Tesla is among the most advanced cars on the market. It boasts of features like autopilot, a self-driving system, and a smart summon. But does the smart summon feature work?
Tesla smart summon feature works. However, it is not very effective and needs improvement. Released in late September 2019, the smart summon feature allows a Tesla driver to summon their car from across a parking lot without a driver. Nonetheless, the driver should monitor the car from outside.
Since its release, Tesla smart summon function has worked well for most Tesla owners, but some people have also had some awful experiences with this technology. So, before you decide to initiate the smart summon function, it’s important to know its strength and weaknesses.
Besides, the smart summon technology works if the driver or owner’s smartphone is within 200 ft of the car. Additionally, the driver or customer should maintain a line of sight to the vehicle at all times. This is important to avoid any obstacles on the way that the car may bump into.
On top of that, the driver is required to keep their finger continuously on a button in the phone app to keep the car maneuvering. If the driver lifts the finger off the button, it will stop instantly. The good thing is that a summoned car maintains a speed of about 6 miles per hour, which prevents serious damage or injuries.
What’s more, Tesla has designed the system to be extremely cautious. For instance, smart summon cannot engage the car in public spaces such as crossing a public street. So, if you summon your Tesla to cross a street, it will stop. Also, the car cannot get into very tight places or complex areas.
How do you activate Tesla smart summon?
Activating Tesla smart summon is straightforward. You will have to open your Tesla smart app, click on summon, and select the smart summon icon. Next, press and hold the “COME TO ME” button. On the contrary, you can also tap on the icon, set the intended destination by changing the map, and press and hold the “GO TO TARGET” button.
Which one is better – smart summon or manual?
Yes, smart summon is the future, but at the moment, you have to take control of your Tesla before it rams into a poll or pedestrian as you summon it. The main reason why smart summon is not fully effective is due to the limited range, the requirement for a line of sight to the car, and the cautious driving style.
What are some of the weaknesses of Tesla smart summon?
Even though Tesla smart summon makes the work of the driver easy by coming to him or her instead of the driver, it has several weaknesses. One of the main weaknesses is the car scraping into objects or poles as it passes them. Yes, the car can easily pass an object, but it can also easily scratch it as it passes by.
Another major weakness is that Teslas are excessively aggressive when pedestrians are close to the side of the car. This is very dangerous and it can easily injure a pedestrian as they walk close by. Unlike smart summon, a human driver will respond much faster in such a case.
Despite the smart summon function not being effective with side objects, people, or obstacles, it responds faster with a head-on collision. So, if there is another car approaching it from the front or a pedestrian, the response will be much faster and it will stop almost instantly.
What this function can’t control is faster cars, quick-moving people, and bicycles. In such cases, it’s easier for the car to hit or bump into people. That’s why you need to be extra careful when using the smart summon in a public space.
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FAQ
Is Tesla smart summon legal?
Yes, Tesla smart summon is legal. However, this feature is not fully reliable and even Tesla warns its users from depending on it most of the time. This is because this function is not fully autonomous. That’s why the company encourages owners to use it in private garages and not public parking bays.
Is Tesla smart summon function useful?
Even though not very effective, the smart summon feature is still very useful. This is because it can help people with disabilities or those who don’t want to soak in rain. You just call the car and it comes to where you’re. It will get your car from the parking space to where you are.
Does Tesla smart summon come as standard on all Teslas?
Yes, Tesla smart summon feature comes as a standard on all Tesla models. This includes Tesla model 3, Y, S, and X. However, this function does not come as standard on Tesla models built before September 2019. Besides, you can update the software to have the latest updates.
Can a Tesla Park itself in a garage?
Yes, Tesla can park itself in a garage. All you have to do is to command it using the smart summon feature. This feature can be found in Tesla Model S, X, Y, and most recently, model 3. However, Tesla is still working on it to make it even more practical.
Apart from parking your car in the garage, summon can also open your garage door to enter or exit and shut down after parking. This is an important feature as it prevents you from squeezing in tight places in your garage or even in public parking bays. Simply activate the summon function to allow the car to park.
Summary
Tesla smart summon is a very effective function that allows you to summon your car to come to you. However, your phone needs to be within 200 ft for this function to work properly. Besides, you will have to keep a close eye on the vehicle during the entire process.
Since the smart summon function is not 100% effective, keeping an eye may prevent your car from bumping into an obstacle or hitting a pedestrian. So, always watch out and don’t apply this function in a complex area or a cramped area.
