A paradox is when something is said that has proof of being correct yet in appearance it isn’t. My Tesla X is a paradox to me because it should be relaxing to drive. The automated features have me crossing the state of Florida on a 2 lane 65 MPH road on a clear evening with my window rolled down, 2 fingers on the steering wheel, feet tucked up underneath me and my right hand pecking at the keyboard writing this.
Relax. I’ve been typing and driving like this since 2007.
The X stays in my lane as speeding semi trucks blast past me 3 feet from my left shoulder. The mini-X on my dash sets evenly between the blue lines. I’m learning to let go and allow this machine to do its job.
The X keeps its distance regulated by the traffic aware cruise control.
Earlier this week I had some glitches. 3 times on the Long Island Expressway and on the New Jersey Turnpike at 60 + MPH the X went into emergency braking mode. Deceleration was rapid and shocking. Immediate flooring of the accelerator brought me back into control. In all 3 cases there was no vehicle around me nor was there any road debris. My best guess was that the bright sun reflected off of tar sealant lines in the roads. No other explanation.
Earlier today auto lane change stopped working and in auto steer, the car would bounce between the lanes as if half blind. The windshield washer squirters stopped working too. I performed a computer reboot by pressing both scroll wheels down. This did not resolve the issue. What did work was a 5 minute rest stop because when I returned to the X and started driving, all the issues resolved.
Tonight as I drive, everything is perfect. The X is a joy to drive. The more I let go of my millions of miles that I have driven cars, trucks and semi trucks, the less arguments I have with the X. But after 12,500 miles in 8 weeks, I don’t fully relax. It still sometimes has a mind of its own and is no match for my brain with decades of accident free driving. With my skills I have avoided several accidents but a younger driver in this automated car may not be as lucky. And herein lies the paradox. If the Tesla is the safest vehicle on the planet, then why don’t I feel safe 100% of the time?
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