Tesla's redesigned Model S will automatically shift by 'guessing'

Electric car maker Tesla's redesigned Model S and Model X will have automatic shifting between the park, reverse, neutral and drive (or PRND) by "guessing".

There will be an option to change drive modes on the touchscreen, but CEO Elon Musk made the case for automatic shifting on Twitter late Wednesday night.

"No more stalks. Car guesses drive direction based on what obstacles it sees, context & nav map. You can override on touchscreen," Musk tweeted.

"After you drive without using a PRND stalk/stick for a few days, it gets very annoying to go back & use a shifter!" he added.An internal Tesla document obtained by Electrek expands, slightly, on what Musk means by "guesses" -- the vehicle uses its Autopilot sensors to intelligently and automatically determine intended drive modes and select them, according to a report in The Verge.

The general idea behind the decision fits into the larger Silicon Valley ethos that Tesla subscribes to, though, of "eliminating friction." The consequences of trying to automate PRND won't be clear until people start taking deliveries of these new cars, which is supposed to happen in a matter of weeks, the report added.

The Tesla Model S was updated with a totally new interior on Wednesday, and the most radical change is the new yoke-style steering "wheel".

The removal of the PRND stalk that the Model S and Model X previously featured is part of a wider overhaul of the interior design of those vehicles, the report said.Tesla has ditched its circular steering wheel in favour of one that's U-shaped -- a decision that Roadshow reports have already drawn the interest of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal safety regulator for motor vehicles, it added.

The electric car maker is set to begin its India journey with its highest-selling Model 3, before the premium Model S and Model X, which would be available later in the year and in early 2022.

Arriving in India via Tesla Motors Amsterdam that will give the electric car-maker tax benefits related to dividend payments and capital gains, the Model 3 may start from around Rs 60 lakh.

The base Standard Range Plus model now claims a driving range of 423 km per charge, while the Long-Range Model 3 can give you 568 km range on one single charge.

--IANS

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