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Elon Musk Wants Teslas to Automatically Call a Tow Truck When Something Breaks (techcrunch.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the self-dialing-cars dept.

An anonymous reader quotes TechCrunch: In September of last year, Elon Musk promised to make fixing service times a priority. On an earnings call, he outlined two ways they're working on it: more spare parts at service centers, and giving Tesla cars the ability to automatically get the process started by calling a tow truck as soon as it detects an issue. Said Elon on the call:

The next thing we want to add is if a car detects something wrong -- like a flat tire or a drive unit failure -- that before the car has even come to a halt, there's a tow truck and service loaner on the way.

False alarm? Don't want a tow truck to show up? You'll be able to cancel it through the in-dash display.
Musk didn't provide a time frame for when this feature would become available.

50 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. Why? by ReneR · · Score: 3, Insightful

    To prevent people going to independent repair shops (like Rich's elecrified-garage)? Also how often does this really happen. This like never happened with the 6 or so Volkswagen of my parents (I'm not into cars). Or are Tesla's simply so unreliable? :-/

    1. Re:Why? by mutley69 · · Score: 1

      Of course the tow-truck-company will move 30% towards mr. Elon Musk's company. And the customer that's soo stupid to buy a Tesla will be robbed in a lawful way. Where's consumer protection when someone needs it? There's no need to tell you i'll put Tesla on the unwanted black-list i'm keeping (after 2 years i'm already boycotting + 1000 company's - isn't that a shame i've to write this?).

    2. Re:Why? by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 2

      Also how often does this really happen.

      A broken down Tesla on the side of the road is bad publicity. It's better to tow it away and out of sight as quickly as possible.

      Tesla gets more scrutiny than other car brands. A broken down Ford on the side of the road? Not news: Fix Or Repair Daily. A broken down Tesla on the side of the road? Big news!

      Tesla could expand this "E.T. phone home" feature. If the car detects an accident collision, it can call a sleazy lawyer. If there's no more coke on the dashboard, it can call your drug dealer. If there hasn't been anyone matching your sexual preference sitting in the passenger's seat for a while, it can call your "escort agency".

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    3. Re:Why? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      To prevent people going to independent repair shops

      Huh? Since when has a tow-truck ever forced you to go to one and only one repair shop? Normally they ask you where you want to be towed to.

    4. Re:Why? by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      "To prevent people going to independent repair shops (like Rich's elecrified-garage)?"

      It's to avoid calling Bubba from the repair-shop around the corner who has a torture-chamber in his basement.

    5. Re:Why? by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      "A broken down Tesla on the side of the road is bad publicity. It's better to tow it away and out of sight as quickly as possible. "

      The car knows beforehand that it will break down and will come to a stop behind a real estate sign, Marty McFly style.

    6. Re:Why? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Or are Tesla's simply so unreliable?

      Yes. Especially the older ones, but even the new Model 3 isn't that great and is causing massive delays at service centres.

      A guy in Norway recently booked his X in for 200k km service. It's already had IIRC two new drive units, a new battery and many, many other things fixed on it. First there was a 3 month wait to get a service done. Then they took it in but had no loaners, and a month later started work on it. I don't think he has it back yet.

      This is causing knock-on problems for Tesla. They stopped selling certified pre-owned (CPO) cars and now just sell used cars. Don't even clean them, just hand them to you in whatever state the previous owner left them with a promise to fix any mechanical problems that arise, because they don't have the service capacity to fix all the stuff wrong with them or even hoover them out.

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    7. Re:Why? by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

      but with the auto call it's go to be.

      Trip change for saying no on site = $75
      Your Shop = $75 + $2mile
      Tesla's shop = Free

    8. Re:Why? by Mashiki · · Score: 1

      Delivery to a garage like that has been illegal in north america for the last 20 years. It was banned because of predatory towing companies in big cities. Similar laws were passed to stop tow truck companies from circling like vultures and showing up when someone has an issue. Again that's illegal nearly everywhere, either by state/provincial law or enforced via bylaws.

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    9. Re:Why? by slashdice · · Score: 1

      how often are you raped and sodomized in the basement of a repair shop?

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    10. Re:Why? by slashdice · · Score: 1

      It's worse than that. Telsa's profit is from selling GHG/EV credits* and dropping the warranty reserve on their cars to $2,000. If they have to properly account for shit like that, warranty reserves go up and profit goes away.

      Tesla owners talk about the "Tesla stretch" -- buying a car that's twice as much as you can afford. Well, Tesla has a Tesla stretch too -- it's stretching out payments to suppliers and stretching out time to get parts and stretching out repair times.

      * no disrespect. Tesla sells cars at a loss and makes it up with regulatory credits. Google gives away search results so they can sell your personal information.

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    11. Re:Why? by Mister+Transistor · · Score: 1

      Not as often as I have been raped and sodomized at the cash register of one!

      {rimshot}

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    12. Re:Why? by presearch · · Score: 1

      Please rate:
      1) not reliable
      2) somewhat more reliable
      3) reliable
      4) Toyota

    13. Re:Why? by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      After spending all my savings on a Tesla, that last thing I need is another $50/mo for a cellular account for my car...

    14. Re:Why? by dgatwood · · Score: 1

      The vast majority of issues were non-engine related. Things like brakes, cv-joints, ball joints, wheel bearings.

      Thats the opposite of my experience. In my experience, not counting preventative maintenance (replacing the brakes, oil, or tires, none of which are really repairs, per se), the vast majority of failures I've seen are for emissions control systems — things like:

      • O2 sensor
      • EVAP system.
      • Fouled vacuum lines
      • Mixture issues causing the engine to run lean / produce high NOx

      Even though most of these should just be a nuisance most of the time, they aren't if you live in a state that requires a smog check. Also, transmission problems are surprisingly common, particularly in certain models of vehicle.

      And none of the things on my list exist on EVs. The number of engine parts in an EV are at least an order of magnitude lower than the number of similar parts in an ICE car, and maybe two. And there's just a fixed gearbox with no transmission. That means way fewer things to break.

      And speaking of brakes, an ICE car's brakes last 30-70k miles, depending on model. EV brake pads (and plug-in hybrids) can last hundreds of thousands of miles, thanks to regenerative braking. And no oil changes. So the preventative maintenance is much less, too.

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    15. Re: Why? by gl4ss · · Score: 1

      they would just update it.

      all they need is a contract with some statewide towtruck/fixup provider. of course elon is jumping the gun a bit here since they don't have yet the maintenance network.

      it's still all about getting a cut, but I don't think elon considered that most of the repairs would be warranty repairs anyways, however maybe he thinks he can do this and charge for the towing service to pay for the repairs..

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    16. Re:Why? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Trip change for saying no on site = $75

      Is this a thing that they do? I mean I've never called a tow truck in the USA, but certainly that isn't a charge in any other country.

      Your Shop = $75 + $2mile

      If I have a nice new car the answer to that equation is $0 + $0mile for the first 50miles all nicely covered while the vehicle is under warranty.

  2. Horrible idea by sinij · · Score: 2

    Tow operators are largely predatory businesses that are absolutely against consumer's interests. Only AAA is half-decent, and this is because their core business is insurance product that also happen to have in-house tow operation.

    I really like the idea of Tesla, but lack of privacy and control over platform is why I would never buy one. I would be very unhappy if my car decided it may be unsafe to drive, pull over on its own, and call tow operator.

    1. Re:Horrible idea by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 2, Informative

      I would be very unhappy if my car decided it may be unsafe to drive, pull over on its own, and call tow operator.

      How about if your car decided that you are too drunk to drive, pulled over, and called the police . . . ?

      Hmmm . . . also . . . your Tesla knows exactly where you are driving, and the speed limit on that road. If Tesla built in an on-board printer, it could print out speeding tickets for you.

      Or just send an SMS to the local or state police.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    2. Re:Horrible idea by alvinrod · · Score: 1

      It might not be as bad as you think. Tesla would have the ability to choose who to contract with and could as a result bargain for set rates that may be cheaper for the end user. It might be more like AAA because it is a service that Tesla offers alongside their core business.

      This is no guarantee of quality, but it sounds as though you can disable it if you don’t want it, false alarm or not. Even if it’s no better for the consumer than calling a tow truck on their own, it still affords the convenience of not having to find and call a service yourself. Tesla is still a luxury brand in many ways, so they need to offer these kind of frills so that people will pay the higher costs.

    3. Re:Horrible idea by The-Ixian · · Score: 1

      Also, good luck getting a tow truck in any kind of weather emergency (like a polar vortex).

      I wasted a week waiting for a tow from my insurance-provided roadside assistance program.

      I finally had to secure service on my own and it wasn't easy to find a place that didn't just drop my call or tell me to call back later.

      I am thinking that towing is a business that runs near or at capacity normally (you probably don't want extra trucks sitting idle) and any kind of weather that causes an increase in volume breaks the system...

      An obligatory towing system would have to be a Tesla operated endeavor with extra capacity built in.

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    4. Re:Horrible idea by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      Or just prevent you from going over the speed limit. Because if we're going to speculate about what should/will happen, this is what it should do.

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    5. Re:Horrible idea by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      I wasted a week waiting for a tow from my insurance-provided roadside assistance program.

      Damn. So we can assume you're one of those #VanLife people? I don't see how else you could have survived for a week stuck on the highway.

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    6. Re:Horrible idea by paiute · · Score: 2

      Or there are the other anecdotes, such as that we have been with AAA for over 30 years, had multiple tows/dead batteries, and never had anything but prompt and reliable service.

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    7. Re:Horrible idea by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      Only after the US makes speed limits on freeways reasonable, not designed for cops to be revenue collection agents. 25-30 mph in populated areas is fine, anything below 70 mph on rural freeways is idiotic.

    8. Re:Horrible idea by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Tow operators are largely predatory businesses that are absolutely against consumer's interests.

      Huh? Can someone clue me in on this? I thought tow trucks were just independent operators and that all new cars are sold with road-side assistance as standard included packages which among other things includes a certain towing distance regardless of which truck picks you up?

      Is this not the case in America?

    9. Re:Horrible idea by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

      My grandparents used to have AAA and it would take hours for a guy to show up. I usually call a local company and they show up within a half hour or so. The one time I needed a tow out of state (before smart phones) I dialed information and asked for a tow company. They showed up quickly and took me to a decent garage. My timing belt had broken and a few hours later I was on my way.

      --
      Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
    10. Re:Horrible idea by mspohr · · Score: 1

      I have news for you. Every new car today tracks you. Best to get a 30 year old beater if you don't want to be tracked.

      Also, you want to drive an unsafe car?

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    11. Re:Horrible idea by mspohr · · Score: 1

      I find my Tesla does a much better job of keeping me from speeding than I do on my own. I just set the autopilot for speed limit + 5 MPH and I never have to worry about picking up too much speed on a downhill. Also, it reads speed limit signs and adjusts the speed of the car. This is very useful as the main road around the lake has frequent speed limit changes between 25, 35 and 45 so it always adjusts.

      (The +5MPH adjusts for the fact that all speedometers are calibrated to show a few miles greater than actual speed.)

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    12. Re:Horrible idea by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Or there are the other anecdotes, such as that we have been with AAA for over 30 years, had multiple tows/dead batteries, and never had anything but prompt and reliable service.

      I've used them successfully for many short tows, and they have literally never been prompt. They have literally always taken longer to get someone to me than claimed, and it has never been less than 30 additional minutes. But in this last event, which was the reason we cancelled our AAA membership, I was stranded on the side of the highway for hours and they never dispatched a truck.

      AAA is a scam, and the way they do business is deliberately fraudulent. Now that they've cancelled most of their maps and you have to pay extra for DMV services, there is no reason whatsoever to use them. We dropped AAA and got a FMCA membership to go with our RV, and that includes roadside assistance which can't be any more worthless than AAA.

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    13. Re:Horrible idea by Mashiki · · Score: 2

      No that's how they are in north america. There were a lot of laws passed back in the early 00's that changed how tow drivers were allowed to operate, such as "vulturing" on a vehicle needed in a tow, or following police/EMS on the highway to an accident. In general, tow companies are independents. If they want to become part of an association they pay into it by the month by the number of vehicles they have.

      So, you own a fleet of 20 tow trucks you usually pay $1k/month per truck for example. The benefit to this system is that there's thousands of independent fleets and CAA/AAA uses the size to cut discounts on fuel/maintenance/safety inspection costs/insurance rates/etc. Since you're on AAA/CAA's priority list, they dispatch the tow as a first pick. The payout from the tow is more then it would cost to dispatch a truck if you simply called on your own. Basically this allows new guys to cut their teeth into the business without the high startup costs too. Since a tow truck will run you around $100k+permits. Around here it's $138+first 20km free for a tow. In the end they point more business to you, so they cover the initial tow cost and if the customer wants a tow outside the free range the tow company keeps the extra. In some cases where there are multiple independents, the system is fully randomized based on where the call is made from.

      As for free coverage under warranty service that comes with new vehicles and such. Usually the automaker buys their service directly from CAA/AAA/etc, or in big cities will cut a preferential rate with the largest tow company. For transport trucks and whatnot, since the outlay for one of those tow trucks is $400k-$1.2m/pop they're owned by either a group of shops, or a fleet shop(i.e. peterbuilt/kensworth/etc dealership), a independent shop that operates on a fleet contract/etc. In the case where a bunch of small independent shops(tire/engine/transmission/trailer/etc) have bought in for one of those trucks, they also each get a cut of the service call, usually 5-10%.

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    14. Re:Horrible idea by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

      Only AAA is half-decent, and this is because their core business is insurance product that also happen to have in-house tow operation.

      Eh, AAA is inanely expensive compared to Geico -- which isn't in-house, they negotiate whoever's cheapest and least busy at the moment of your call. $40 a year gives me as many free tows, jumpstarts, lockouts etc as my 1998 car can cause me.

      --
      This space intentionally left blank
    15. Re:Horrible idea by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

      Tesla Towing and Bail Bonds Inc.

      Will the car call the cops if you try to pick up a hooker? Watch out for the breathalyzer!

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    16. Re:Horrible idea by dgatwood · · Score: 1

      It's usually much faster to fix your own flat, assuming you took that course at MIT.

      It would be if Teslas came with a spare tire. But they don't, so it isn't.

      At best, any road-side patch job is going to be poor and failure prone; at worst, it will corrupt the inside of the tire in a way that makes it impossible for the tire shop to do a proper patch later. That's why the recommended approach is to have Tesla roadside assistance bring you a free loaner spare.

      Unfortunately, because their call centers are massively understaffed, that can take hours, so you're often better off calling a local towing company and paying for a flatbed to haul your car to a tire shop. And that's what they're trying to fix. Hope it works.

      In the meantime, having heard some recent horror stories, I'm seriously considering just buying a spare tire and keeping it in the frunk. :-)

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    17. Re:Horrible idea by sinij · · Score: 1

      Also, you want to drive an unsafe car?

      Yes, because I don't want others have the power to decide what is a safe car.

    18. Re: Horrible idea by mspohr · · Score: 1

      Living in the basement gives you a different perspective.

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  3. Tesla Service - Great! by jimbrooking · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I have had two instances of needing service for my Tesla Model 3. One was a defective windshield wiper (replaced free), the second, minor damage from road debris (reasonable cost). In both cases a Tesla Service van was dispatched to my home and repairs done on my premises. So I think they "get" service. I think of it as "You don't go to the garage, the garage comes to you", which is typical of Musk's out-of-the-box thinking. Fanboi? You bet!

    1. Re:Tesla Service - Great! by currently_awake · · Score: 2

      Your car should not have authority to spend your money (hire tow truck) without your consent.

    2. Re:Tesla Service - Great! by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 2

      Exactly! That's your wife's job!

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    3. Re:Tesla Service - Great! by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Your car should not have authority to spend your money (hire tow truck) without your consent.

      Clue me in here, do cars get sold in America without free roadside assistance included as a standard up until the warranty expires?

  4. Re:Flat tire? by rjr162 · · Score: 1

    No kidding. Then again how many people now adays don't even know how to swap a rim and tire

  5. Re:Flat tire? by jiriw · · Score: 1

    Of course when the car detects you opening the trunk and removing the jack and spare, it will put the tow service on stand by until it detects a working tire again... with a timer for those that may be too clumsy, even if they have the tools in hand. It should detect lifting the side of the broken tire as well for extra insurance.. Simply add three extra states to the software and one or two sensors to detect a removed jack/spare. The trunk and tilt sensors should be already present :P Maybe it can even detect the weight loss of you leaving the car and then removing the jack and spare. No extra sensors needed, only code \o/

  6. A New Musk Business by biggaijin · · Score: 2

    This will (1) incapacitate the car when something goes wrong, and (2) call TeslaTow(r), the approved repair center for all Tesla automobiles. TeslaTow, conveniently enough, will also be owned by Musk. The Right to Repair people should be alerted about this.

  7. Re:Flat tire? by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

    I do a lot of my own repair work but changing a tire on the side of a highway is something I won't do. Too many people have died because idiot drivers can't avoid a stationary vehicle pulled way off the road. Maybe I'd consider it if a cop was behind me with his lights on but there are still plenty of videos of people hitting parked cop cars with full emergency lights going.

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  8. Re:Flat tire? by slashdice · · Score: 1

    Tesla autopilot can't avoid stationary vehicles either.

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  9. Re:Flat tire? by HiThere · · Score: 1

    FWIW, I know how to swap a tire, though I'm not sure about those toys they use instead of spare tires these days, but I'm not about to do that at the side of the freeway. Or on a steep hill. (And for this "steep" includes things I'd barely notice while walking.) And the jacks in some of these cars shouldn't be trusted by anyone for any job at all.

    --

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  10. I can get you a tow. by presearch · · Score: 1

    You want a tow? I can get you a tow, believe me. There are ways Dude. You don't wanna know about it, believe me.
    Hell, I can get you a tow by 3 o'clock this afternoon... with nail polish.

  11. Flat tire? by FrozenGeek · · Score: 1

    Seriously? I've been changing tires on my family's vehicles since I was 12 (aka more than 4 decades). Why would I need a tow truck to change a tire?

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  12. Re:Flat tire? by couchslug · · Score: 1

    You don't need road service because you've changed tires since flats were much more common. You even go back to when bias ply tires were common (as do I). Things are different today:

    https://www.usatoday.com/story...

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  13. More pointless 'features' by superdave80 · · Score: 1

    The next thing we want to add is if a car detects something wrong — like a flat tire or a drive unit failure — that before the car has even come to a halt, there’s a tow truck and service loaner on the way.

    Why not just WAIT till it comes to a halt, and then have a prompt come up, "Would you like to summon a tow truck? Y/N" I can't fathom why he would waste any time on such a dumb feature... and then make the feature prone to calling a tow truck at the wrong time to save 20 seconds.