George
Member
Hello, I would like to share my experience
If someone spends a long time with a car, a list inevitably forms in their mind of things that are illogical, inconvenient, or simply don't work the way they would like.
After a year of use, I have compiled my own list.
1. Automatic Headlights
Tesla's automatic high beams, in their current form, are simply unusable. And that’s quite embarrassing.The issue, in short, is that the system often turns off the high beams too late. One common weakness of similar systems is that they don’t always respond well to trucks, but in Tesla’s case, it's not just that—the system detects passenger cars very late as well.
Tesla is equipped with matrix LED headlights, which should be able to turn off only the segments that would blind oncoming drivers while keeping the rest of the road illuminated—helping both the driver and Tesla Vision. But if the AI is slow and fails to detect cars in time, it won’t turn off those LEDs either. Additionally, Tesla has still not activated the matrix functionality.
2. Autopilot and Speed Limits
Many people have repeatedly complained that Tesla’s driver assistance system and cruise control do not properly handle speed limits. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not that the system doesn’t recognize speed limit signs. It does—it even displays them on the left side of the screen, and in my experience, it works even when the signs are temporary markings placed on the asphalt during road construction, or when the wind has slightly tilted them. In this regard, the system works impressively well.3. Blind Spot Monitoring
When the car was launched, it lacked a now-common feature: blind spot monitoring. The eight cameras were supposed to handle this task, and the collision avoidance system would likely sound an alarm in case of an inattentive lane change. However, for the driver, this serves more as a last-minute warning.A major update later introduced a new feature: when using the turn signal, the camera feed from the fender-mounted cameras is now displayed on the screen. This helps in seeing what’s right beside the car, even if the side mirrors don’t catch it. It's better than nothing.
4. Can’t Turn It Off?!
The Tesla Model 3’s air conditioning system—specifically, the airflow control—is vastly different from traditional cars. Instead of conventional air vents, everything is hidden, and adjustments are made via the touchscreen, which surprises many first-time Tesla users.The system is convenient—I can easily direct airflow to avoid sinus infections. The dual-zone climate control is also intelligent, as it’s linked to the passenger seat’s weight sensor, meaning that if no one is in the passenger seat, only the driver’s vents operate.
However, while you can set different temperatures for the two zones, if a passenger wants to turn off the climate control entirely, there’s no way to do that just for their side.
5. Aggressive Lane Keeping
In my one-year review, I already mentioned that it initially annoyed me how Autopilot, if not perfectly centered in the lane, would abruptly yank the car into position as if avoiding a sudden obstacle.This should definitely be refined—there’s no need for such an aggressive correction, especially since Autopilot otherwise steers smoothly, following curves and lane markings naturally.
6. Re-enabling Autopilot Again and Again
My car has the standard, free version of Autopilot, which disables itself when it detects a lane change. EU regulations are particularly strict in this regard, and even with the more advanced Enhanced Autopilot (EAP), you have to indicate a lane change twice—once with the turn signal and again with a slight steering input—before the car performs the maneuver.7. Darkness
The large rear trunk is illuminated by just two small, low-powered LED lights on the sides, which barely light up the black-carpeted space. Aftermarket solutions exist, including additional lights that can be installed in the center and wired into the existing circuit, but Tesla should have addressed this issue years ago.The same goes for the charging port lighting—or rather, the lack of it. On the original Model S and X in the U.S., the charging port had a surrounding LED ring that changed colors to indicate charging status and helped locate the port in the dark.
Additionally, the rearview camera quickly gets covered in dirt during rainy highway drives, and there’s no built-in cleaning mechanism. This means you have to manually wipe it clean before reversing into a parking spot at your destination.
#tesla #model3