Tesla is starting to offer a “no-touch” service experience to work on cars without the owner having to be present or unlock the vehicle, which is done remotely and with a mobile technician.
Over the last few years, Tesla started increasingly investing in its mobile service effort. It consists of service technicians with vehicles equipped with tools and parts to perform the majority of the most popular prepare and maintenance on Tesla vehicles.
The mobile service technicians are also called “Tesla Rangers,” which is a much cooler name — let’s be honest.
Last month, Tesla announced that its mobile service fleet almost doubled in 2019:
Our Mobile Service fleet almost doubled in 2019 to 743 vehicles, and we continue to open new service locations globally.
This fleet is becoming particularly useful these days with coronavirus crisis pushing people to stay home.
Tesla can keep servicing cars and performing maintenance without having people driving to the service center.
We now learn that the automaker is starting to use its fleet for a new “no-touch” service experience.
A Tesla mobile technician in Montreal wrote to an owner in an email obtained by Electrek:
Hello from Tesla Mobile Service! In taking precautionary measures for the coronavirus, we invite you to partake in our “NO TOUCH SERVICE” (NTS) experience. NTS includes zero contact with you and all mobile repairs will be completed without you being present. In order to partake in NTS, we ask the following to prepare for your appointment: (1) make the vehicle available before the arrival window (driveway, parking spot location, open garage, etc.); (2) We’ll let you know when onsite via text and will remotely unlock vehicle; (3) If payment is necessary, we will call you to pay over phone or through your APP; (4) We will wipe down the surfaces touched, lock up the vehicle, and message you when complete.
Alex Ganivet-Boileau, a Model 3 owner who lives near Montreal, is one of the first Tesla owners to receive this “no-touch” service experience today.
He said in a comment to Electrek:
Everything went fine. The ranger phoned upon arrival. I unlocked the car via the mobile app. He worked on the car for about 30 minutes (changing the front passenger seat under warranty because of a faulty airbag sensor). He called me to let me know he was done. I went outside to thank him while keeping my distance (at least 12 ft) but he still mentioned to me not to move any closer. Company rules. I found it very professional and reassuring that Tesla is taking this whole situation seriously and as a Tesla owner, it’s very good to know that mobile service will keep on going despite the current situation.
As we reported earlier this week, Tesla has been fighting an order to stop producing vehicles at its factory in Fremont during the “shelter-in-place” order in the Bay Area.
However, the automaker has been implementing social distancing measures across the company.
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