Arizona toddler rescued after getting trapped in a Tesla with a dead battery | The Model Y’s 12-volt battery, which powers things like the doors and windows, died

ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to Technology@lemmy.world – 677 points –
Arizona toddler rescued after getting trapped in a Tesla with a dead battery
theverge.com
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Now imagine this happens in a remote area with no cell coverage. In Arizona those are a thing too.

I assume Arizona has rocks and bricks and stuff lying around somewhere

Luckily not even the Cybertruck is immune to those

Yes. You go out to grab a rock, go back in and smash the windows. Or keep one tactical door opening rock beneath the seat.

beneath the seat

For the toddler to use?

There is a mechanical door release if you're trapped inside. To get in from outside obviously needs the vehicle to unlock, so it has to be jump started.

Even if there was some kind of back-up mechanical lock I can't see anyone carrying around a key only for this specific eventuality. A glass breaker key-ring might be the best option — along with understanding how to use these emergency features in case you need them. A glass breaker might also save you in a fire or ending up underwater.

That’s the fun part. They’ve made it so the windows don’t break now either. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6tnEDH1HfD0

These two remind me of the early Apple fanboys, completely talking around all the bad parts and focusing only on perceived good parts. Except, here, they're fan-ing on a decision that was made a long time ago (using tempered glass on side windows) for exactly the reason they state is 'bad'--it explodes into a bunch of non-sharp shards. This decision was made, and agreed upon by auto manufacturers, to prevent people getting stuck in cars on fire. Internal mechanical releases do nothing when the person inside is unconscious or is a toddler, as is in this case.

That is fun, I didn't know that was a thing. I imagine that roll-overs are more common than submersion in water, but even so, that doesn't sound like a great trade-off. Even in a crash, being able to quickly jump out the window is good — especially if the vehicle is on fire.

Mechanical release is hidden and not commonly used, or if ever. In moments of utter panic people will not even remember it exists, let alone use it.

The front ones don't seem to be hidden, but yeah - if they're not meant to be used regularly, people won't remember them in an emergency. I guess the rear ones are hidden because they probably bypass child-locks.

I don't know how child-locks work on mechanical door latches. If the vehicle locks when in motion and the child-locks are on I don't think there are emergency releases on most vehicles? The only ways out would be to get into the front cabin, break the windows, or find the internal boot release.

To get in from outside obviously needs the vehicle to unlock, so it has to be jump started.

and how do you get to the battery to do that if you can't get inside?

Yeah, but I don't think EVs have spark plugs to smash and use to break the windows. Checkmate.

No need for remoteness. Imagine you drive into water or battery catches fire. You aren't opening those doors.

There is a manual release on the inside ... So yes you are.

No you are not. People panic and default to most common behavior, this is why emergency exercises are a thing. In other words, the hidden manual release somewhere in the car that was never used is not going to be used in the moment of panic. You won't even remember it exists.

Also, that's only on some cars and only in the front. None on the back seat.

It is not hidden, covered, obfuscated, or even in a weird location. It's literally sitting right on the door handle. Also even with a standard 1990 car with fully manual doors you are not going to be escaping out the doors if your car falls into water. The pressure differential of the water pushing against your door prevents you from opening it until the entire inside of the car has filled with water, MythBusters did a whole episode on this back in the day if you want to go find that for the full story. But the tldr is that once your car is in the water you're only Escape options are to break the window, get the window rolled down, or wait until the entire car has filled with water and the pressure equalizes

Edit: turns out this is only in the M3, the Y, X, And CT are all designed by absolute idiots, and i joined them by not looking into all models

Also, thanks for the edit and correcting your statement. We live and we learn. Unless pride prevents us from doing so.

I looked into all the manuals before posting that to make sure. Turns out they did improve on some models location of it. Which is commendable. But some are downright retarded. Am also well aware about effect of pressure and similar. Am less worried about the water than getting stranded in the car after crash or if battery catches on fire.

Easy enough to get out, if you have a couple braincells to rub together. The manual release is not hidden, covered, obfuscated, or even in a weird location. It's literally right on the door handle

Edit: turns out this is only in the M3, the Y, X, And CT are all designed by absolute idiots, and i joined them by not looking into all models

In the middle of nowhere, maybe. But I've been on several road trips across the state and had service the entire way, mostly LTE with a few spots of 3G here and there. As long as you're near the highway or a town, you'll get service.

There are giant swaths of area with no coverage, especially in the mountains of arizona, including the freeways and especially highways. The entire western US can be spotty with signal out in the great wide open. It isn't until the Midwest and more east that one should largely not worry about signal coverage anymore.