I am suprised armed robbery at Barstow didn't happen earlier, a Tesla owner that is either headed to or coming back from Vegas is a sitting duck late at night, unsuspecting victim without security cameras with high likelihood of cash & electronics to steel makes it a low risk crime.
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Owner robbed at gunpoint and Model S stolen while supercharging in Barstow...
- Thread starter AmpedRealtor
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I charged there Monday night on a trip from Northern California to Tempe, AZ with my daughter. It was earlier in the evening and we dined at Chili's so there were more people around, but I would definitely have felt less comfortable had the restaurant been closed. The chargers are tucked back where they're not visible from the road, iirc.
I've charged here a few times. A couple late at night. Never felt unsafe, but I guess it gets a little dark. This seems like a freak event. I doubt carjackers have the foresight to figure out that Tesla owners might be coming back from Vegas if they were charging here.
I would assume that the thieves demanded the owner give them "the keys" (and his cell phone) and of course he did, then they got in the car, pointed a gun at the owner and told him to unplug it from the charger, figured out how to put it in Drive and drove off. No mystery there.
The fact that they crashed the car at a gas station (according to the news article the OP liked to) tells me they are...idiots.
I do not understand how having valet mode would have helped prevent this car theft though it could be designed to limit the total distance traveled, but it would need to be activated remotely and I bet the thieves stole the owners cell phone as well.
The fact that they crashed the car at a gas station (according to the news article the OP liked to) tells me they are...idiots.
I do not understand how having valet mode would have helped prevent this car theft though it could be designed to limit the total distance traveled, but it would need to be activated remotely and I bet the thieves stole the owners cell phone as well.
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AMPd
Well-Known Member
Hopefully, because thugs are starting to figure out that a Supercharger is a great place to hang out and wait for people with expensive cars to come and sit for 30 minutes at a time.
I kind of wish there was an emergency charger disengage button inside the car, so that you could unplug and drive off without having to get out of your car to unplug first.
i have thought the same thing. Having only owned a Tesla for a month, I have already had this concern. Recently needed to charge at the Country club Hills, Illinois supercharger where there have been some stated concerns in the forum about potential safety issues. As I thought about that, I wish that there were an ability to automatically eject the supercharger plug to be able to drive off in a situation where you felt you were in immediate danger. Otherwise, you're kind of a sitting duck. On a side note, I wish there was an ability to be able to quickly lock the car from the front screen once you get in it versus having to navigate to the controls screen to be able to hit the lock button.
The best solution would be some sort of remote terminal or phone at the charging station that could be used to contact police & Tesla. The owner who's car was just stolen (along with his cell) can immediately call for help. Cameras at the charging stations would also be wonderful. You think that Tesla would already have that, just to prevent nonsense.
You wouldn't want the car to lock the occupants inside. As others have said, they would just trash it trying to get out. At best, you'd end up with a broken window. The ideal solution would be to let the car drive away at a reduced power level (you wouldn't want them in "insane" mode, but maybe limited to 30-45mph), just to get the bad guys a safe distance away (maybe 3-4 miles) before the car disables itself. And of course, take photos & video of the occupants. This sounds like a perfect setup for the valet mode.
How to activate this during a dynamic carjack is something I would have no idea... maybe a button that sends a signal from the charging station to the car that had just been charged. You would want an owner to be able to access it even if his phone had been stolen.
You wouldn't want the car to lock the occupants inside. As others have said, they would just trash it trying to get out. At best, you'd end up with a broken window. The ideal solution would be to let the car drive away at a reduced power level (you wouldn't want them in "insane" mode, but maybe limited to 30-45mph), just to get the bad guys a safe distance away (maybe 3-4 miles) before the car disables itself. And of course, take photos & video of the occupants. This sounds like a perfect setup for the valet mode.
How to activate this during a dynamic carjack is something I would have no idea... maybe a button that sends a signal from the charging station to the car that had just been charged. You would want an owner to be able to access it even if his phone had been stolen.
Jaff
Active Member
Like this idea!
Also, I think a "Panic button" should pop up on the main screen as soon as the Supercharge session starts...hitting the button would release the cable allowing you to drive off...
Also, I think a "Panic button" should pop up on the main screen as soon as the Supercharge session starts...hitting the button would release the cable allowing you to drive off...
Per my bolded comment above ... we've been told that's (PIN required to disable remote access) part of the "Valet" mode that's been promised for ever.
I am one who could care less about all the fancy auto-pilot* features ... and want that same code you want ...
islandbayy
Active Member
snellenr
Member
I've never tried moving the car while it was plugged in (at home or otherwise)... it's a pretty solid mechanical connection, so even if the lock pin is dis-engaged the plug would probably pull the socket from the car before it came loose. Which would be fine with me under these circumstances...
If anything (cable, pedestal, etc) is still attached by the time I got a mile down the road, I'd unhook it there and call SuperCharger support to complain about the missing pedestal.
In general, guns are better defending yourself in home invasions (when you have more time and cover), but not so good for armed carjackings.
There is a good change someone would be dead if you reached for a gun, quite possibly you.
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