Auto-park and auto-load

[Hoppi]

So I've been looking at other alternative activities to use my CT for. My neighbor has 2 boats in his front yard on trailers so of course one of the things that came to mind was boating. Now assuming that the CT itself is not intended to be a boat, though "it will even float for a while", I'm wondering about launching a boat from a trailer.

How do people normally launch boats and still get their truck and trailer parked? I'm guessing it is more than a 1 person job. But with FSD coming and auto-summon etc, it would be nice if I could launch the boat from the trailer myself and float away. Then tell the CT to go park yourself. CT will go find parking or get out of the way and wait for parking availability (possibly driving around a while till something opens up). Then when I'm done boating for the day, I can summon the CT to come get ready for loading. The CT waits for an opportunity to back the trailer down into the water and once it is there, I can load the boat onto the trailer. At which point the CT pulls us out of the water.

How feasible does that sound? I'm sure that is not a first iteration feature but it would be nice if it could be enabled in time.

But if that is not possible, how do people normally launch and load their boats? I'm very new to this but would like to avoid paying docking fees for a boat so the alternative would probably have to be either to rent a boat at times or to load/launch myself.

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[Luke42]

But if that is not possible, how do people normally launch and load their boats?

5 stages of launching a boat:

It's a pretty good follow up to the Midwest driving lesson:

 

[Crissa]

I've seen a single person do it before, but you gotta not jam up the queue.

It does sound like something that autopilot could help you with. There are some trailer backing tools out there for other car brands, too.

-Crissa

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

So I've been looking at other alternative activities to use my CT for. My neighbor has 2 boats in his front yard on trailers so of course one of the things that came to mind was boating. Now assuming that the CT itself is not intended to be a boat, though "it will even float for a while", I'm wondering about launching a boat from a trailer.

How do people normally launch boats and still get their truck and trailer parked? I'm guessing it is more than a 1 person job. But with FSD coming and auto-summon etc, it would be nice if I could launch the boat from the trailer myself and float away. Then tell the CT to go park yourself. CT will go find parking or get out of the way and wait for parking availability (possibly driving around a while till something opens up). Then when I'm done boating for the day, I can summon the CT to come get ready for loading. The CT waits for an opportunity to back the trailer down into the water and once it is there, I can load the boat onto the trailer. At which point the CT pulls us out of the water.

How feasible does that sound? I'm sure that is not a first iteration feature but it would be nice if it could be enabled in time.

But if that is not possible, how do people normally launch and load their boats? I'm very new to this but would like to avoid paying docking fees for a boat so the alternative would probably have to be either to rent a boat at times or to load/launch myself.

I only have an 18’ boat so I do it myself; it just takes more time, so I tie up the ramp and the dock longer.

 

[ajdelange]

I only have an 18’ boat so I do it myself; it just takes more time, so I tie up the ramp and the dock longer.

You would get the hairy eyeball around here for doing that. While I'm sure some people do it themselves they must choose their times such that it is very unlikely that anyone else will be queued for the ramp. Most have a trailer man and a boat man. Pull up to and align with the ramp, boatman jumps out, undoes the straps, throws them in the back of the truck, and gets into the boat. Driver backs into water, boat man unhooks chain and winch, backs away, driver pulls away. We use a pair of handi talkies to make all this easier.

What I find particularly intriguing here is the notion of a FSD capability that could find a place to park a trailer and maneuver the trailer into it. What I would really like to see is FSD that could pull the trailer to my house, turn around in my narrow street, back down my drive and into my boat shed. That's a real job. Obviously this will never happen as the FSD would have to know the dynamics of every trailer it was to do this with and every trailer would have to be instrumented with cameras, sonic sensors... as capable as those on the truck which sensors would have to be hardware and software compatible with the truck computer(s).

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

You would get the hairy eyeball around here for doing that. While I'm sure some people do it themselves they must choose their times such that it is very unlikely that anyone else will be queued for the ramp. Most have a trailer man and a boat man. Pull up to and align with the ramp, boatman jumps out, undoes the straps, throws them in the back of the truck, and gets into the boat. Driver backs into water, boat man unhooks chain and winch, backs away, driver pulls away. We use a pair of handi talkies to make all this easier.

What I find particularly intriguing here is the notion of a FSD capability that could find a place to park a trailer and maneuver the trailer into it. What I would really like to see is FSD that could pull the trailer to my house, turn around in my narrow street, back down my drive and into my boat shed. That's a real job. Obviously this will never happen as the FSD would have to know the dynamics of every trailer it was to do this with and every trailer would have to be instrumented with cameras, sonic sensors... as capable as those on the truck which sensors would have to be hardware and software compatible with the truck computer(s).

I have never dropped my boat in the water where there was a line, but I have only done that once or twice anyway. All the other times I had help. That said, are you missing out on an opportunity with the parking? Why not have the CT also hook up the trailer to begin with, and back it up to the ramp. If you can back down your driveway you could do that, right?

 

[ajdelange]

I'm not understanding. Given that it can't even park itself or come to me in a parking lot how is it going to connect itself to a trailer and how is it going to back it up to the ramp let alone down my driveway?

 

[Crissa]

I'm not understanding. Given that it can't even park itself or come to me in a parking lot how is it going to connect itself to a trailer and how is it going to back it up to the ramp let alone down my driveway?

Well, it can park or come down a driveway, and autopilot can tow now, so why are you asserting that an unreleased feature pack won't be able to do that in the future?

-Crissa

 

[ldjessee]

Well, it can park or come down a driveway, and autopilot can tow now, so why are you asserting that an unreleased feature pack won't be able to do that in the future?

-Crissa

And on a truck that has not even gone into production?

And from a manufacturer know for adding features to vehicles after they are sold?

Seems premature to say what it can and cannot do, at launch or later...

 

[ajdelange]

What I am saying is that Smart Summon doesn't work and Auto Park doesn't work in the current production. It is therefore a stretch to expect that they will be able to get much more difficult functionality working in the time frame of the CT. Not to mention the interfacing issues I mentioned.

 

[Crissa]

So you're saying that people using it today, aren't? And that it won't change in the next two years, when it has repeatedly changed in the last two? To the point of having towing support officially added this year with the launch of the Y?

-Crissa

 

[FutureBoy]

What I am saying is that Smart Summon doesn't work and Auto Park doesn't work in the current production. It is therefore a stretch to expect that they will be able to get much more difficult functionality working in the time frame of the CT. Not to mention the interfacing issues I mentioned.

My thought here is that your timeline is shorter than mine. I do believe there will be over-the-air improvements between now and when I get my CT. But non of that is applicable to me till I actually take possession.

After I get it though, I expect the CT to very possibly be the last vehicle I ever buy. Short of some catastrophic accident or the random chance lemon case, the CT looks to be able to be driven over 1 million miles if cared for. And during those miles, there will be multiple over-the-air updates.

So the current level of functionality is interesting but is no where near what I expect my CT to be able to do in time.

 

[ajdelange]

My thought here is that your timeline is shorter than mine.

No doubt. I am pretty long in the tooth.

I do believe there will be over-the-air improvements between now and when I get my CT.

Yes and they may even get Smart Summon working to the point that it is safe to use it in that time frame.

But non of that is applicable to me till I actually take possession.

Amen to that.

But with respect to backing a trailer: suppose the AI is there. How would it know where the back of the trailer is?

 

[Crissa]

But with respect to backing a trailer: suppose the AI is there. How would it know where the back of the trailer is?

It has cameras. It can see where it is.

Right now, you have to handle braking, but this isn't an unsolvable problem. If we can estimate from sight, we can eventually teach a computer to do it. Besides, there is already towing assistance software out there from other brands.

-Crissa

 

[FullyGrounded]

You would get the hairy eyeball around here for doing that. While I'm sure some people do it themselves they must choose their times such that it is very unlikely that anyone else will be queued for the ramp. Most have a trailer man and a boat man. Pull up to and align with the ramp, boatman jumps out, undoes the straps, throws them in the back of the truck, and gets into the boat. Driver backs into water, boat man unhooks chain and winch, backs away, driver pulls away. We use a pair of handi talkies to make all this easier.

What I find particularly intriguing here is the notion of a FSD capability that could find a place to park a trailer and maneuver the trailer into it. What I would really like to see is FSD that could pull the trailer to my house, turn around in my narrow street, back down my drive and into my boat shed. That's a real job. Obviously this will never happen as the FSD would have to know the dynamics of every trailer it was to do this with and every trailer would have to be instrumented with cameras, sonic sensors... as capable as those on the truck which sensors would have to be hardware and software compatible with the truck computer(s).

No, but Tesla could sell trailers mapped within the CT software. All dynamic information known and mapped. It would be added cost, but this isn't a short term investment. This is life from here on. peace