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Automotive

Transcontinental US record aboard Tesla Model S P85D with Autopilot claimed

By David Szondy
October 22, 2015
Transcontinental US record aboard Tesla Model S P85D with Autopilot claimed
A team driving a Tesla Model S P85D with Autopilot enabled have set a record for a transcontinental trip from LA to New York
A team driving a Tesla Model S P85D with Autopilot enabled have set a record for a transcontinental trip from LA to New York
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A team driving a Tesla Model S P85D with Autopilot enabled have set a record for a transcontinental trip from LA to New York
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A team driving a Tesla Model S P85D with Autopilot enabled have set a record for a transcontinental trip from LA to New York

Earlierthis year, Carl Reese and Deena Mastracci made a 3,011-mile (4,846-km) drivefrom Los Angeles to New York in 58 hours and 51 minutes in a Tesla Model S P85Dto set a record for the coast-to-coast journey for an electric vehicle. NowReese and Mastracci, joined by Alex Roy, have beaten that record with the helpof Tesla's new Autopilot software.

According to the Transcontinental Drivers Association, the yet-to-be-verified record-breaking drive left Redondo Beach, California on October 18 at 9:15 pm PST and arrived at the Red Ball Garage in New York on October 21 at 10:03 am EST – making for a distance of 2,995 mi (4,820 km) and a time of 57 hours and 48 minutes.

The drive relied on the newly-released Tesla Autopilot software, which was made available by software update to Tesla S and X owners on October 15. This provides semi-autonomous capabilities so the vehicle can be driven without touching the pedals or steering wheel on the highway.

The car uses cameras and radar to keep an eye on other vehicles, potential hazards and road markings. It can execute lane changes with only driver supervision, dodge swerving vehicles, park automatically, and prevent drivers from making potentially dangerous moves like driving over the divider.

The Association says that both the departure and arrival of the Tesla S were recorded by witnesses and the GPS tracking data will be submitted to verify the record.

"Deena and I have been planning this autonomous record for over 11 months," says Reese. "We knew we wanted to be the first group to make the cross-country attempt using the autonomous technology."

Source: Transcontinental Drivers Association

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5 comments
David Szondy
David Szondy
David Szondy is a playwright, author and journalist based in Seattle, Washington. A retired field archaeologist and university lecturer, he has a background in the history of science, technology, and medicine with a particular emphasis on aerospace, military, and cybernetic subjects. In addition, he is the author of four award-winning plays, a novel, reviews, and a plethora of scholarly works ranging from industrial archaeology to law. David has worked as a feature writer for many international magazines and has been a feature writer for New Atlas since 2011.

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5 comments
Dziks
Crazy guys. 2.5 days in a car for just a bit of fame.
Cyndy
This sounds good for a first offering. Eventually self driving cars will be connected to others cars with a "Schooling" technology and will thereby facilitate faster and safer travel. Great things are flowing from Tesla and I hope that continues far into the future.
Mark Markarian
The record for this trip is an average speed of approximately 90 mph for a car powered by gasoline.
The P85D did the trip at an average speed of 52 mph.
If the routes were identical (they weren't) that would mean that the gasoline powered car crossed the country
in 33 hours and the P85D took 58 hours.
That's 25 hours of battery charging time.
With a maximum range of 300 miles on a full tank of electrons,
The Tesla probably stopped 10 times to fully recharge
With a wait around time, each time, of 2 and a half hours per charge.
Lurkin'
Yeah, I don't know who made that 90 mph trip and what, if any, kind of "help" they had along the way. But I heavily suspect that were I to attempt to duplicate it and the various highway patrol officers and state troopers along the way are on the ball, I'd lose WAY more than the 25 hours in custody. Then again, maybe law enforcement is sufficiently inept and/or disinterested across 3000 miles of the US that I'd have no problems. That's a scary thought.
CarlReese
Lurkin'
The charge time is roughly 20-30 mins per stop. 2995 miles 24 stops for charging can be done in as little as 12 hours 14 min (Coast to Coast) http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/114110-least-non-driving-time-to-cross-the-united-states-in-an-electric-vehicle
Their wasn't any waiting for 2.5 hours to charge. The car can recharge at supercharging stations (which we used exclusively) in 20 mins. More than enough charge to get you to the next charging station.
No money was spent charging as the charging is free for Teslas. Some SC have solar awnings that provide free power from the sun. This is much better than giving 100. per week to middle east, that buy the way hate us, and wish to destroy us. I'm not exactly a save the planet guy. I'm for saving the USA from foreign debt. I buy american (shoes, belt, pants, socks and car). I do my part to boost the US economy. I would love nothing more if we all had 10 solar panels on our roof and charged our cars with them. Then the middle east could have their oil. We can experience freedom.
Carl