Navigating A Novelty

One of the coolest – and maybe a little nerve-wracking – features of the Tesla lineup is the Smart Summon. You know, that magical function where your car is supposed to navigate a parking lot all on its own to pick you up. Sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, right? But what happens when you put this futuristic tech to the test in a busy, real-world parking lot? That’s exactly what PogAuto set out to find. Spoiler alert: it’s a mix of impressive tech and some pretty awkward moments.

The Setup

Picture this: It’s raining, the parking lot is packed, and I’m standing outside of a Starbucks hoping to stay dry. Perfect time to see if my Tesla can save me from getting soaked, right? I pull out the smartphone app, select the Smart Summon feature, and take a deep breath. This is the moment of truth. Can my car navigate this chaos and come to me like a loyal robo-chauffeur?

The car lights flicker on, and I feel a little rush of excitement. It’s alive! It gracefully backs out of its spot like a pro. I’m already imagining all the jealous looks I’m going to get. It starts its journey towards me, weaving around parked cars like it’s been doing this for years. This is going great! Maybe too great…

Uh-oh, What Are You Doing, Car?

Just when I’m about to congratulate myself on having the smartest car in the lot, things start to go a little wonky. The car hesitates, then makes this awkward stop, kind of like it’s saying, “Wait, what am I doing again?” Traffic starts to build up behind it. A couple of drivers look confused, and honestly, I don’t blame them. I’m starting to feel like that person who’s blocking the checkout line while trying to use a self-checkout for the first time.

The car finally gathers its digital wits and continues. It’s avoiding shopping carts like a champ and making this wide, dramatic turn towards me. I’m half impressed and half cringing because, well, people are watching.

It almost veers into an oncoming lane, then stops abruptly. My heart skips a beat. Is it going to keep going or just give up?

After what feels like an eternity, it finally makes it to me. Victory? Sort of. I mean, it didn’t crash into anything, so that’s a win. But it also felt like watching a nervous teenager taking their driver’s test. There’s potential, but we’re not quite there yet.

Not Quite Ready for Prime Time

What did I learn from this little experiment? Well, Tesla’s Smart Summon is pretty darn impressive in theory. The idea of your car coming to get you while you sip your coffee is next-level cool. But in practice, especially in a busy parking lot with rain and curious onlookers, it’s got a few quirks to iron out. It’s like having a really smart dog that sometimes forgets what “fetch” means.

For now, Smart Summon is a fun party trick and a glimpse into the future, but it’s not quite ready to replace good old-fashioned walking to your car. I’m excited to see where this technology goes, though. One day, I’m hoping my car will pick me up smoothly every time, rain or shine, and I can leave the awkward moments behind.

Would I use Smart Summon again? Definitely! But maybe not in front of a crowded Starbucks next time.