Idea: Automated Supercharging Queue

[Brisket5652]

Here is SoCal it is a common issue to have to wait in a queue for a stall. I live within 5 - 20 minutes of three SC (Santa Ana, Capistrano, Obispo) and all of them have queues much of the day, especially Santa Ana and Capistrano. I've seen as many as 10 Teslas waiting, and often people get impatient and leave.
In addition to the waiting, it can cause problems such as this one... jayden on Twitter
Here is a potential solution, or at least one that makes the process less stressful...

1. When you are parked within a certain distance of a SC (maybe 500 ft), an option pops-up on your screen "Do You Want to Enter the Queue?"
2. After selecting "Yes", a number is assigned to you (such as #5). Then, as cars exit and enter the stalls, your number counts down; possibly even providing an estimated wait time based upon the charging status of the cars ahead of you.
3. Finally, when it's your turn, a message pops-up, "It is your turn to enter the next open stall - you have 5 minutes to do so". If you don't plug in within 5 minutes, then you will be bypassed by the next waiting car (but not forced to the end-of-the-line).

 

[NeverFollow]

ChargePoint Waitlist​

 

[woodisgood]

So what happens when #4 decides to jump the line into the next open spot? I suppose a penalty could be billed? It could even be tiered based on how many people you cut in front of.

Interesting idea. I think Tesla’s solution is more of a brute force approach to just keep adding superchargers. But there’s certainly room to innovate and your idea doesn’t seem that difficult to implement.

 

[Ludalicious]

Interesting idea.

We don't have that problem too often here in Canada. I see most model 3's using the regular chargers at the local mall's because they are free of charge and not the Tesla superchargers as they get charged to use those. However it's only a matter of time before the regular chargers bill though.

 

[Gavyne]

ChargePoit Waitlist​

Imagine pulling up to a Supercharger with stalls open, but you can't use them because they're reserved for someone "on the way". ChargePoint lets you accept the queue and gives you 20 minutes to get there. In 20 minutes you could charge enough to get going with our current Supercharger setup.

So I'm for the queue system for Superchargers as long as you are there waiting for it. I'm not for ChargePoint system where you get to be somewhere else and take your frigging time to get to the charger when it's your turn.

 

[MXWing]

What if a spot is iced or a Tesla is there but not plugged in?

 

[sreams]

So what happens when #4 decides to jump the line into the next open spot?

Not a problem. The system is aware of which Tesla is attempting to charge. It simply wouldn't allow the charging session to begin for that particular car.

 

[Chuq]

It sounds like additional needless complexity which comes with its own set of different problems. Just spend the money on expanding the existing network.

 

[Vince3]

Assuming Superchargers cost more than lower kW Destination chargers:
1. Build more Superchargers - More expensive, higher idle fee and lower idle grace period.
2. Build more Destination chargers - Cheaper, lower idle fee and higher idle grace period.

We really need the auto-charge plug. Once we have that, superchargers should be rarely needed.

Tesla already knows whether their superchargers are too busy. They're just not that good at expanding capacity yet. The problem with Superchargers in metro areas is they charge too slow for a quick top-up.. but too fast for people to go into malls and spend money. Encouraging downtown areas to invest in destination chargers is a win-win-win.

 

[Saghost]

It's been suggested before by a few people, including me.

Along with that, I'd like to see the update include a best stall for you feature - since Tesla knows which may have degraded functionality and the state of charge of the other cars charging, they can easily figure out which open stall has the most available power. When the car approaches a supercharger, you could get a pop-up high resolution map of the charger area, with the one you should plug in to highlighted.

In addition to solving the lack of knowledge of pairing and damaged hardware, this gives Tesla a chance to choose how to deal with lightly loaded stations - put all the wear and tear on one or two cables and replace them regularly, or spread it out to maximize up time before maintenance.

 

[gambit48]

Not a problem. The system is aware of which Tesla is attempting to charge. It simply wouldn't allow the charging session to begin for that particular car.

Doesn't take care of the ICEd or a Tesla blocking but not charging problem. Your local service center often parks service cars in the Supercharger stalls without charging, although it's getting a bit better now that the quarter end push is done.

 

[Brisket5652]

So what happens when #4 decides to jump the line into the next open spot? I suppose a penalty could be billed? It could even be tiered based on how many people you cut in front of.
.

No system is going to completely eliminate the cheaters. But as the old saying goes in the security industry a lock just keeps an honest man honest.

 

[Saghost]

What if a spot is iced or a Tesla is there but not plugged in?

The car can give you a spot is blocked button, maybe. Depending on how fancy we want to get, use AP cameras to upload images of object/car/license plate to Tesla and automatically call towing service...

 

[Saghost]

So what happens when #4 decides to jump the line into the next open spot? I suppose a penalty could be billed? It could even be tiered based on how many people you cut in front of.

Interesting idea. I think Tesla’s solution is more of a brute force approach to just keep adding superchargers. But there’s certainly room to innovate and your idea doesn’t seem that difficult to implement.

If #4 jumps the line, Tesla will know as soon as the car handshakes with the Supercharger.

Lots of options for resolution at that point - fine in MyTesla as you suggested? Supercharger refuses to charge car? Loud noises from inside/outside car with notification on screen about jumping line? Car releases cord, and summons self out of space as soon as cord is removed?

 

[sreams]

Doesn't take care of the ICEd or a Tesla blocking but not charging problem. Your local service center often parks service cars in the Supercharger stalls without charging, although it's getting a bit better now that the quarter end push is done.

Sure. I was specifically answering the question about line-jumpers.

 

[sreams]

If #4 jumps the line, Tesla will know as soon as the car handshakes with the Supercharger.

Lots of options for resolution at that point - fine in MyTesla as you suggested? Supercharger refuses to charge car? Loud noises from inside/outside car with notification on screen about jumping line? Car releases cord, and summons self out of space as soon as cord is removed?

Car summons itself into a wall?

 

[Lloyd]

Here is SoCal it is a common issue to have to wait in a queue for a stall. I live within 5 - 20 minutes of three SC (Santa Ana, Capistrano, Obispo) and all of them have queues much of the day, especially Santa Ana and Capistrano. I've seen as many as 10 Teslas waiting, and often people get impatient and leave.
In addition to the waiting, it can cause problems such as this one... jayden on Twitter
Here is a potential solution, or at least one that makes the process less stressful...

1. When you are parked within a certain distance of a SC (maybe 500 ft), an option pops-up on your screen "Do You Want to Enter the Queue?"
2. After selecting "Yes", a number is assigned to you (such as #5). Then, as cars exit and enter the stalls, your number counts down; possibly even providing an estimated wait time based upon the charging status of the cars ahead of you.
3. Finally, when it's your turn, a message pops-up, "It is your turn to enter the next open stall - you have 5 minutes to do so". If you don't plug in within 5 minutes, then you will be bypassed by the next waiting car (but not forced to the end-of-the-line).

Works well until someone says no to the Queue and then jumps into the next open space.

 

[Brisket5652]

Of course there will always be cheaters no matter what system you use but there's a famous saying in the security industry which is that a lock keeps an honest man honest. That principle applies here

 

[Saghost]

Works well until someone says no to the Queue and then jumps into the next open space.

If Tesla chooses to, they can use the Supercharger handshake to enforce the queue, once they establish one in software as proposed here.

 

[Drax]

I can imagine a day in the relative near future where there will be staging areas and cars will pull in, out, and be plugged in automatically. I imagine wait times will be less of an issue once V3 Superchargers roll out though. If cars could be fully charged in 25 minutes and go from 20-80% in under 10 minutes, it’d dramatically reduce and potentially eliminate any wait times.