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I Created a Tesla Model S Chrome Extension and Need Your Help

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Tesla Motors has asked me to say that Tesla Model S vehicle owners should not use this software.

First, here is a link to the working extension in the chrome store
and the source is on github.


I spent the last few weeks working on this extension in my free time. I sometimes was at the computer and my phone was in a different room, and I wanted to start/stop charging my car, so I decided to go ahead and make an easy way to do that from any computer. I extracted images from Tesla's android application and got to work creating the application to be as friendly and easy to use as possible. When finished the application looked like this: Tesla Extension Old - Imgur


I, hoping to cover my bases, decided to email Tesla's marketing team asking for permission to use their images. I (stupidly) assumed that Tesla would be happy to see the community providing useful applications. Unfortunately I received a terse email forbidding me from using their images or logo. I wrote back asking if there was anyone else I could speak to about this, but still have not received a response. To be frank, I was and still am disappointed, but understand that a company needs to be careful with the use of their copyrighted materials.


I am a developer, not a graphics artist, so I wrote a program to generate placeholder images for any images that were taken from the app, and replaced a few things with css versions for usability. Now the application looks like this:
Tesla Extension New - Imgur


I hope Tesla changes their mind and decides to give permission to use their assets, but until then I am coming to the community for help.


TL;DR: If you or anyone that you know is a graphics artist and are up to helping me make this app beautiful again please contact me. I am hoping that the community will be able to replace all images and make this extension completely open sourced. If you are not a graphics artist, but want to show your support, please post. Maybe Tesla will see this and change their minds.


Until then enjoy the extension. Though ugly, it should work. The climate page is the worst, but above the current temperature there are up and down buttons, click those to change the temperature just like the phone app. If you have any questions or bugs please let me know and I will do my best to help.

I also have a Reddit Thread about it. I usually use Reddit so it might be easier to contact me there, but I will be checking this thread a lot as well. Thanks
 
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Welcome Trevor. Something like this is welcome, but has come at a bad time as it does seem Tesla has been coming down hard on trademark issues lately. I'm sure some folks here will chip in to help out, but even with placeholders, it should be useful for those who don't have their phone handy (or want to load the app)
 
I don't think Tesla would give permission simply because the API that is currently being used is not an official API. Once they publish the SDK that will probably change but at this time Tesla is probably weary of allowing any apps using unofficial APIs using their trademarks.
 
I think the problem is that so many different people/groups/companies are trying to leverage off the Tesla brand that, in order to protect their brand, they have to come down equally on everyone. They can't make exceptions if they want to protect it.

Unfortunate.
 
Hi Trevor,

Great job on the app! I can possibly help you, I own a tech firm and have access to many resources. I will send you a private message.

Thanks

First, here is a link to the working extension in the chrome store
and the source is on github.


I spent the last few weeks working on this extension in my free time. I sometimes was at the computer and my phone was in a different room, and I wanted to start/stop charging my car, so I decided to go ahead and make an easy way to do that from any computer. I extracted images from Tesla's android application and got to work creating the application to be as friendly and easy to use as possible. When finished the application looked like this: Tesla Extension Old - Imgur


I, hoping to cover my bases, decided to email Tesla's marketing team asking for permission to use their images. I (stupidly) assumed that Tesla would be happy to see the community providing useful applications. Unfortunately I received a terse email forbidding me from using their images or logo. I wrote back asking if there was anyone else I could speak to about this, but still have not received a response. To be frank, I was and still am disappointed, but understand that a company needs to be careful with the use of their copyrighted materials.


I am a developer, not a graphics artist, so I wrote a program to generate placeholder images for any images that were taken from the app, and replaced a few things with css versions for usability. Now the application looks like this:
Tesla Extension New - Imgur


I hope Tesla changes their mind and decides to give permission to use their assets, but until then I am coming to the community for help.


TL;DR: If you or anyone that you know is a graphics artist and are up to helping me make this app beautiful again please contact me. I am hoping that the community will be able to replace all images and make this extension completely open sourced. If you are not a graphics artist, but want to show your support, please post. Maybe Tesla will see this and change their minds.


Until then enjoy the extension. Though ugly, it should work. The climate page is the worst, but above the current temperature there are up and down buttons, click those to change the temperature just like the phone app. If you have any questions or bugs please let me know and I will do my best to help.

I also have a Reddit Thread about it. I usually use Reddit so it might be easier to contact me there, but I will be checking this thread a lot as well. Thanks
 
Nice work! I'm not a graphics artist, but I have access to various stock image sites, and work regularly with a (US-based) graphics guy on some of my projects who's very quick and very reasonably priced. It looks like Brad has you covered, but let me know if you need anything else. For example a quick search on shutterstock for a charging icon brings up these results this, so I think with some searching and minor tweaks it would be easy enough to find everything that's needed, aside from the side profile of the car, but that's not really the problem.
 
Thanks guys for the replies and support. I just messaged bradhs about his help, but if that falls through I will send pete8314 a message too. I would like to remind that the extension is in working (but ugly) condition right now. If anyone finds any bugs please let me know and I will do my best to fix them ASAP!
 
Tried it and all I get is "login failed"?

Thanks for downloading it. The login information should be the same that you use at Sign into My Tesla | Tesla Motors. Make sure you can log in there with the user name and password. If that works but the app still doesn't, the car might have mobile enabled turned off. To be honest I never tested it with my car set to mobile enabled off. It's one of the things I should account for.

I assume you already have your car. If you do not have your Model S then the extension won't do anything. I have thought about adding a demo mode but didn't think it was very important. If none of that works, but the phone app (android or iPhone) works, let me know because that would mean there is a bug in the code.
 
Still works for me. I agree with PhilBa as well, although it's probably easier to have it look like the app, we could certainly switch it up a little. The app is fine, but it's not exactly on the cutting edge of UX (not that I would really know, but it's certainly not as pretty as some of the more polished apps). It's cool having it in the browser though, great idea.
 
I can login on the mobile app as well as visibletesla. Don't know why the chrome app won't let me. Tried it on two different computers and got the same result.
This is strange. Do you have any unusual characters in your password? If you go to Portal does it say login or logout at the top. If it says logout, can you go to Portal and paste the results?

To verify, the error is on the login page saying login failed, or is it going to a different page briefly and then returning to the login page? Also is there more than one car tied to the account?