# Learning to Drive in a Tesla?



## JoeP

So a friend of mine is actually teaching her daughter (who is 16 i think) to drive in her Tesla Model S P100.
Its the main car she has. She sent me a picture (but i'm not going to post it because its her child not mine).
This is kind of like learning to fly in an F-22 instead of a Cessna...

Do any of you have suggestions i could give her on settings that can be set in the P100 to make it a little less dangerous for a new driver?

(I drive a Model 3 and i definately wouldn't let a kid learn to drive in one, the go-fast pedal works WAY too well for an inexperienced driver).
Have any of you had this experience or thought about it?

Thanks
-jcp-


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## garsh

Create a driver profile for the kid, and set it to "chill mode" within that profile.


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## BluestarE3

Maybe set Speed Limit Mode as well. Also, enable Creep Mode and set Regen to Low to more closely mimic the behavior of an automatic transmission car.


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## JasonF

After some thinking about it? I think a Tesla is a pretty good learning car. Too many teenagers crash cars because they _overestimate _its capabilities, and try and beat traffic or beat a light, and the car just can't do it. If they learn in a Tesla, and then drive something less powerful afterward, they'll feel the lack of capability right away and be afraid to take any risks.


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## MelindaV

JasonF said:


> After some thinking about it? I think a Tesla is a pretty good learning car. Too many teenagers crash cars because they _overestimate _its capabilities, and try and beat traffic or beat a light, and the car just can't do it. If they learn in a Tesla, and then drive something less powerful afterward, they'll feel the lack of capability right away and be afraid to take any risks.


or the opposite, and take their parents Tesla out for a joy ride, after learning in a civic, and crash head on into the side of a building because they don't properly realize the power.


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## Dogwhistle

My daughter will probably learn on my Model 3 next year. Chill mode will be a must!


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## android04

MelindaV said:


> or the opposite, and take their parents Tesla out for a joy ride, after learning in a civic, and crash head on into the side of a building because they don't properly realize the power.


I agree. It's easy to feel unstoppable in the Tesla if you are not used to it and lead to taking greater risks. I know because I've done it and I'm twice the age of student driver (and was also in the same position of never having driven a fast car in my life). Combine that with low or no experience driving and it can be deadly. Best she can do is set Chill Mode and set a speed limit on the car.


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## JasonF

MelindaV said:


> or the opposite, and take their parents Tesla out for a joy ride, after learning in a civic, and crash head on into the side of a building because they don't properly realize the power.


That's true as well, if you didn't _learn_ with it, you don't have the experience. There are videos all over youtube of _adults _driving a supercar for the first time, and crashing it in minutes.


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## MelindaV

JasonF said:


> That's true as well, if you didn't _learn_ with it, you don't have the experience. There are videos all over youtube of _adults _driving a supercar for the first time, and crashing it in minutes.


you have heard of Elon's McLaren F1, right?


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## Edward Reading

I taught my son to drive in my Model 3 last year. It worked out great. I setup a profile for him with chill mode, comfort mode steering, low regen and creep mode. There is something to be said for having them learn in the safest car on the road.


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## MelindaV

Edward Reading said:


> I taught my son to drive in my Model 3 last year. It worked out great. I setup a profile for him with chill mode, comfort mode steering, low regen and creep mode. There is something to be said for having them learn in the safest car on the road.


why creep?


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## BluestarE3

MelindaV said:


> why creep?


Mimics behavior of ICE cars with automatic transmission and allows driver to nudge into a parking space by modulating pressure on the brake pedal rather than with the accelerator. Stepping down too hard on the accelerator to scoot forward may result in the car going through a wall (so-called SUA events); whereas taking the foot off the brake pedal too quickly to perform the same movement may only result in the front tires hitting and stopping on the concrete parking block. Probably more important for newbie drivers who may overcompensate or panic in various driving or parking situations.


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## MelindaV

but if its someone who hasn't already been driving an automatic car, why 'teach' with the artificial roll forward?


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## gary in NY

Driving without creep mimics a manual transmission ICE car. I learned on a 1971 Toyota Corolla with a manual trans. Piece of cake. (I've never used creep in the Model 3, and I know I'll never go back to a manual trans either. I don't know what that makes me. I also brake with my left foot  - and Nikki is always telling me I am pressing both pedals at the same time-she doesn't like that one bit)


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## BluestarE3

MelindaV said:


> but if its someone who hasn't already been driving an automatic car, why 'teach' with the artificial roll forward?


It's a matter of correctly judging how much to modulate the pedal. Overreacting with the brake pedal isn't as dangerous as with the accelerator, especially on a Tesla.

Also, if the teen driver may be in a situation where she may have drive a different family vehicle or that of a friend's, it may be helpful to have the driving experience be similar.


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## MelindaV

coming from 5-speed cars, I don't see the advantage of the artificial rolling. the Model 3 is not difficult to control at low speeds, and the obstacle aware makes the likelihood of driving thru a storefront someone is parking up against much lower.

my point is, just teach new drivers from the beginning what the car can/can't do without the extra crutch.


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## Klaus-rf

"Learning to Drive" is just learning to drive. The kind of vehicle is not relevant - although adding complexities such as a gear shift, stiff clutch pedal, un-synchronized gears, Lincoln Continental - where one can't see the corners of the car, etc. make the process take longer.


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## Edward Reading

The other car that he was learning on was a 2002 Honda CRV manual transmission. Creep was more similar. Over time we added regen and turned off creep.


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## Frully

I'd say for the most part the other suggestions here are on point: 

Chill mode to start for sure. It's plenty peppy fun and much easier to keep comfortable while not performing like a sports car *all* the time.
Max speed limit is a double edged sword. They shouldn't be speeding gratuitously over the limit, but they may run into problems if they suddenly need that locked-off-oomph (mid-overtake need to abort for example). It's a weak argument but I just wouldn't want to have supercar performance 'only up to not quite fast enough'.
Creep on/off argument: You live in 'murrica. Statistically any other car they drive is going to be automatic. Those other cars are going to have ice-creep. I'd start with it on. It's more likely intuitive that way.
I would discourage AP/EAP use until they truly understand the dynamics of driving - knowing what the car is doing and why it is doing it is the reason that human drivers know when to take over in abnormal situations. Getting used to trusting a black-box system could lead to over-trusting it.


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## GDN

It's a mind set, but think down the road in 20 years. If we all had our wish, won't every one be driving and EV, and maybe all Tesla's? What are kids going to learn to drive on? I get it, when I was a kid everything thought you should learn to drive the stick, I'm glad I did, but lets be real, there are fewer and fewer manual transmissions even available these days. 

This isn't about the car, it's about teaching the kid how to respect what they are driving. If you can't trust the kid with what you've allowed them to drive or teach them what it can do and to respect it, then there are other issues.


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## deadlion

I'm teaching my 15 yo son in our Model 3

Chill - controlled ICE-like acceleration
Creep - ICE like off-brake movement
AP - will use in time; will be helpful in meantime for tutorials on viewing traffic and the reactionary horizon at speed
Radio/Slacker - off

My training gripe is the height of the rear deck when attempting to teach reversing with head turned.


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## Mr. Spacely

Why turn your head? We have a very nice rear view camera...


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## deadlion

Mr. Spacely said:


> Why turn your head? We have a very nice rear view camera...


Good question. Students (and experienced drivers for that matter) cannot rely solely on the camera. They need to learn and show they can reverse while looking back with one hand on the steering wheel to pass the driving test.

Camera's can also fail or be damaged. Also, there is no guarantee that test cars or his future car will have this feature.


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## garsh

GDN said:


> Camera's can also fail or be damaged.


And we've had plenty of cases lately of the rear view staying black while in reverse on a Model 3.


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## Spiffywerks

My daughter is learning to drive and I let her drive my M3 sometimes. I think it’s a very practical car to learn in. It has great visibility due to the big windows and fast sloping hood.

She has a profile with Chill mode, creep, low regen, and speed warnings on. Dings when she goes over the speed limit so a nice little reminder to keep things under speed.

She started in a 2004 Sienna, so driving the M3 she always says how’s it so fast. (Yet she doesn’t realize it’s still in Chill mode)


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## garsh

Spiffywerks said:


> She started in a 2004 Sienna, so driving the M3 she always says how's it so fast. (Yet she doesn't realize it's still in Chill mode)


My Model 3 in chill mode is still quicker than every other car I've owned.


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## FRC

My model 3 has never known the HORROR of chill mode.


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## MelindaV

garsh said:


> My Model 3 in chill mode is still quicker than every other car I've owned.


I think that speaks more to your prior cars than chill mode 


FRC said:


> My model 3 has never known the HORROR of chill mode.


I only did once while on AP - when I got to the offramp and switched AP off, I seriously thought something had broke because it felt like instead of very light pressure on the accelerator to get up the steep offramp, I had to actually press significantly on it. turned it back off and haven't tried it again!


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## Gabzqc

Here in Finland, teaching someone to drive in your own car, you must fit a second brake pedal for the "instructor" in the passenger footwell. Usually they are a brake wire that physically pulls on the back of the brake pedal and therefore applies the brake.
The only way to transfer this force on the driver side, is to attach something to the floor and pull from that point, to the brake pedal.
In an old ICE car, it MAY be acceptable to drill a hole in the floor and attach a hook or bracket... but no way am I doing that in my new Model 3!

Considering a different approach, sheet metal, cut to a similar size as the floor mat, and mounting the "instructor" brake pedal to that.
However the drivers side, I am a bit stuck how to make it happen.... any ideas here ?

The future of cars will be hybrid (temporarily) or electric, and the manual gearbox with clutch, will disappear. So teaching in a Tesla, is a great idea!

I hope to complete my wifes driving training in the Model 3, and in the future teach my son in that car.

Any ideas, welcome!


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## msjulie

I originally thought to lament the loss of skills in driving a manual transmission car as nearly 100% of all cars I've ever had have been 4/5 or 6 on the floor - but then I realized I've mostly kicked the ICE habit and there goes the manual transmission (probably)

I think the Tesla is a great car, but something like an old VW hatchback - square with excellent visibility and small to avoid too much bonking up when learning - seems a good option. Since we had a Fiat 500e lease as first EV at home, and it was super easy to drive - it comes to mind...

Musings..


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