https://insideevs.com/news/460707/testing-tesla-laminated-glass-vs-regular-glass/
They have laminated glass on the doors. Yes, it can break, but it takes saws to actually open. Having to get through a window to open a door because a battery died is very much a safety issue. Especially with how prone they are to having their batteries catch on fire. Relying in the electrical system or a super secret back up plan on the interior of the car in an emergency is stupid.
I can understand why. I'm guessing it's for a couple reasons, maybe fluctuations in the voltage depending on driving conditions ( if you're stomping on the throttle allowing everything to flow through the motors it may provide inconsistent voltage to the sensitive computers and electronics, I would imagine there is a step-down converter somewhere that charges that 12v battery, essentially that battery is used as a buffer. But the link between the big batt. and little batt. isn't active unless the vehicle is on. And "On" requires the 12v system to turn on computers and close a relay.
Doors relying on ANY electronics is a bad idea. Even most cars with keyless entry have a hidden key somewhere to physically get in the vehicle if the battery dies. If the main battery in a tesla is toast you have bigger problems than a locked door. But anyone who has been driving for more than a few years has likely dealt with an OG battery decides to stop taking a charge. And you probably won't get much of a warning in an EV that doesn't have an engine that starts turning over slower and slower.
The fucking DOORS require a charged battery? Fuck that. That decision will age great in the next ten years. Not to mention emergency situations where the electrical system is compromised.
"Or dirtbike parts" .... been there my dude.
Fine when the government steps in to bail them out.
I'm pretty sure that picture was taken from the only access road to Grand Canyon West, so it's not even a detour. You literally can't miss it.
It's on the drive to Grand Canyon West, if you ever plan on seeing that.
Eh. There are legit forests as alien as it may seem. This is on my drive to work: https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/10/ae/a1/0e/the-joshua-tree-forest.jpg
This is a random picture off Google, there are denser areas too. But, if you go a mile or two in any direction it is pretty desolate for another 50 miles. Just go anywhere other than the splotch of forest. Pretty simple.
These people apparently found the only ones and decided to build a solar farm there.
Chopping down Joshua trees is a bit absurd. I live in the mohave desert, there are PLENTY of barren areas to do it, you almost have to be looking for the ancient Joshua trees to decide to do that. And as far as I know they are protected in most places, especially the California side.
But I will say the article seems a bit ragebaity. "To power wealthy people's homes". Unless they are super isolated somehow, that power is going into the grid, just like every other means of electricity production. The dude that wrote the article will be using it to charge his laptop when it's done, just like the rest of us.
They are shoveling it down our throats because the corporations want it. The more they can get it to do without having to pay us poors, the more money they can keep in their pockets. AI has to mine data to learn, so they are trying to put it everywhere to learn. On your OS like copilot doesn't just learn what you type in on a specific site, it learns EVERYTHING you type, everywhere. Then later, Microsoft doesn't need to pay people writing code for them, doesn't need to pay customer service reps. Then they can sell either copilot or its learned data to other companies. WE ARE NOT THE CUSTOMERS, WE ARE THE PRODUCT.
ANYHOOO, I have no idea how AI works, I am talking out my ass, but this is my tinfoil hat rant.
I agree, the main handle you use on the interior and exterior of the vehicle should be PHYSICALLY connected to the latch. Seems like a pretty simple rule to make and enforce and seems pretty common sense.
I have a 61 f100 with shaved doors that only opens electronically from the outside with a fob, but I didn't build it to be a grocery getter with my wife and kids in it. I know the risks. And the hood opens without having to get into the cab so I can easily access the battery if it's dead.