Tesla improves Model 3’s interior cabin noise in latest production cars

Joey Klender

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Posted on October 30, 2019

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently addressed a question regarding interior cabin noise in the Model 3, stating the issue has been “significantly improved in current production.”

Cabin noise has been a prevalent issue with Tesla Model 3 owners in the early days of production, prompting some third-party vendors to offer products designed to make for a quieter drive, like door seal kits. Tesla has gone as far as designing an acoustic tire, specifically focused on reducing interior cabin noises.

Electric vehicles, unlike a traditional combustion engine car, do not have an engine, transmission, and tailpipe noise that assist in eliminating the common sounds of the road. But in a test performed on twenty different electric vehicle cabin noise levels by Bjørn Nyland, three different variants of the Model 3 performed in the bottom 50%, citing an average noise of between 68 and 69 decibels. The quietest vehicle tested was the Audi e-Tron, scoring a 62.9 dB level.

The source of the noises is narrowed down to wind noises that creep through improper seals and weatherstripping in the vehicle’s doors, as well as other uninsulated areas that amplify wind noise. The faster one travels, the more wind noise. While Musk did not go into detail as far as what changes Tesla is specifically making to reduce cabin noise, we know the issue has been addressed by the company and will most likely be improved upon with new Model 3s. In the past, Musk has teased the idea of a sound system adjusting in volume according to cabin noise, however, this technique would not take care of the issue completely, and would ultimately add more noise. Tesla will address the problem from the source by trying to eliminate it altogether instead of masking it with other sounds.

Tesla and Musk are notorious for listening to consumers and addressing the requests they make in order to improve their vehicles. Joe Mode is one example, as a parent stated he was encountering issues with Tesla’s Autopilot chimes waking his children up. Musk confronted this problem and released Joe Mode with the V10 update. Cabin noise is an issue Tesla has battled with in the past, but the company is working diligently and seems to have found a fix for the problem in the production phases.

Tesla owner and YouTuber Tesla Raj performed a series of tests on his Model 3, with the goal of identifying ways to reduce its interior cabin noise. Watch below for some great insight.

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Tesla improves Model 3’s interior cabin noise in latest production cars

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Tesla Navigate on Autopilot to get Automatic HOV Lane detection

Joey Klender

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Posted on October 29, 2019

Tesla is expected to add an automatic High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) recognition feature that will enable Navigate on Autopilot to automatically utilize carpool lanes when the vehicle detects two or more passengers.

The “Use HOV Lanes” feature was released with Tesla’s V9 Software Update in October 2018, and was aimed toward allowing driver’s to determine if their car was eligible to use HOV lanes while utilizing Navigate on Autopilot. Navigate on Autopilot is a part of Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” software suite currently available to Model 3, Model S, and Model X drivers. However, Tesla YouTuber Quinn Nelson made the suggestion to utilize seat sensors as a means to determine whether passengers are present in the vehicle, automatically turning on and off the toggle button, eliminating the need for the driver to do it manually.

The “Use HOV Lanes” feature will allow Navigate on Autopilot to use carpool lanes on the highway when they are available. Without the feature enabled, the Tesla vehicle will avoid these lanes altogether. Nelson’s idea of having the vehicle automatically recognize passengers in the vehicle will utilize the car’s seat sensors in order to turn the HOV feature on. While carpool lanes are usually reserved for vehicles with two or more passengers, some states have recognized electric vehicles as “exempt” from this rule. This label was placed upon cars not using gasoline or diesel fuel as their primary power source in an attempt “to encourage acquisition of certain vehicle types, like [Alternative Fuel Vehicles], to further reduce mobile source emissions,” according to the United States Department of Energy. Owners of electric cars can apply for HOV stickers through the Department of Motor Vehicles if their state recognizes vehicle as “exempt”.

Tesla’s anticipated automatic HOV Lane feature will further provide convenience for drivers who are hauling passengers when utilizing Navigate on Autopilot. Tesla currently offers Navigate on Autopilot to any driver of the Model 3, Model S, or Model X for $6,000. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently announced the price would receive a $1,000 increase on November 1, 2019, due to the addition of new features, such as the widely popular Smart Summon.

Tesla Navigate on Autopilot to get Automatic HOV Lane detection

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Tesla reduces Solar + Powerwall pricing amid CA wildfire power outages

Joey Klender

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Posted on October 28, 2019

With wildfires blazing through portions of California, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has knocked $1,000 off the price of Solar+Powerwall prices as of today in an effort to provide some assistance to homeowners affected by the power outages resulting from the ongoing fires.

Musk took to Twitter just hours after many residents of Los Angeles were required to evacuate their homes because of wildfires threatening the region. The Tesla CEO tweeted out numerous updates on the advantages of Tesla solar, like its ability to prevent power blackouts in the event of natural disasters. Musk also offered a $1,000 discount to customers in California who are directly affected by the ongoing wildfires.

The price reduction for its Solar+Powerwall package stands as another gesture from the electric car maker and its CEO. Musk has always maintained that Tesla’s purpose is not simply to make money. Rather, it is determined to accelerate the world’s adoption of sustainable solutions. Electric cars are one thing, but having homes switch to solar power with a battery-based backup is also a key pillar for this vision.

The value of a solar system and home battery unit is emphasized during times of power outages, such as those affecting parts of CA today. Due to the ongoing fires, particularly the Getty and Kincade Fires, portions of the state have been cut off from power. As noted by a recent CNN report, over a million residents across California currently face multiple days without power. It is these homeowners that stand as potential customers for Tesla’s Solar+Powerwall solutions.

Tesla started pushing its Energy business more this third quarter as the company hit its stride in its Model 3 production, and it showed in the company’s Q3 2019 results. Kunal Girotra, Tesla’s Senior Director, Energy Operations, described this rise in the third-quarter earnings call. “Our solar deployments rose by almost 50% over last quarter, and our energy storage deployments, which include Powerwalls and Powerpacks, grew by 15% to an all-time high of 477 megawatt hours,” he said.

These improvements came partly as a result of Tesla revamping his residential solar business, launching an affordable rental system that could cost homeowners as low as $50 a month. The company also took the wraps off its new solar solutions for businesses. These updates were accompanied by transparent pricing that gave customers clear expectations about their solar systems.

That being said, Elon Musk has admitted that Tesla does not really turn much of a profit on Solar+Powerwall installations or orders, adding that the $1,000 price reduction is significant. Musk has offered discounts in the past on Tesla’s solar products, including a nationwide price reduction after Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) announced mandatory power shutoffs in order to prevent wildfires in Northern California.

The fires in Los Angeles are very reminiscent of last year’s wildfires in the same region. The blazes in 2018 were the worst fires ever recorded in California’s history, destroying over 1.89 million acres of land, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Tesla reduces Solar + Powerwall pricing amid CA wildfire power outages

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