Tesla has an Emergency Brake: Here's how to use it

Model S

Model 3

Model X

Model Y

Parking, Braking

March 30, 2021

By Nuno Cristovao

By Emergency Braking, I’m not talking about Tesla’s built in Collision Avoidance. This Emergency Brake can be used when parking on a hill or other steep incline - OR - if you are driving and your brake pedal is failing.

Parking on a Hill

Like all cars, when parking on a hill it is advised to turn your steering wheel so if your car was to accidentally roll, it would roll away from traffic and not into traffic. It is also advised to enable your Emergency Brake. When you put your car in Park, it stops the rear wheels from turning. That may not be good enough on snow and ice or an incline. When you push on the end of the PRND stock, you put your car in Park. If you push and hold, it will also engage the Emergency Brakes making it even harder for your car to roll. When the Emergency Brakes are applied the ((P)) icon will be displayed. When ready to drive, just do as normal and put car in “R” or “D”.

Driving and car not slowing or stopping

Push on the Park button while car is moving, and brakes will be applied. Like going down a hill too fast. An Emergency.

Hear are two YouTube videos that will help explain.

How to use the e-brake when parking:

How to use the e-brake while driving:

Tesla Confirms Hardware 3 is Robotaxi Ready

October 16, 2024

By Karan Singh

Image released by Tesla

Not a Tesla App

Tesla took to the Hollywood stage at ‘We, Robot’ last week, and lots of interesting new information has been revealed. One of the most interesting items that many people have been wondering about is Tesla’s plan with Hardware 3.

Tesla previously mentioned that there would be a divergence between AI4 and Hardware 3, but so far, Tesla has kept Hardware 3 going strong with code optimization and model improvements. However, it is pretty evident that Hardware 3 is hitting its limits, as Tesla sees that AI4 has much more capability to unlock.

However, they have said they’ll do their best to continue to support the millions of vehicles on the road today running Hardware 3. Tesla’s Cybercab, on the other hand, will be running on AI5, an as-yet-unreleased hardware stack that promises to greatly improve and expand the available compute performance.

Hardware 3 Robotaxi

Lars Moravy, the Vice President of Vehicle Engineering at Tesla, spoke to attendees at We, Robot, and mentioned that Hardware 3 will be Robotaxi capable (at the 7:25 mark). That means that it will be capable of Unsupervised FSD, according to Tesla. Kim Java, a YouTuber focused on Tesla and EVs in general, posted this video featuring her speaking with both Lars, as well as Franz Von Holzhausen, the Chief Designer at Tesla.

Given Lars and Franz both seem confident in the assertion that you can remove a HW3 vehicle’s steering wheel and get it Robotaxi capable, it definitely seems that Tesla intends to continue supporting HW3 well into the future.

So, while Hardware 3 might be reaching its limits, the company's not giving up on it yet. With this, they’ve essentially confirmed that the millions of vehicles with Hardware 3 won't be obsolete anytime soon when it comes to Robotaxi and Unsupervised FSD.

Tesla is continuing to demonstrate its commitment to its customers and its vision of the future, and we’re looking forward to seeing what’s next on the list.

Tesla Brings Back FSD Transfer; Offers 0% Financing With FSD Purchase

October 15, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

Tesla has brought back its FSD transfer offer once again after its We, Robot event. If you already own a Tesla and are planning to buy another one, this is a fantastic opportunity to transfer FSD to your new car.

In addition to that, Tesla has also turned on another interesting offer - 0% financing with FSD, as well as another $0 down option.

FSD Transfer

This time, the transfer period is available for any orders placed on or after October 10th and delivered before December 31st. This offer is currently valid for anyone taking delivery of a new Model S, Model 3, Model X, or Model Y.

While the Non-Foundation Series Cybertrucks are now being configured, this offer appears to exclude the vehicle at this time. If you’re purchasing a non-FS Cybertruck and want to transfer your FSD, we recommend reaching out to your Tesla delivery coordinator through the app to determine if this is possible.

For those receiving the Foundation Series, FSD is included, so the transfer offer is not available. This particular promotion is available in all markets, including North America, Europe, China, Australia, and other markets.

0% Financing

Tesla is now offering 0% financing if you purchase FSD with your vehicle and are approved for the purchase. The catch is that you’ll need to add FSD to your vehicle purchase instead of transferring it. With Tesla’s interest rates hovering around 5-6%, this is a great deal, as you can amortize both the cost of the vehicle and FSD out to 72 months. A loan for $46k at 5.29% over six years would result in almost $8,000 in interest, more than the cost of FSD.

There are a few fine lines though. This is only available in the United States, not anywhere else in the world. In addition, you need to come up with a 15% down payment (which includes the $7,500 USD Federal EV Tax Rebate). This offer is only available on the Model 3 and Model Y - The Model X, Model S, and Cybertruck are not eligible for this offer.

$0 Down

Tesla is also offering $0 down in the United States, for those who qualify for both financing (at 5.29% APR), and the Federal EV Rebate. Essentially, the $7,500 rebate covers your down payment. Once again, this option is only for the Model 3 and Model Y in the United States.

Tesla has been making a push to increase sales and FSD's take-rate. The 0% offer is a great way to increase FSD’s take-rate, as for anything other than the Model 3 RWD LR with short (36mo) financing plans, you’ll actually end up saving money overall due to the 0% financing.

If you’re interested in picking up a new Tesla, now appears to be a great time to do it.