Shifting GearsWhen Model S is in Park, you must press the
brake to shift to another gear.
Move the lever up or down to change gears.
If you try to shift into a gear that the current
driving speed prohibits, you will hear a chime
and the gear does not change.
Reverse
Push the lever all the way up and release. You
can only shift into Reverse when Model S is
stopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h).
If moving less than 1 mph (1.6 km/h), you must
press the brake.
Neutral
Push the lever up or down to the
first position
and release to shift into Neutral. Neutral allows
Model S to roll freely.
If Model S is in Park and you use the
touchscreen to release the parking brake
(Controls > E-Brake & Power
Off), Model S
shifts into Neutral (see Parking Brake on page
55).
Model S automatically shifts into Park when
you exit. To leave Model S in Neutral, use the touchscreen to engage Tow mode (see
Keeping Your Vehicle in Neutral (Tow Mode)
on page 42).
Drive
Push the lever all the way down and release.
You can shift into Drive when Model S is stopped or moving less than 5 mph (8 km/h)in Reverse. If Model S is moving less than
1 mph (1.6 km/h), you must press the brake to shift into Drive.
Park
With Model S stopped, press the end of the
gear selector. Whenever Model S is in Park, the
parking brake is applied.
Model S automatically shifts into Park
whenever you:
High Beam HeadlightsPush the left-hand steering column lever away
from you. To cancel, pull the lever toward you.
If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance
components (see About Driver Assistance on
page 65), and you have purchased the
optional Autopilot Tech Package, the high
beam headlights can automatically switch to low beam when there is light detected in front
of Model S (for example, from an oncoming vehicle or street lights). To turn this feature on,touch Controls > Auto High Beam.
Note: Your chosen setting is retained until you manually change it. It can also be saved in
your driver
profile.
In situations where high beams are turned offbecause Auto High Beam is turned on and
light is detected in front of Model S, you can
temporarily turn on high beams by pulling the
lever all the way toward you.
The following indicator lights are visible on the
instrument panel when high beams are turned
on:
High beams are turned on and the
Auto High Beam setting is turned
off.
High beams are currently turned on,
and Auto High Beam is ready to turn
off the high beams if light is
detected in front of Model S.
High beams are temporarily turnedoff because Auto High Beam is on
and is detecting light in front of
Model S. When light is no longer
detected, the high beams will
automatically turn back on.
To flash the headlight high beams, pull the
lever fully toward you and release.
Warning: Auto High Beam is an aid only and is subject to limitations. It is the
driver
Lane Change Flash
To indicate a lane change, quickly press the
lever up or down against the spring pressure,
then release. The corresponding turn signal
flashes three times.
Hazard Warning Flashers To turn on the hazard warning
flashers, press
the button located on the side of the
touchscreen closest to the steering wheel. All turn signals
flash. Press again to turn off.
Note: Hazard warning flashers operate even
without a Model S key nearby.
Lights
52Model S Owner
When Model S is stopped, Vehicle Holdcontinues to apply the brakes even after you
remove your foot from the brake pedal. When
driving up a hill or on a
flat surface, brake as
you normally would and when Model S is fully
stopped, the brakes remain engaged when
you release the pedal. When driving downhill,
engage Vehicle Hold by applying the brakes
firmly after coming to a complete stop.
Whenever Vehicle Hold is actively applying the brakes, the instrument panel displays the
Vehicle Hold indicator light.
This indicator displays on the
instrument panel whenever Vehicle
Hold is engaged.
To disengage Vehicle Hold, press the
accelerator pedal or press and release the
brake pedal. Shifting into Neutral also releases
Vehicle Hold.
Note: After actively braking Model S for
approximately 10 minutes, Model S shifts into
Park and Vehicle Hold cancels. Model S also shifts into Park if it detects that the driver has
left the vehicle.
Vehicle Hold
Driving59
If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance
components (see About Driver Assistance on
page 65) and you have purchased the optional Autopilot Tech Package, the forward lookingcamera and the radar sensor are designed to
determine when there is a vehicle in front of
you in the same lane. If the area in front of Model S is clear,
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
maintains a set driving speed. When a vehicle is detected,
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is
designed to slow down Model S as needed to maintain a selected time-based distance from
the vehicle in front, up to the set speed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control does not
eliminate the need to watch the road in front
of you and to apply the brakes when needed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is primarily
intended for driving on dry, straight roads,
such as highways and freeways. It should not
be used on city streets.
Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is
designed for your driving comfort and
convenience and is not a collision warning or avoidance system. It is your
responsibility to stay alert, drive safely,
and be in control of the vehicle at all
times. Never depend on
Traffic-AwareCruise Control to adequately slow down
Model S. Always watch the road in front
of you and be prepared to take corrective
action at all times. Failure to do so can
result in serious injury or death.
Warning: Do not use Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control on city streets or on roads where
traffic conditions are constantly changing
and where bicycles and pedestrians are
present.
Warning: Do not use Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control on winding roads with sharp
curves, on icy or slippery road surfaces, or
when weather conditions (such as heavy
rain, snow, fog, etc) make it inappropriate
to drive at a consistent speed.
Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control does not adapt
driving speed based on road and driving
conditions.
Operating Traffic-Aware Cruise
ControlThe instrument panel
displays a gray speedometer
icon on the left side of the
driving speed to indicate
that
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control is available but the
cruising speed has not been
set. Unless a vehicle is
detected ahead of you, you
must be driving at least
18 mph (30 km/h) to use
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control.
If a vehicle is detected ahead
of you, you can use
Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control at any
speed, even when stationary.
When driving at your desired speed, set the
cruising speed by moving the cruise control
lever up or down (or pulling it
briefly toward
you), then releasing.
The speedometer icon on the
instrument panel turns blue
and displays the set speed to
indicate that
Traffic-AwareCruise Control is actively
maintaining the set speed.
You can now release the accelerator pedal and
allow Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to maintain
your set speed. When no vehicle is detected ahead,
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control maintains
the set speed. If a vehicle is detected, Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control maintains your chosen
following distance, up to the set speed,
accelerating and decelerating Model S as
needed. When the vehicle you are following is
no longer detected,
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control accelerates back to the set speed.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control also adjusts the
speed as appropriate when entering and
exiting curves.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
68Model S Owner
You can accelerate at any time when driving ata set speed using Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control. But when you release the accelerator,
Model S returns to the set speed.
When following a vehicle,
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control remains active at low speeds, even if
Model S comes to a standstill while following a
vehicle. When
traffic is moving again, Traffic-
Aware Cruise Control resumes operating at
your currently set speed. However, if a
pedestrian or object is detected in front of
Model S,
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control goes
into a HOLD state and the instrument panel
displays a message indicating that you need
to resume cruise control. To resume, press the
accelerator pedal or pull the cruise control
lever toward you (see Canceling and
Resuming on page 72).
In right hand
traffic, engaging the right turn
signal when driving in the right-most lane
within 164 feet (50 meters) of an exit (on a
restricted access road only, such as a highway
or freeway), causes
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control to assume you are exiting. As a result,
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control begins to slow
down the vehicle. Likewise in left hand traffic,when engaging the left turn signal when
driving in the left-most lane within 164 feet
(50 meters) of an exit. The onboard GPS (Global Positioning System) determines if you
are driving in a region with right or left hand
traffic. In situations where GPS data is
unavailable (for example, inadequate signal), engaging the turn signal near an exit does not
cause
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to slow
down the vehicle.
Note: If you double-pull the cruise control
lever, Autosteer activates and the set speed
changes to your current driving speed. If you
pull and hold the lever momentarily, your set cruising speed is adjusted to either your
current driving speed, or the speed limit that
is in
effect, whichever is greater (see Cruising
at the Speed Limit on page 70).
Note: When
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control is
actively slowing down Model S to maintain the
selected distance from the vehicle ahead, the
brake lights turn on to alert other road users
that you are slowing down. You may also notice slight movement of the brake pedal.
Warning: Due to limitations inherent in
the onboard GPS, you may experience
situations in which
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control slows down the vehicle, especially
near highway exits where a curve is
detected.
Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
can not detect all objects and may not
brake/decelerate for stationary vehicles,
especially in situations when you are
driving over 50 mph (80 km/h) and a
vehicle you are following moves out of your driving path and a stationary vehicle
or object, bicycle, or pedestrian is in front
of you instead. Always pay attention to
the road ahead and stay prepared to take
immediate corrective action. Depending
on
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control to avoid
a collision can result in serious injury or death. In addition,
Traffic-Aware Cruise
Control may react to vehicles or objects
that either do not exist or are not in the
lane of travel, causing Model S to slow down unnecessarily or inappropriately.
Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
may be unable to provide adequate
speed control because of limited braking
capability and hills. It can also misjudge the distance from a vehicle ahead. Driving
downhill can increase driving speed, causing Model S to exceed your set
speed. Never depend on
Traffic-AwareCruise Control to slow down the vehicle
enough to prevent a collision. Always
keep your eyes on the road when driving
and be prepared to take corrective action
as needed. Depending on
Traffic-AwareCruise Control to slow the vehicle down
enough to prevent a collision can result in
serious injury or death.
Warning: Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
may occasionally brake Model S when not required or you are not expecting it. Thiscan be caused by closely following a
vehicle ahead, detecting vehicles or
objects in adjacent lanes (especially on curves), etc.
Adjust your following distance
To adjust the distance you want to maintain
between Model S and a vehicle traveling ahead of you, rotate the cruise control lever to
choose a setting from 1 (the closest following distance) to 7 (the longest following distance).
Each setting corresponds to a time-based
distance that represents how long it takes for
Model S, from its current location, to reach the
location of the rear bumper of the vehicle
ahead.
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control
Driver Assistance69
Note: A horizontal line displays on the
instrument panel to represent your following distance from a vehicle ahead (see Instrument
Panel - Driving on page 46).
As you rotate the cruise control lever, the
instrument panel displays the current setting.
Release the lever when the desired setting is
displayed.
Cruising at the Speed Limit
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control makes it easy to
cruise at the speed limit. Once you
Note: Autosteer is a BETA feature in Release
7.1.
If Model S is equipped with Driver Assistance
components (see About Driver Assistance on
page 65), and you have purchased the optional Autopilot Tech Package, you can use
Autosteer to manage steering and speed under certain circumstances. Autosteer builds
upon
Traffic-Aware Cruise Control,
intelligently keeping Model S in its driving lane
when cruising at a set speed. Using the
forward looking camera, the radar sensor, and
the ultrasonic sensors, Autosteer detects lane
markings and the presence of vehicles and
objects, steering Model S based on the lanemarkings and the vehicle directly in front of
you.
Warning: Autosteer is a hands-on feature.
You must keep your hands on the steering
wheel at all times.Warning: Autosteer is intended for use
only on highways and limited-access
roads with a fully attentive driver. When using Autosteer, hold the steering wheel
and be mindful of road conditions and
surrounding
traffic. Do not use Autosteer
on city streets or in areas where bicyclists
or pedestrians may be present. Never
depend on Autosteer to determine an
appropriate driving path. Always be
prepared to take immediate action.
Failure to follow these instructions could
cause serious property damage, injury or
death.
Operating Autosteer
Before you can operate Autosteer, you must
enable it by touching Controls > Settings >
Driver Assistance > Autosteer > Enable.
To indicate that Autosteer is available (but not actively steering Model S), the instrumentpanel displays a gray Autosteer icon on theright side of the driving speed as shown here:
To initiate Autosteer, pull the cruise control
lever toward you twice in quick succession. Autosteer
briefly displays a message on the
instrument panel reminding you to pay
attention to the road and be ready to take
over at any time. To indicate that Autosteer is now actively steering Model S, the instrument
panel displays the Autosteer icon in blue.
When Autosteer is able to detect lane
markings, it also displays the driving lane in blue:
Note: To initiate Autosteer, you must be
driving at least 18 mph (30 km/h) on a roadway with visible lane markings. If a vehicle
is detected ahead of you, you can initiate
Autosteer at any speed, even when stationary.
Note: In most cases, Autosteer attempts to
center Model S in the driving lane. However, if
the sensors detect the presence an obstacle (such as a vehicle or guard rail), Autosteer
may steer Model S in a driving path that is
offset from the center of the lane.
Note: In situations where you attempt to
engage Autosteer but you are not driving
within the required driving speed for Autosteer to operate, or Autosteer is not
receiving adequate data from the camera or
sensors, a message displays on the instrument
panel indicating that Autosteer is temporarily
unavailable.
Autosteer
74Model S Owner