Why do I / should I "want" the Slate Telematics Module

[Slatester89]

I've read the description on the website...doesn't tell me why I should want or need it. I asked a Slate Agent the "why should I want it" question and her answer was to read the website description back to me. I then did my best K-2SO imitation: "I find that answer vague and unconvincing.". She said with it, I could "pre-condition" in cold weather. I asked, "Do I need to per-condition to drive my Slate in the cold or will I have to wait until a Spring thaw?". She said, No, your Slate will start and run fine in the cold. Ok, so that's a capability I don't need...what else do I need the module for? Then I got the "we're still working on" other capabilities answer.

So tech gurus, what does or will it do to make me want it, and more importantly, want to pay some unknown subscription fee to keep it after year 1?

Apparently, other EVs have one as Standard. What are those people using it for?

Anyone?

b

 

[AZFox]

As an individual it would be so you can communicate with the vehicle over the cellular network using your smartphone or computer.

As a fleet operator you'd have other purposes.

 

[Moe]

Where I’m located, remote starting and warming up a vehicle in winter is a blessing. I can do that with a key fob from a living room window at home but when at work I needed the cellular network to do that from my office. Same with precooling in summer. That’s a capability the Slate Telematics module gives you with a cellular subscription.

 

[pauly]

As an individual it would be so you can communicate with the vehicle over the cellular network using your smartphone or computer.

As a fleet operator you'd have other purposes.

I read somewhere that once you plug your phone in to the car and you have the app, your phone communicates with the car without the module, so updates etc are done through the app and phone connection. I personally want less telemetry so I'm not getting the module. There were questions about manditory driver facing cameras that would detect drunk/impaired drivers but read if it was made before 2027 it wouldn't have it. That's a great reason to get in early if its true

 

[sodamo]

Ok, I’m confused. The Telematic vs my own internet connection? Does this mean certain Slate features will only be available via this subscription?

 

[pauly]

Ok, I’m confused. The Telematic vs my own internet connection? Does this mean certain Slate features will only be available via this subscription?

Above my pay grade sir. I'm just relating what I read. I would hope that we could skip the module and skip the subscription bit have the app and the app updates the car when necessary

 

[Shrink36s]

Ok, I’m confused. The Telematic vs my own internet connection? Does this mean certain Slate features will only be available via this subscription?

I think that's the implication. There is no technical reason the app on your phone with your phone connected to the vehicle could not use the location of the phone to send the signals to the car through the connection to pre-condition the battery as you approach a chosen charging destination. Which is the only use case I would worry about for me. I would not put that telemetrics in my vehicle.

 

[pauly]

I think that's the implication. There is no technical reason the app on your phone with your phone connected to the vehicle could not use the location of the phone to send the signals to the car through the connection to pre-condition the battery as you approach a chosen charging destination. Which is the only use case I would worry about for me. I would not put that telemetrics in my vehicle.

I think we are all still not fully past the finish line in knowing for sure what to expect on several fronts. We are all excited though so here we are,a bunch of bees buzzing in the trunk of a pick up truck trying not to sting each other.

That being said, there's got to be at least one Slate rep in here that can field these questions... bless their heart

 

[sodamo]

I will be adding an internet, Mobley or Nighthawk, that I already pay. Hopefully gives me full access.

 

[pauly]

I think that's the implication. There is no technical reason the app on your phone with your phone connected to the vehicle could not use the location of the phone to send the signals to the car through the connection to pre-condition the battery as you approach a chosen charging destination. Which is the only use case I would worry about for me. I would not put that telemetrics in my vehicle.

I'm not sure what preconditioning is or how necessary it is with this EV. Closest I've come to owning an EV was a KIA Niro hybrid with an electric and gas engine. I got @ 500 miles on a fill up. Loved it but said I'd never own a car that was only a plug in. The Slate would be my first but its so cool that I'm putting my money down. Also a little tired of gas engines. This seems like a big golf cart and I'm ready

 

[Shrink36s]

I'm not sure what preconditioning is or how necessary it is with this EV. Closest I've come to owning an EV was a KIA Niro hybrid with an electric and gas engine. I got @ 500 miles on a fill up. Loved it but said I'd never own a car that was only a plug in. The Slate would be my first but its so cool that I'm putting my money down. Also a little tired of gas engines. This seems like a big golf cart and I'm ready

Preconditioning is essentially getting the battery to the optimal temperature for best/fastest charging. Cool it on hot days, warm in cold days. Generally, this happens about 30-minutes before you get to your destination charging station.
I don't own an EV. Just stuff I've picked up in research.

 

[007]

I read somewhere that once you plug your phone in to the car and you have the app, your phone communicates with the car without the module, so updates etc are done through the app and phone connection. I personally want less telemetry so I'm not getting the module. There were questions about manditory driver facing cameras that would detect drunk/impaired drivers but read if it was made before 2027 it wouldn't have it. That's a great reason to get in early if its true

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 49 CFR Part 571 (the portion of the Code of Federal Regulations that governs FMVSS) and Docket No. NHTSA-2022-0079 is not going to happen anytime soon; https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.g...ed-Impaired-Driving-Prevention-Technology.pdf

 

[ElectricShitbox]

Reminder that "preconditioning" means two different things with EVs.
First meaning is basically the same as "remote start", where you're turning the vehicle on from the fob (requiring only being in range) or app (requiring telematics module) to turn on the HVAC system before you get in.
The second meaning is getting the battery into the ideal temperature range for fast charging. This is typically done automatically when navigating to a charger, or manually with a button somewhere in a menu. We don't yet know how Slate is handling this function.

 

[Trace26]

I think the chat person was talking about "preconditioning" the cabin, or the equivalent of remote start on a gas car.
Edit: ESB beat me to it. Lol

 

[pauly]

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 49 CFR Part 571 (the portion of the Code of Federal Regulations that governs FMVSS) and Docket No. NHTSA-2022-0079 is not going to happen anytime soon; https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.g...ed-Impaired-Driving-Prevention-Technology.pdf

Thank you for the link. The lack if telemetry is def one of the big draws of Slate