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by spiderxxxx 2449 days ago
It's amazing how many times I walk across a crosswalk and look behind me to see a Tesla going by. I don't hear them at all at low speeds, I can't imagine what would happen if I have a kid and a bag of groceries making noises if one of these cars comes creeping up behind me and kills (or cripples) my kid, by slowly driving over them.
3 comments
toomuchtodo 2449 days ago
“Starting September 1, 2019, all Model 3 cars built for the US market now come with a Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) to meet US requirements.”

“The Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) is an audible tone played when the vehicle is moving slowly (up to 19 mph) in either Drive or Reverse. The sound is played via a speaker mounted in the front fascia and alerts nearby pedestrians of the car’s presence in low-speed situations.”

Easy to unplug, but I don't recommend doing so depending on your state's liability laws. The pedestrian takes on a percentage of liability when they're in the roadway in several states.

https://electrek.co/2019/09/10/tesla-pedestrian-warning-syst...

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notJim 2449 days ago
All the comments on that post are from people talking about how they unplugged the speaker. Given that Tesla fans can't be trusted to account for others' safety, IMO the regulation should mandate that the car should not operate without it, with steep fines for those who mod their cars anyway.

I am a cyclist and a pedestrian, and I hate this entitled attitude that a minor unpleasantness is worth more than my safety. Even with the noise, the cars are much much quieter than an ICE car.

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blub 2449 days ago
I think (hope) that the sensors would prevent it from doing that.

It always used to be the case that OTA-updateable cars are one security incident away from becoming a car botnet, but now that "summon" exists, it's theoretically possible to hack a Tesla to hunt humans by camera and other sensors.

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vo2maxer 2449 days ago
I have a child, and I don’t understand how I would feel any differently if done by an alcohol impaired driver, someone using their phone, or the many other reasons capable of causing distraction.
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