Tesla Model 3 with Track Mode takes on the Nurburgring with BMW M2 Competition

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on May 21, 2019

A Tesla Model 3 Performance with Track Mode recently took on what could very well be the world’s most iconic track: the Nurburgring. During the duration of the run, which was filmed from an accompanying BMW M2 Competition, the Model 3 Performance showed off its acceleration chops, overtaking several vehicles as it ripped through the track.

Footage of the Silicon Valley-made electric sedan and the German-made high-performance car was shared on YouTube by Marcel D., who owns the Model 3. The Model 3 was just delivered recently, and it was completely stock when its owner took it to the track. Despite this, the vehicle took on the twists and turns of the Nurburgring fairly well, at times even accelerating away from its M2 companion.

The Model 3 owner noted that his vehicle consumed about 100-120 km (about 60-74 miles) of range per lap. Despite the high power consumption of the vehicle, the Model 3 did not exhibit any performance throttling during its track session. The Model 3 was carrying three passengers during the run too, but it still handled very well, moving like it was on rails when it took on the tricky sections of the track.

The nature of the video, as well as the presence of the BMW M2 behind the Model 3 Performance, has resulted in some misconceptions about the two vehicles’ track session. A look at social media posts about the video shows electric car skeptics criticizing the Model 3 for being unable to shake off the BMW M2. Some internal combustion engine fans also hailed the Bavarian performance car for allegedly toying with the electric sedan. These assumptions are inaccurate.

It should be noted that the two vehicles were in no way competing against each other, considering that the people in the two cars were friends who simply wanted to test out the Model 3’s track capabilities. In this light, the Tesla definitely did not disappoint, and it all but showed that the track times of professional racecar driver Randy Pobst (who tuned Track Mode with Tesla) around the “Streets” of Willow Springs International Raceway in CA were no fluke. Pobst’s track times with the Model 3 Performance made headlines after it beat the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and the 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia during a closed circuit test late last November.  

The Tesla Model 3 is among the vehicles currently breaking the mold and conventional assumptions that people have over the alleged limitations of electric cars. While even the best premium EVs on the market such as the Model S P100D tend to throttle their power when driven around a track, the Model 3 Performance is actually capable of maintaining its optimum performance during extended hard driving sessions. So impressive was the Model 3 that noted auto publication Top Gear recently declared the electric vehicle superior to one of the best high-performance sedans in the industry, the BMW M3.

Watch the Tesla Model 3 take on the Nurburgring in the video below.

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Tesla Model 3 with Track Mode takes on the Nurburgring with BMW M2 Competition

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Tesla’s Advanced Summon update is almost ready for release, says Elon Musk

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Posted on May 20, 2019

Tesla’s remote control feature for car retrieval, known as Advanced Summon, is almost ready for release. In a recent update on Twitter, CEO Elon Musk noted both the impending timeline and that he was personally testing the self-driving feature over the weekend himself. Advanced Summon is a set of new features and capabilities that allow Tesla drivers to command their vehicles to drive to their location through the Tesla mobile app.

Tesla owners who are part of the all-electric car maker’s Early Access Program recently shared aspects of Advanced Summon that are expected to be included in the final release. These include the ability to recognize people and objects in the way of the car’s path. Also, smoother steering and a quicker commute to the summoning driver than what was demonstrated in the beta testing version are anticipated.

The current iteration of Summon utilizes a vehicle’s ultrasonic sensors to move forward and backward in a straight line for a maximum of 39 feet, whereas the new version will utilize data from Autopilot cameras to make longer trips that are self-guided. This update to data sourcing would, in theory, allow the car to also read signs in a parking lot to determine whether it was valid to park in an empty spot before pulling in, adding self-parking to the Advanced Summon set of features. That particular enhancement, however, isn’t expected to be released until next year with a further update.

Tesla’s advances in autonomous driving continue to raise the bar for other car maker’s to meet. The electric car maker’s Full Self-Driving computer is already being installed in vehicles currently being produced, and new Autopilot and Autopilot-enabled features are regularly being made available via over-the-air software updates. Earlier this month, Tesla released two Lane Departure Avoidance features that steer drivers back into their lane after drifting without a turn signal. The features are derived from Autopilot but don’t require it to be on in order to work.

The safety data Tesla has compiled statistically demonstrates that less accidents happen when Autopilot is used vs. when cars are driven manually. Based on this data, the company now includes the self-driving feature in all newly purchased Tesla Model S, Model 3, and Model X vehicles. The Lane Departure Avoidance features were added without further cost to Tesla’s customers, both actions being taken as part of Tesla’s “safety first” mission.

While most Autopilot features are dedicated to safety enhancements, Advanced Summon applies the same technology to further improve the Tesla ownership experience, adding both convenience and more fun to the mix.

Tesla’s Advanced Summon update is almost ready for release, says Elon Musk

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Tesla dashcam saves Model 3 owner from potential insurance scam

Simon Alvarez

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Posted on May 19, 2019

A Tesla owner is thanking his Model 3’s built-in dashcam after his vehicle helped him avoid a potential case of insurance fraud. Armed with recordings of a suspicious accident involving a cyclist who fled the scene, the Tesla owner was able to prove to his insurance company that he was not at fault.

Herman Nagra was driving his Tesla Model 3 at Cedar and Shaw in Fresno, CA, when a cyclist struck his vehicle. The cyclist in question traveled four lanes and crashed into the moving sedan. Recordings from the electric sedan’s built-in dashcam show that the traffic lights were green when the Model 3 driver crossed the intersection. 

After the incident, Nagra promptly pulled over to check on the cyclist, but strangely, the bike rider got up and took off quickly. Police who later questioned the Model 3 owner was suspicious of the story. Speaking to local news, Nagra noted that the authorities questioned him in a “very aggressive demeanor,” asking him about the cyclist whereabouts. “I said I don’t know the accident occurred less than a hundred feet away; he’s not there he’s got on his bike and left. He’s the one that’s actually fled the scene,” the Tesla owner said.

The police did catch up to the cyclist and confirmed that he was not hurt. The rider even informed the authorities that his bike was undamaged from the accident. The story could have ended there, but a couple of hours later, the cyclist changed his recollection of the accident. “An hour or two later, my insurance company calls and says this person is trying to get some money,” the Model 3 owner said.

Fortunately for Nagra, his Tesla Model 3 recorded the entire incident using its built-in dashcam feature. Thanks to an update that allowed the vehicle’s side cameras to record footage while the car is in motion, the Model 3 was able to clearly capture footage of the cyclist crashing into the electric car, getting up, and fleeing the scene of the accident. With the footage of the incident, Nagra’s insurance provider promptly dealt with the matter.

The incident has the trademark signs of an auto insurance scam. Among the most prominent forms of auto insurance fraud involves scammers pretending to get hit by vehicles and filing for alleged damages. The emergence of dashcams have helped curb some of these scams, but the fraudulent practice has not entirely disappeared. The only surefire way for car owners to evade insurance scams similar to the one Nagra and his Model 3 experience is to fight against these false claims with camera footage.

“You know you don’t have to believe the bicyclist, you don’t have to believe me or the witness, the cameras are what the best non-biased information is this collision, believe the cameras,” Nagra said. 

Tesla dashcam saves Model 3 owner from potential insurance scam

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