Tesla CTO Talks Model S, Batteries and In-car Linux

angry tapir writes "The IDG News Service recently had a chance to speak to JB Straubel, chief technology officer for Tesla, about the Model S all-electric car, its design and technology, and his outlook on electric vehicle technology. He also shed a little light on the car's Linux-based software system."

Re:range

[Woek]

I think you are overestimating the yield of PV cells...

So I read the article...

[Areyoukiddingme]

Are there any regular readers of IDG here? Are their articles normally such total fluff pieces? 'cause that was such a fluff piece I'm still trying to dig out from under all the marshmallows. Seriously, journalism about electric cars is still at the level of "the entertainment console computer is independent of the drive train computer"? Like, I dunno, every OTHER car on the road with a touchscreen in its console? "Ooo. Aaaaaa."

Yeesh.

Re:Never going to take off

[Lumpy]

You have never driven any real sports car have you. Lamborghini, Ferrari,etc. They are not SUV's they sit 2 inches from the ground. The Lamborghini countach could not be backed out of a parking spot without sticking your head out of the window and sitting backwards.

You dont buy a sports car for ease of visibility.

Re:range

[Lumpy]

you are grossly overestimating the output of PV cells. you would need to tow a 40 foot long trailer of the highest output PV cells to increase the range like that.

and gas prices have not even got off the ground yet. Wait for the $8.00 a gallon and $12.00 a gallon prices. $4.00 a gallon is dirt cheap compared to where it will go.

Eyes on the road

[DrXym]

I wonder what the safety implications are of packing a 17 inch tablet into a vehicle for people to play with when their eyes are supposed to be on the road. Even if Tesla were to disable stuff like the browser, twitter, facebook, videos etc while the car is in motion, what impact does it have on safety if the driver still has to screw around with a large flat glass screen to find the AC control, or to change radio stations, or look down for other reasons? In most vehicles they'd have a physical dial or switch in a fixed position which they could locate without taking their eyes off the road. Here there is no tactile feedback - just glass, no certainty of where buttons are since the screens change or move around. It sounds pretty dangerous really.

I don't want a linux based "software system"

[Viol8]

I don't want a Windows based one
I don't want an OS/X based one
I don't want a BSD based one

What I want is a system specifically designed to run a CAR. Not some desktop kernel thats been massaged and kicked into shape until it can do an ok job at it. I want a kernel thats been designed FROM THE GROUND UP to run a vehicle. Is that too much to ask these days?

C code

[spongman]

apparently the control and motor thingies are running C code which is lower-level than the Linux kernel.

not a computer guy, then.

My gawd

[ballpoint]

FTFA:
"something called Linux"
"if the Linux crashes"

Sigh. I really don't see why an article that clearly addresses a "different audience" is posted here.

Re:range

[MMC Monster]

Someone has to buy these first models, so that less expensive ones can be made in the future.

The Tesla models are for those people. And people with that sort of money tend to want the amenities seen in more expensive cars.

In a decade these things will trickle down in price and become more common.

Re:range

[Gadget_Guy]

So what? Because you don't want one you think the whole electric car industry should pack up and go home? Every time electric vehicles are discussed around here, somebody always pipes up with this sort of calculation, as if their personal needs should dictate the use of a technology. Yes, if you were not going to buy a new car, then one of these models is not for you. Yes, if you don't drive much then there won't be any fuel savings.

There are nearly 150,000 new cars sold in the UK every month. You might not want to buy a new car, but a lot of other people do. Those are the people who it is hoped will head down the alternate fuel route.