Model S Mirrors

Unlikely to have cameras only because of worldwide regulations needing change.

"regarding the non folding mirrors ." ... non-powered folding mirrors would be more accurate.

Would be cool if the tech was adopted though.

Majerus said:

With the Model S it seems as if everyone is up in arms regarding the non folding mirrors . What is the likely hood that the next year model of the Model S will have mirrors similar to the X ? This would make sense from a drag perspective and eliminate problems for the individuals that need to have folding mirrors. I noticed that GM looks to be trying to eliminate side mirrors as well on the Cadillac ELR. If GM is wanting to use camera's as mirrors will there political influence help speed up the process? Below is a link to the autoblog article I saw with the picture of the ELR and the mirrors.

Cadillac will debut production ELR at next years Pebble Beach Concours

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Tesla has had to back away from using side-view cameras, which we first saw on the preview of the Model X. US car regulations will need to be changed before they could be deployed. I doubt that GM will deliver the ELR with side-view cameras for this reason -- although it's good news that an auto major wants to move this forward: GM is far more likely to effect regulatory change than Tesla.

Majerus said:

However were did Tesla start backing off the side mirrors as camera?

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This seems to be on-again, off-again. THIS THREAD shows Model X betas with standard mirrors. The website currently shows side-view cams. So, in short, I don't know which is going to be built.

Good for GM. Nice design for the Caddy BTW

It's inevitable that side cameras will be allowed by regulators. Once they are allowed in the US or EU I can imagine them being adopted world-wide. Hopefully by 2014 or 2015?

I don't know if this is still the case, but it used to be that the passenger side view mirror was not required by law. It would be cool if Tesla allowed you to keep that mirror folded in while driving to further reduce drag.

Majerus said:

With the Model S it seems as if everyone is up in arms regarding the non power folding mirrors . What is the likely hood that the next year model of the Model S will have mirrors similar to the X ? This would make sense from a drag perspective and eliminate problems for the individuals that need to have folding mirrors. I noticed that GM looks to be trying to eliminate side mirrors as well on the Cadillac ELR. If GM is wanting to use camera's as mirrors will there political influence help speed up the process? Below is a link to the autoblog article I saw with the picture of the ELR and the mirrors.

Cadillac will debut production ELR at next years Pebble Beach Concours

Click to expand...

I think the better question is can powered folding mirrors be retrofitted to the model s 1.0???

I recall the mirror control system having ability to work as powered folding (there is at least one null operation for now). So power folding mirrors could be a retrofit IF they become available.

Maybe.

They would need to add motors and hook them up so doubt it's easy or cheap. Not sure we'd pay what they want for this.

The ELR is stunning. I have a 2010 Hybrid Escalade and it is one high-quality vehicle. If I back out of the Model S, for whatever reason, I would look hard at the ELR in a few years. I think I'll stick with the Model S, but the more alternative cars I see, the more I am starting to want more luxury amenities like those of a Cadallic. Lack of folding mirrors is a huge oversight or mistake by Tesla, IMO.

Velo1 said:

Lack of folding mirrors is a huge oversight or mistake by Tesla, IMO.

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not to get people all riled up or anything.......but, what's the big deal with electrically folding mirrors?????? why is this such a "huge" oversight????? They manually fold....my car's mirrors manually fold....

....get off your A and fold them when you park!!!!!!

chmod a+wrx said:

not to get people all riled up or anything.......but, what's the big deal with electrically folding mirrors??????

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The Model S is quite a wide car. In some places, particularly Europe, it just won't fit with the mirrors not folded. For those situations you'd have to get out of the car fold the mirrors, then continue.

chmod a+wrx said:

not to get people all riled up or anything.......but, what's the big deal with electrically folding mirrors?????? why is this such a "huge" oversight????? They manually fold....my car's mirrors manually fold....

....get off your A and fold them when you park!!!!!!

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I have never had them, but my wife got them in her new car (Lexus GX 460) - got to say that it definitely helps when getting into narrow garages. It isn't very feasible to get reach out and close the mirror thru the passenger side window.

jerry33 said:

The Model S is quite a wide car. In some places, particularly Europe, it just won't fit with the mirrors not folded. For those situations you'd have to get out of the car fold the mirrors, then continue.

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Not only is it a wide car, but because it needs to be charged, it needs to go into garages and other places it normally doesnt to get charged. Seems like this would have been a good option to offer, at the least.

More like the 4th WIDEST car out there.

1) Jaguar XJ220 - 87.4 inches
2) Koenig Competition Evolution - 87 inches
3) Lamborghini Diablo GT - 86.6 inches
4) Tesla Model S - 86.2

The sad part is I spent 30k remodeling my garage so I could fit my SUV without any problems through the door, but I can't even fit the TMS without folding the mirror

I guess I should just work on becoming utterly oblivious to door dings now. I've definitely been spoiled with how compact my little RAV4-EV is and how easy it is to find parking.

I am selling both of my cars when the Model S arrives, so my 2-car garage will be exclusively occupied by the Model S. Good thing, too, because my garage is somewhat narrow and it was already a bit tight with the RAV and the Prius in it. I doubt that I could comfortably park the Model S in there with a second car.

chmod a+wrx said:

not to get people all riled up or anything.......but, what's the big deal with electrically folding mirrors?????? why is this such a "huge" oversight????? They manually fold....my car's mirrors manually fold....

....get off your A and fold them when you park!!!!!!

Click to expand...

Power-folding mirrors are very helpful when parking in any public parking lot, not to mention home garages. Yes, it is a convenience feature, but not a deal breaker. I always fold in my mirrors after parking to prevent accidental damage by people walking between my car and the adjacent car. Plus, this is a fairly expensive luxury car, this feature should be standard, IMO. Seems odd to me that a ground-breaking car uses old techonolgy (manual methods) for folding mirrors.

It's probably one of those nice features that didn't make the initial cut in order to get the car to market but from what people are saying, it might be able to be added later for a cost I'd assume.

chmod a+wrx said:

not to get people all riled up or anything.......but, what's the big deal with electrically folding mirrors?????? why is this such a "huge" oversight????? They manually fold....my car's mirrors manually fold....

....get off your A and fold them when you park!!!!!!

Click to expand...

I'm guessing that you've never driven a car this large. When I had the Escalade, it was a tight fit into a standard single-car garage door opening at 79" with the mirrors folded. Driving down a narrow two-lane street with cars parked on one side was always nerve-wracking. The power folding mirrors were life savers, or at least mirror savers, on many occasions.

The idea that I should have to reach out into the rain, cold, snow, or heat (or instruct my passenger to do so, provided there is one) each time I want to pull into my garage or drive on a crowded street in an 86"-wide car is silly. In an $85K+ car that purports to be the best car in the world, it's pathetic. My Phaeton had power folding mirrors 8 years ago.

If you're married, you'll find out soon enough.