X MARKS THE SPOT
Tesla on road to the future
In the future, what makes a car “new” isn’t going to be so much about the model year. It will be about downloading the latest software update.
This reinvention of the way we buy and use automobiles is already beginning to happen, and I experienced this firsthand last week as I spent a little more than a day behind the wheel of a fully loaded 2016 Tesla Model X. With its falcon-wing rear doors, impossibly fast pickup, 17-inch touchscreen control panel and autopilot option, this vehicle is as much a computer as it is a car. In fact, it was at the end of last week that the automaker’s major over-the-air update was released to the X. One great feature that Tesla’s operating system 8.0 included is Cabin Overheat Protection, which prevents the interior temperature from exceeding 105 degrees by automatically triggering the air conditioning, even if no one is inside.
I’m not an automobile fanatic, but it was hard not to fall head-over-heels for the Tesla’s egg-shaped luxury SUV, with its panoramic front windshield. Its deep blue metallic exterior was gorgeous, and the ultra-white leather seats were the softest I’ve ever felt in a vehicle, but that’s not even what makes the Model X so unique.
The Tesla mobile app is part of the experience, and owners can use it to summon the vehicle from a short distance away. It can be configured to work with your home automation platform, triggering the lights to come on or the garage door to open when you drive up to your house.
My little joyride in a $110,000 vehicle was made possible by the platform Turo, a peer-to-peer vehicle rental app formerly known as Relay Rides. I’ve been using Turo for years, and I may never rent the traditional way again. As a car owner, it’s a great way to make money on days when your vehicle is idle, and as a renter, you have more variety. Although prices on Turo are generally less than a traditional rental, the Model X is in high demand. Renting Brandon L.’s Tesla came out to an eye-popping $400.
For my husband’s birthday, I presented him with the keys at 7:30 a.m., and by the next day we had racked up more than 200 miles.
My first observation: it’s incredible how much can fit in a car with no gasoline engine. Having the mechanics and battery sit under the car means more cargo room front and back.
The anti-glare touchscreen computer was amazing. Tesla’s built-in maps interface was incredibly clear, easy to use and accurate. It was surreal to surf the web and read about the presidential debates as we drove to lunch in Gloucester.
Going zero to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds was smooth and silent — and awesome — without the sound of switching gears. It was strange to not turn the vehicle on and off. Just keep the key fob in your pocket and the car will turn on when you enter, powering off and locking when you leave.
Pressing a button on the touchscreen will close all the doors, including the rear falcon wings and trunk. Highbeams automatically dim and brighten based on the number of cars around you; multiple cameras and sensors allow for a rendering of the cars around you to pop up on the driver’s dashboard.
Of course we tried the Autopilot feature several times. I don’t recommend it on narrow and curvy back roads. Within 30 seconds of starting Autopilot in Wenham, the car had nearly plunged us into oncoming traffic, and we decided we’d try the highway instead.
When traffic lanes are clearly delineated on both sides of the road, Autopilot worked great. But our hands were ready to take over just in case.
The latest upgrade has apparently improved the reliability of Autopilot significantly, so I plan to use that as an excuse to rent Brandon L.’s Tesla Model X again … as soon as I save up the money.