Model S & Electric Cars

We spoke briefly about the Tesla Model S in class and the future of electric cars, and with further research, it's become even more apparent that the Model S is incredibly important to the future of the electric car and cars in general.

The Tesla Model S has been getting plenty of media attention recently because of the rash of several fires that have occurred in the particular vehicle. This has mostly been bad press, and Tesla's stock price has dipped as a result of that, among other things. However not only is the Model S one of the safest cars ever made, but it's fires have all been isolated incidents in which any other car would've sustained much grater damage and potentially injured the driver. Tesla's Elon Musk makes sure to point out that there have never been any deaths or significant injuries to any Tesla Model S drivers, and that it has an impeccable safety record.

The media, however, ignores most of these facts and shines a negative spotlight on one of the most advanced cars ever created. The problem with this is that the Model S really represents the future of the automobile, and could actually be the most important 4-wheeled contraption since Ford's Model T. In making the move towards a greener earth and a more sustainable environment, automobiles will inevitably need to switch to an alternative energy source, and electricity represents the most viable option right now. Up until now, electric cars have had a reputation as weak, boring, ugly, inefficient cars thanks to efforts like the Toyota Prius and Nissan Leaf. Tesla's Model S is the first to defy all of these stereotypes and show the world that an electric car make perfect sense to own and drive, have a huge, convenient range and look good at the same time.

The Model S is also one of the most advanced "smart" cars in recent times, which is why I decided to write about it. Having ridden in one, the 17" touchscreen center console at first seems like a massive distraction for the driver. Eventually, though, all of its controls can be memorized and operated with muscle memory. Most of the typical knobs in a car, like temperature, radio, media volume, etc are replaced by buttons on a touchscreen whose position never changes. Smart advancements like this, plus the fact that many of the most innovative features of the car are automatically adjusted by the computer, make the Model S the easy choice for best electric car.

So for computers & society, the Model S is quite important. All the bad press it's been getting recently appears to be a large hurdle on the road towards revolution, and I'm glad I got to be a part of it.