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Tesla to Update Battery Software after Recent Car Fires

posted by martyb on Saturday May 18 2019, @12:23PM   
from the that's-what-you'd-call-a-hot-car dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

BBC:

Tesla has said it is updating the battery software in some of its models following two recent incidents where cars caught fire.
...
It follows reports that a parked car caught fire in Hong Kong, following a similar incident in Shanghai.
...
In a statement, the carmaker said: "As we continue our investigation of the root cause... we are revising charge and thermal management settings on Model S and Model X vehicles via an over-the-air software update that will begin rolling out today, to help further protect the battery and improve battery longevity."

Spontaneous combustion, not just for Spinal Tap anymore.

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Original Submission

• The Model T age of electric cars The Model T age of electric cars (Score: 5, Interesting) by bzipitidoo on Saturday May 18 2019, @01:40PM (1 child)

  by bzipitidoo (4388) on Saturday May 18 2019, @01:40PM (#845006) Journal

  The article didn't say if the parked cars were being recharged when they caught fire. I think it more likely they were being recharged. Not that that distinction is a great comfort. At least this seems to affect only the older model S and X, model 3 is not affected. We hope.

  With gasoline powered cars, we accept the dangers of moving around with a big tank of explosively flammable liquid. Manufacturers have learned what to do and not do to reduce the dangers. As in, don't put the gas tank at the very rear of the car, like it was in the Ford Pinto. Actually, they should have known better when the Pinto was designed. Mistakes with the Model T are more forgivable. The Model T's gas tank is in the engine bay, just below the windshield, which in hindsight is a terrible location. Want that gas tank far away from the engine, in case the engine catches on fire, which sometimes happens. One reason for that location is no fuel pump. The gas was gravity fed, so the gas tank must be higher than the engine. Being a little behind the engine, a steep enough hill could raise the engine and lower the gas tank enough to disrupt the gas flow. The workaround for that was to drive backwards up the hill.

  With all our advances in technology and engineering, seems potential problems of this sort could be spotted earlier. By today's standards, the Model T design is so naive and full of rookie mistakes. Computer simulations would quickly spot a bunch of design problems before they ever reached the assembly line. There have been enough battery fire problems to warn us of the need for great care and careful attention to the issue.

  Starting Score:	1		point
  Moderation		+3
  Interesting=2, Informative=1, Total=3
  Extra 'Interesting' Modifier		0
  Karma-Bonus Modifier		+1
  Total Score:		5

• Re:The Model T age of electric cars (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 18 2019, @05:25PM

  by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 18 2019, @05:25PM (#845070)

  Gasoline in the tank is not explosive. Remember what effort it takes to explode gasoline inside the cylinders - vaporization, precise mix with air, timely ignition... in a car fire if gasoline escapes the tank, it just burns on the ground. Lots of car fire videos on youtube, no explosions. Occupants have plenty of time to get out of the car.

  Gasoline has more stored energy than a battery of equal size, but burns less often because it is simpler. Pour it in a steel tank, and it won't self-ignite. Batteries are complex, and any internal defect will cause fire. More elements means higher probability of a fire. Remember early computers on vacuum tubes? ENIAC first failed many times per day; only years later, after major improvements, it was made to work 5 days straight. Battery assemblies have to become much more reliable to limit fires only to external causes or accidents. Gas cars are already there - their fires have causes outside of the gas tank.

  Parent