Photo: Tesla
Tesla rolled out the Auto Shift (Beta) with the Spring software update (2024.13), and people have already praised it. However, one guy is happier than the rest because Tesla introduced the new feature. A few months before this happened, he was granted a patent for the same feature and is now looking to collect his money.
Tesla is introducing new features to its vehicles with every software update. To make this possible, Tesla introduced over-the-air updates, a mundane feature for computers and smartphones but completely new to carmakers. Offering over-the-air updates is not as trivial as it might seem, and it's precisely the high level of vertical integration that allowed Tesla to offer it. Traditional carmakers source their electronic components from various suppliers, which makes updating their software virtually impossible in one step.
Recently, Tesla used this wonderful function to roll out many exciting features with the Spring software update. Among them was Auto Shift (Beta) for Model S and Model X vehicles. This can shift between Drive and Reverse, in addition to automatically shifting out of Park as before. The computer determines your direction based on the vehicle's surroundings, but the driver can also confirm the direction using the steering wheel/yoke.
The concept is not entirely new, being based on the Auto Shift feature first unveiled in 2021. Back then, the refreshed Model S and Model X could automagically shift out of Park when departing. Based on the obstacles around the vehicle, the system could guess whether you need to go forward or backward and select Drive or Reverse as appropriate. Now, Tesla has gone further with automatic switching between Drive and Reverse when necessary.
A recent video shows that this works exactly as people expected, making the "swipe to shift" function almost unnecessary. However, Tesla might have to pay to use it because somebody already thought of a similar feature and filed a patent for it. To many people's surprise, the patent was granted in March, a couple of months before Tesla rolled out Auto Shift (Beta). This made the guy even happier, considering the money he might get from Tesla.
Bennet Langlotz is a "patent and trademark attorney," although people consider him a patent troll after he announced that Tesla's Auto Shift infringed on his patent. The "Gear Selection Control" patent was filed in June 2023 and was granted on March 19 this year. To be fair, Langlotz's patent describes more complex features than the one introduced with the Spring update, including geofence features. This would help perform automatic shifting at precise locations following a known pattern.
Langlotz says he is willing to offer Tesla a royalty-free license "for testing and evaluation." However, he wants to negotiate a "reasonable royalty" with Tesla for use on customer vehicles. If Tesla agrees to pay the royalties, it could have exclusive rights to use his "invention." However, if Tesla declines exclusivity, Langlotz will also be willing to offer non-exclusive rights to other carmakers.
Recently, Tesla used this wonderful function to roll out many exciting features with the Spring software update. Among them was Auto Shift (Beta) for Model S and Model X vehicles. This can shift between Drive and Reverse, in addition to automatically shifting out of Park as before. The computer determines your direction based on the vehicle's surroundings, but the driver can also confirm the direction using the steering wheel/yoke.
The concept is not entirely new, being based on the Auto Shift feature first unveiled in 2021. Back then, the refreshed Model S and Model X could automagically shift out of Park when departing. Based on the obstacles around the vehicle, the system could guess whether you need to go forward or backward and select Drive or Reverse as appropriate. Now, Tesla has gone further with automatic switching between Drive and Reverse when necessary.
A recent video shows that this works exactly as people expected, making the "swipe to shift" function almost unnecessary. However, Tesla might have to pay to use it because somebody already thought of a similar feature and filed a patent for it. To many people's surprise, the patent was granted in March, a couple of months before Tesla rolled out Auto Shift (Beta). This made the guy even happier, considering the money he might get from Tesla.
Bennet Langlotz is a "patent and trademark attorney," although people consider him a patent troll after he announced that Tesla's Auto Shift infringed on his patent. The "Gear Selection Control" patent was filed in June 2023 and was granted on March 19 this year. To be fair, Langlotz's patent describes more complex features than the one introduced with the Spring update, including geofence features. This would help perform automatic shifting at precise locations following a known pattern.
Langlotz says he is willing to offer Tesla a royalty-free license "for testing and evaluation." However, he wants to negotiate a "reasonable royalty" with Tesla for use on customer vehicles. If Tesla agrees to pay the royalties, it could have exclusive rights to use his "invention." However, if Tesla declines exclusivity, Langlotz will also be willing to offer non-exclusive rights to other carmakers.
BREAKING: Auto Shift (Beta) first test.
— Tesla Patriot (@TeslaPatriot) May 15, 2024
It works great. And it appears to infringe my patent (see pinned post). pic.twitter.com/EZ1Yke4ZR7
BREAKING NEWS: I've been granted a US patent for the auto-shift invention Tesla needs.
— Tesla Patriot (@TeslaPatriot) March 19, 2024
I invented and patented an alternative solution to the “swipe-to-shift” function that some dislike, and which Road & Track called “a bad design”. I love stalkless in both our Tesla cars, but… pic.twitter.com/6RRUtbvOgv
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