missing.
Overall Satisfaction
Overall, we’re super happy with our car. We are a 4-person family (two young daughters) and this is our only car. It has handled almost everything we’ve needed in those five years. There are just a few times when I’ve needed something extra large and bulky transported and had to use someone’s SUV or truck. But as far as normal use — including lugging the family’s tennis gear, soccer gear, and beach gear around town — the Model 3 has been all that we’ve needed.
For long-distance trips around Florida, Supercharging has been very easy and convenient. I bought the lowest-range Tesla Model 3 because I didn’t see any need for extra range, so didn’t see a point in spending thousands of dollars more for more batteries, and I’m very happy with that decision. I don’t think a longer-range model would have offered me much more at all, and I still wouldn’t pay more for something I don’t think I need.
One of the things I wasn’t sure about on purchase was whether to get the white seats. I decided to do so, and I’d recommend it every time, especially for people living in hot climates. It’s much cooler and nicer in a place like Florida, in my humble opinion. Though, it’s not made out of completely magical material, and I’ll get to that below.
The car drives wonderfully. I don’t think there’s another car on the market I’d prefer for driving. Though, I haven’t tried the Hyundai IONIQ 6 yet, and the much more expensive Porsche Taycan is surely a joy toy. The two big downsides with the driving experience of an older Model 3 like mine is that it doesn’t have good sound insulation and the suspension makes you feel every little bump in the road — it can feel like you’re riding over bricks when you’re riding over small bumps. The road noise is extreme when you’re on the interstate. This is the one downside of the vehicle that I would genuinely tell people they should make sure they’re okay with before buying one. That said, the new Model 3 is far, far, far better on this and it’s not an issue at all. In fact, the quietness and superb suspension of the new Model 3 are now selling points of the car.
I still love the minimalist interior of the Model 3, the infotainment options, and the seats, all of which I think are unparalleled in the US market. (It seems some Chinese models might now beat Tesla on some of these points, but, of course, those are not available in the US and I can’t confirm that from here.)
Quick note: You can get $1,000 off of a new Tesla using a Tesla owner’s referral code. If you’re in need of such a code, you’re free to use mine:
Maintenance & Repairs
I reported in December that my maintenance costs had risen to $3199.59 after getting my third set of tires. The total hasn’t changed since then. I haven’t had any extra costs for maintenance or repairs this year. I did have one thing I brought the car into service for, an odd error regarding the front passenger seat’s safety restraint system, but that was covered under warranty and thus had a cost of $0. As a result, across 61 months, $3199.59 translates into just $52.45 per month. (Oh, yeah, I’m writing a 5-year review, but it’s now 5 years and 1 month.)
Wear & Tear
There’s been very little wear & tear on the car. There’s really not much to note. The biggest issue was surely the material on the steering wheel starting to bubble a couple of years ago. Tesla replaced the steering wheel for me, though, and it’s been fine since then. However, under the video I published on YouTube about this, I’ve noticed a regular stream of comments from other Model 3 (and I think Model Y) owners who have had the same problem appear and have had to pay for the steering wheel replacements. I do worry about the problem re-occurring on the new steering wheel in time. We’ll see. One potentially noteworthy point, though, is that I used to have to park the car during the day in the hot Florida sun, whereas I now have it parked in our garage most of the time. Also, there was some suspicion from Tesla service staff that hand sanitizer may have led to the problem. I didn’t use hand sanitizer too much, but there was the COVID period when I did a bit, before I started suspecting it was causing problems for my skin and stopped using it. Again, we’ll see if the problem resurfaces (no pun intended) with the new steering wheel.
Otherwise, there are some areas of the white seating where there’s a little cloth, and that has gotten discolored. It’s not a big deal, but it is noticeable. I noticed a few years ago that Tesla stopped including that cloth section — it’s all faux leather now — so it’s certainly not a concern for buyers of new vehicles.
More recently, I’m noticing some areas of the seating where the material is not as white or as smooth as it once was. Time and use have their effect. However, I think the seats are holding up very well and are still remarkably smooth, attractive, and white. I am actually very curious to see how the seats will evolve in the next five years.
To be honest, I think the seats look notably nicer and whiter in real life than in these pictures, but this is what my camera captured.
There’s a little area in the cupholder in the driver’s door where the leather-like material is coming unsealed/loose. That spot has gotten heavy use over the past 5 years, so it’s not too surprising, but now I’m conscious of it (trying to avoid making it worse) and constantly noticing it. Here’s a picture:
Okay, it’s really small. But it’s the most notable wear and tear I’m currently working with. I may try sticking a little glue there to attach it fully again. Or maybe I’ll just see if it gets worse.
Battery Degradation
Our car dropped from about 230 miles of range on a full charge to about 200 miles of range on a full charge within about a year, and it has held steady at that level since then. That’s generally what’s expected. Batteries have an initial hit in capacity fairly quickly, and then they hold quite steady for years or even more than a decade before typically having one more big drop. I’m really not worried about battery degradation. These batteries should last with plenty of range until the rest of the car is done and ready for the recycler.
Tesla Full Self Driving (FSD)
I’ve been extensively documenting Tesla’s progress with “Full Self Driving” over the past few years. You can read all about it here and watch videos on YouTube here. The short story is that after years of little or even “backwards” progress, the driver-assist features have gotten much, much better with version 12. However, when I bought the car, Elon Musk had implied that the level its at now is where it was going to be in late 2019, and he had certainly forecasted we’d have robotaxi-capable technology by now. FSD is still not ready for deployment in self-driving robotaxis. However, it’s at the stage where you can actually imagine that. But no one knows how long it will take until enough edge cases are solved for and it’s truly at a level where robotaxi capability can be turned on. In some regards, that still seems far, far away, and I do still worry about a “see-saw problem” whereby improvements in some areas lead to problems in other areas. We’ll see.
Tesla in the Community
When we got our Tesla Model 3, kids would go nuts when we went through the pickup line at school. They were so excited to see a Tesla, even with a handful of them at the school already. As time has gone on, there are Tesla Model 3s and Model Ys all over they place. I like to say they are like the Toyota Corolla or Toyota Camry of this area now. The kids at school don’t seem to care about our Model 3 at all now. Though … there’s now a Cybertruck at the school, and I’m sure the kids are going wild about that.
In general, with so many Tesla vehicles on the roads, it seems to be easier for “mainstream buyers” to trust the technology, learn about the appeal, and go electric. There are also many non-Teslas on the roads all around us now. In short, EVs are becoming normal. They still don’t account for the majority of cars, but they are finally normal.
Over-the-Air Software Updates over Time
I got a little spoiled by over-the-air software updates I got soon after buying the Model 3. We got Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and some cool video games. We got an efficiency boost that extended our max range. (Again, though, the original range is more than enough for me, so I can’t say I really noticed the improvement, practically speaking.) There were also some new Easter eggs added for some fun. Though, in recent years, not much has been added. I don’t really see notable improvements. The UI of the touchscreen changes from time to time, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. After those first big updates, I did hope for more consistent big improvements, and Elon Musk once said around that time that we should be getting an update every month or so, but I’m not sure what I’d ask for aside from some minor improvements or new features. Overall, the over-the-air updates we get are sometimes nice, but seldom ground breaking.
Would I Buy the Tesla Model 3 Again?
Absolutely! Though, if I was buying a new car right now, I would prefer a Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6, or Hyundai IONIQ 5. I’m also very drawn to the Ford Mustang Mach-E externally, but I prefer the internal design and feel of those other three models more.
At this point, I think choice of an electric car comes down much more to one’s personal aesthetic preferences than it used to. There are many options with plenty of range and features at an appropriate price, and almost all automakers have also committed to making their EVs compatible with Tesla’s Superchargers.
You can currently get $1,000 off of a new Tesla using a Tesla owner’s referral code. If you need one, here’s mine:
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Electrek‘s Seth Weintraub went to Alpitronic America’s new HQ to speak with CEO Mike Doucleff about its plans to roll out its ultra-fast chargers across the US.
Bolzano, Italy-based Alpitronic was founded in 2009, and it specializes in the development and production of DC fast chargers. The global company’s best-known product line is the Hypercharger, an ultra-fast EV charging station that can deliver charging power from 50 kW to 400 kW, depending on the model.
Alpitronic Americas recently announced an agreement with Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging to become the first DC fast-charging network to deploy Hypercharger 400 units at scale in the US.
Alpitronics Americas’ new headquarters’ 68,000-square-foot office and industrial space in Charlotte, North Carolina, includes a diagnostics laboratory and repair center, a spare parts warehouse, a training center, and space for as many as 300 employees.
The Bolzano, Italy-based company’s Hyperchargers achieve, on average, an efficiency rate greater than 97.5%, and that its repair and service network can service chargers anywhere in the US.
Alpitronic cofounder and CEO Philipp Senoner said, “As a natural part of Alpitronic’s growth, we are anxious to expand our industry-leading Hypercharger network from Europe, where we are market-share leader, to North America. We are pleased with the talent we are finding in North Carolina and look forward to setting a new standard for the EV charging network in the US.”
Alpitronic chargers support all EV brands. Pre-production units have been tested publicly in Rock Hill, SC, and Portland, OR. The first US-built, public chargers are expected to be installed and available in October.
Seth and Mike Doucleff discuss what Aliptronic’s main driver was to come to the US, what attracted them to Charlotte, and what the company thinks the future of DC fast chargers is in the US, among other things. Their conversation begins at 00:41 on the Electrek podcast below:
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Author Michelle Lewis
#Italian #fast #charger #maker #Alpitronic #enters #market #video
Texas-headquartered power conversion technology company Ideal Power, developer of the B-TRAN bidirectional semiconductor power switch, is collaborating with its third global automaker on the use of B-TRAN-enabled contactors to potentially replace electromechanical contactors in the automaker’s EVs.
Contactors play a critical role in isolating the battery, inverter and onboard charger to ensure safety when an EV is off or being serviced, acting as high-voltage cutoff switches. Solid-state B-TRAN-enabled contactors have no physical contacts subject to wear and are faster-acting than electromechanical ones. They eliminate arcing, improve safety and reliability, and provide safety diagnostics and programmable settings for trip and current limits. They are also expected to cost less in EV applications.
“Solid-state contactors in EVs are an emerging market and our technology is potentially enabling for this application due to its very low conduction losses and inherent bidirectionality,” said Dan Brdar, President and CEO of Ideal Power.
Public charging stations don’t just drive EV adoption; they also increase consumer spending at nearby businesses, a new MIT study found.
The study is based on data from over 4,000 charging stations in California and 140,000 businesses, using anonymized credit and debit card transactions to track changes in spending. Researchers used data from 2019 through June 2023, but skipped 2020 to minimize any skewing of the results by the coronavirus pandemic.
2023 Nissan Ariya at EVgo charging station
Using this data set, researchers found that opening a charging station in California boosted annual spending at adjacent businesses, on average, about $1,500 in 2019 and about $400 between January 2021 and June 2023.
To determine whether charging stations actually caused these spending increases, researchers compared data from businesses within 1,640 feet of a charging station before and after installation. The also analyzed data from similar businesses that weren’t near charging stations within the same timeframe.
Tesla charging
In addition to pushing EV drivers to spend more at nearby businesses, charging stations themselves can make money. In 2022 a BP executive said, under certain circumstances, fast-charging stations could even be as profitable as gasoline pumps. An AutoPacific study published earlier this year also found that EV drivers want gas-station perks at charging stations—hinting at another way to get drivers to stop and shop at local businesses.
This helps underscore the potential economic ripple effects of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program it backed. That program aims to start a national network of 500,000 EV chargers and, while that rollout is happening slowly due to a patchwork of local and utility rules, and coordinated state proposals, these results provide a picture of the economic growth they might help provide.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein)
#charging #stations #give #bump #nearby #businesses #research #confirms
This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time that includes new e-bikes from Ride1Up, new e-scooters from NIU, Ted Cruz’s war against safer e-bike batteries, Talaria MX5 fire, Gogoro’s CEO resigning, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 7:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 8:00 a.m. ET):
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Author Micah Toll
#WheelE #Podcast #Ride1Up #Roadster #Talaria #fire
California, the most populous U.S. state, boasts the most EV school buses on its roads — and has the most robust pipeline of any state. The Golden State has more than 3,000 electric school buses “committed,” WRI’s umbrella term for EV buses already on the road, delivered, ordered, or for which a district has been awarded funding to purchase.
Maryland, which in 2022 mandated that all new school buses purchased or contracted must be electric by 2025, has the second-largest fleet of delivered and operational buses. New York, which has mandated that its entire school bus fleet be electric by 2035 — not just new purchases — has the second-biggest EV school bus pipeline.
Overall, the U.S. currently has 12,216 “committed” EV school buses, per WRI. That’s a big step up from the end of last year, when the same figure was just under 9,000, but still only a fraction of the overall U.S. school bus fleet of nearly 500,000 vehicles.
The wheels of the EV school bus revolution are starting to turn in the U.S. — but they need to roll much faster to get the country to a place where every school bus is safe for the planet, and for kids.
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![Italian DC fast charger maker Alpitronic enters the US market [video]](https://ev-magazine.com/media/2024/09/1726880861_Italian-DC-fast-charger-maker-Alpitronic-enters-the-US-market-696x364.jpg "Italian DC fast charger maker Alpitronic enters the US market")
