Parma, Italian Capital of Culture 2020. Mobility, social culture. And that pioneering role in autonomous driving. Fifteen minutes aboard a Tesla Model 3 with sustainability and mobility councillor Tiziana Benassi.
First designated a Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy. Then Italian Capital of Culture for 2020. At the most recent edition of Ecomondo it received the Premio Sviluppo Sostenibile. And then there is the prestigious candidacy for European Green Capital for 2022, an award assigned every year by the European Commission to European cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants: "It's a great team effort, and having a territory so engaged and attentive to environmental issues gives us good reason for hope." Tiziana Benassi, councillor for environmental sustainability policies and mobility for Parma, an engineer and architect, holds responsibility for many of the hottest topics of the moment: energy policy, sustainable mobility, water and air quality. We wanted to meet her in Parma itself, where — aboard a Tesla Model 3 — the best-selling electric car in Europe with 1,500 registrations in the first nine months of the year, and for the first time in September also the best-selling electric car in Italy — we accompanied her around her city. To talk about mobility, of course. But also about the democratisation of urban spaces. About the green economy. And above all about what not to miss in Parma.
And given that Parma itself recently announced its intention to implement a Mobility Reform that includes, among other things, the installation of 51 new electric vehicle charging points to be added to the 10 already existing in the city — which are no longer up to date and are therefore being replaced — the Tesla Model 3 seemed the right "context" in which to carry out our video interview. A car that, as mentioned, has rapidly climbed the sales charts in Italy too, where the price starts from €49,500 (though the one you see in our article — Dual Motor long range, costs around €58,000 — drops to €43,500 thanks to incentives and scrapping contributions). And where, thanks to 300 Supercharger charging points (the most recent in Borca di Cadore (Bl), Tarquinia (Vt) and Vicenza), the Italian network has reached 33 charging stations, sufficient even for long-distance journeys with reduced charging times, thanks to outputs of up to 150 kWh. Half an hour and you're back on the road with 80 per cent of the range, which is always around 500 real kilometres.
In Parma, electric vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 have access to the historic city centre (upon registration on the city portal, otherwise heavy fines apply), even on car-free Sundays; they may travel in bus lanes and do not pay for parking in blue-line spaces. We can say that when a more widespread and better-performing charging service is also in place (in terms of charging power and accessibility), Parma could truly become one of the most virtuous cities from a mobility standpoint. On the other hand, as councillor Benassi also reminded us in our interview, one must not forget that in Parma in 2009 the first prototype of a driverless car was born, in a laboratory at the city's university. And since last May the city has hosted the first trial of autonomous vehicles on public roads, following authorisation granted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. The trial will be conducted by VisLab, the University of Parma start-up founded in 2010 by Alberto Broggi and acquired in 2015 by the American company Ambarella Inc.
Read also: Tesla Model Y, Elon Musk presents the new electric SUV
The standard Model 3 comes with Autopilot, the system that would in practice already allow fully autonomous driving to be tested, capable of updating itself over time to improve its functions. In fact, the Model 3 is equipped with no fewer than 8 cameras that see 360 degrees around the car within a radius of 250 metres. These are complemented by 12 ultrasonic sensors that detect objects and people. Finally, the front radar system monitors the surrounding environment, seeing through rain, fog, dust and even beyond the cars ahead. In practice, Autopilot today allows the car to steer, accelerate and brake autonomously, but always with hands on the wheel and under the "active supervision of the driver", as Tesla always explains; in the United States, many more autonomous functions are active. But among the most surprising features of the Tesla Model 3 is Summon; a function released by Tesla at the end of September, it effectively allows the car to park itself and come to pick you up, albeit over a short distance, without you being on board, simply using your smartphone. Not to be confused with the more "mundane" automatic parking (called Autoparking on the Model 3, and standard on the car) — for now, those who have tried it have mixed opinions, reporting performance that is not always flawless, but it is nonetheless a major step forward in the direction of autonomous driving.
Leggi anche: Vi raccontiamo il mondo visto da una Tesla Model X
Naturally, the Tesla Model 3 offers some of the most sophisticated and innovative active safety options on the market. The collision avoidance system and automatic emergency braking detect collision risks and, when necessary, apply the brakes. The system protects against collisions across the entire perimeter of the car, and while driving it is possible to see on the instrument display what the car is detecting around the vehicle — motorbikes, pedestrians or people, on the road or on the pavement, stationary or moving. In short, one has the feeling that the Tesla Model 3 always knows exactly what is happening, as well as or better than we do. The acceleration is remarkable — 0–100 in just under 5 seconds, even less in the more powerful versions. Top speed exceeds 230 km/h. The steering is pleasant, especially in Sport mode. Comfort is considerable. The Dual Motor version has electric all-wheel drive, which means maximum safety even on slippery surfaces. The power output, not officially disclosed, can be comfortably estimated at well over 300 horsepower. The space is perfect for 4 people, though with a flat floor a fifth passenger can also fit. The boot lacks the practicality of a hatchback (as with the Tesla Model S and Model X) but is nonetheless spacious, and with the rear seats folded down, bulky items can be loaded too. There is also a second boot at the front, where the engine would normally be. There is no key fob, replaced by a magnetic card similar to a credit card. Inside, there are no buttons or switches — just one large 15-inch display. The few controls are on the steering wheel, performing various functions depending on the menu selected on the display. The climate control is also adjusted via the display, and the passenger glove box is opened from there too. The navigation system offers many features that are very different from those of traditional cars. The roof is completely transparent. The doors open and close electrically. You can play video games and draw on the screen. In short, the Model 3 is proof of how a car can be designed and conceived more like a smartphone than a car, with all the advantages that brings in terms of ease and intuitiveness of use.
Whether you love animals or not, it is hard to remain indifferent. It's called Dog Mode and it is a system that allows you to leave your pets on board even in the height of summer. How does it work? It is activated via the large display and, once running, ensures that the temperature inside the Model 3 always remains ideal for your animal — so you also avoid someone smashing your car windows, or reporting you to the authorities. This, too, means designing cars with people in mind (and those they love…).
