door handles not apparent in prototype, for aerodynamics and crash chassis efficiency, but thats ok with these fairly easy for user to learn to use approaches:
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/5ee385021b4fa10017a5e920 the camera used for partial self driving may allow this hand signaling to open door, accidentally triggering hand signal to open door is no problem b/c door can be kept locked to prevent opening, and driver can be asked to unlock door when signal triggers via screen.
door opener can be just enough to unlock door and keep it from closing via a physical blocker, so it can be opened enough by user getting in. when closing door, the device preventing door from closing to keep it open enough, can be deactivated via door locking switch, which also locks door when door is closed. locking switch should be behind a transparent cover that is slid away to give access to the switch, to replace the safety approach of normal cars, where the door lock exists as insurance that the driver/passenger wont accidently open door while driving. the lock without such cover can be accidently switched off/on. lock should be a simple mechanical lock like described here:https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606a3df09d95f90015fa3075
instead of expensive harder to make built in hard plastic door handle, use something like this, where its used to pull door to close it and door is pushed outward or pulled in rear/rear direction if using minivan like sliding doors:
benefits of minivan sliding door under "MINIVAN SLIDING DOOR"door:https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/602459dedb409900170b5f3b
I'm perfectly happy with the excellent design proposed by Aptera for the door opening.
I think a lot of us just enjoy thinking about our ultimate Aptera. I'm sure the engineering department in Aptera is mature enough to focus on the challenge of production without being distracted by this part of the forum. I'd be surprised if anyone with technical input to the design even reads this section on the regular. If they're successful and there is Aptera 2 in the future, if 1/100 ideas on here are worthwhile, it would be cool to see that feedback.
I think we should leave design of the first iteration of the production Aptera to the excellent Aptera engineers. they have been both creative and practical with their designs.
At this point, we don't want any last minute engineering changes to perturbate any progress toward on schedule work toward a production vehicle.
Once the vehicle is in the hands of driving customers, their comments generated by actually driving the vehicles can be documented, vetted, and rank ordered for inclusion in successive Aptera produced vehicles.
Comments gathered by actually driving the vehicles in real world conditions, hopefully from all areas of the country and world will provide a sound basis for adding, deleting, or modifying features on the currently design vehicle
Another contender, this design uses a flush illuminated pushbutton on the exterior of the door. If the requirements are met i.e. RFID or bluetooth (fingerprint?) identification of the owner, pushing the button will cause a the door to unlatch and a plunger pushes the door 2 inches off the car, allowing your hand to grab the doors frame. The pushbutton itself illuminates and was executed pretty well. This meets the aero requirements, but is more work for the occupant as 2 actions are needed to open the door.
this lock is from the link at top of this comment:https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606dee4bc6b4850015110e21
the line represents how the piece at left is part of door and piece at right is on the chassis, lets say near the dashboard. the drawn black cone at the right side visualizes how the cone can make it easier for user to engage lock, because even if user doesn't be careful to fit the stick into the hole, the cones walls would slide the end of the stick toward the hole as the stick is being pushed in. this makes it not require much attention to lock in door than otherwise. the end of the stick ideally should be rounded off to make the sliding smoother thus not damaging to parts if its used harshly, which happens if user is careless, and we dont want user to have to be so careful. cone can be larger to make it even easier to use, as long as there is space for it. its doesn't have to be integrated into the door of that requires chassis and door redesign that is sub optimal, it can be sticking outward from the door and chassis on the inside. the cone doesn't have to be a cone, it can just have part of the walls that doesn't stick outward from the door and chassis too much.
another approach for the outside door handle:
the finger pushes panel inward and fingers grab a built in space that can be grabbed and pulled like a door handle:
location to be at the window area near driver/passenger shoulders, where visibility isnt covered, allowing no restructuring of the main crash chasses parts(although i dont think much redesign is needed if it was built in without decreasing window size), just the window height/length. it will be a fairly thin part, it will be vertically placed so hand fingers go in spread out and in a handshake like position:
this allows avoiding this setup where there becomes another strip like the one currently blocking vision at the window, which would run vertically like the circles. the rectangle is the slot space:
What happens if the electronic mechanism for opening the door does not work? Are we suppose to break the polycarbonate windows?
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/6032f854310e1a00170e5145 forgot to point out wireless keys (as being used currently in aptera) been having hacking issues, normal keys are better and approach explained in this thread prevents need for energy, money, weight costing servo motors to open door
https://www.mybanktracker.com/news/chip-cards-safe-from-wireless-thieves another method is having something like what exists in a credit car, a thing slot and window shape to move around the thin hole can can be more easily heated to melt ice out of the way than normal car key slot, maybe one can us their credit card to unlock/open like they would to buy at a grocery store.
this would have to make up for cost of servo motor that opens door a bit so user can push door open, when comparing to mechanical lock concept above, where unlocking door is also opening the door a bit by unlocking rotation of the key
https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606a3df09d95f90015fa3075 this lock mechanism also push something that prevents door from closing, so that there is no need for electric motor holding the door open a bit for user to be able to open door. thsi doubles as preventing people from the door sliding into somones hand accidently b/c hand is in the way of door. the door being apparently open also prevents need to remember to lock door, without a wireless key system that locks doors and warns of open doors when user with key walks a distance from car. wireless key is not only expensive but also a security problem vs normal keys that also have a not wireless chip in it b/c keys can be duplicated https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/6032f854310e1a00170e5145
approach A:
a normal after market car lock and key system, no door handle just the strip/rope as said above.
approachB:
this maybe cheaper:
the mechanical "something" can be: a wedge is connected to lock so that as lock is pulled into unlock position, it pulls wedge which push a block upward on rails as block slides(in red) up the wedge slope, the block prevents door from closing with a big gap to show door is unlocked and opened. the block should be a rubber type material so stiff metals/composites dont smash and damage each other when door is thrown closed aggressively ex. when user is rushing b/c he needs to get somewhere quick. for minivan style doors: the block can be placed so it also pushes against another block built into door, to push the door outward and across some of the way to fully opening door as door slides across its rail (as in normal minivan door).
after door is locked, user gets in car by normal key in hole, when key rotates to unlock, it moves pin coming out of the circle of keys hole modules rotation(the black in top picture), so when rotating, it pushes the knob of the lock(in blue) up and a stick connected to pin and knob pushes knob horizontally on lock(in blue) to unlock position. when key goes in opposite direction to lock, the lock goes into lock position
(the blue of the bottom image), if its a normal 3rd party metal build, can melt metal away to put curved shape (for smoother operation for ease of use and perceived quality). the curve should not be too big, so the lock still holds its position when at locked position, rather than sliding backward from g forces while driving
windshield wiper can wipe away sticky snow, mud-like material from off a construction truck or someone throwing food out their window, bird poop, etc off of essential cameras/sensors, which is especially likely at slower speeds traffic. without wiper, driver will have to hold up traffic to get out their car and clean such stuff off their cameras/sensors. when driver sees camera vision being blurred, he should manually operate the wiper by moving wiper back and forth via a handle, which is connected to wiper via simple linkage of bending metal/plastic strip(bending so it can fit and move back and forth across curved bodywork). wiper is held between its 2 ends at the end of this linkage strip, which travel across 2 slots to allow wiper to move back and forth across cluster of cameras/sensors
if camera software detects camera is blocked by ice buildup via apparently perverted image data, computer shows where the cameras/sensors are located so user doesn't have to clear all the ice over every dark surface under which sensor/camera might be b/c he cant tell where exactly sensor/camera is(people wont remember where cameras and sensors are located). camera/sensors should have borders around them with some shape of contrasting light color circle around them (think greyscale brightness vs darkness, b/c color blindness is more common than one might think). this highlighting makes it easy for software to reference the location of different cameras and sensors, so it doesn't rely on users spatial intelligence to map things out based on image of sensor location circled over a picture of a aptera coupe on screen.
@my_discord_number_is_0328 They've explained both the interior and exterior door opening strategies in several of the videos: Doors are opened from the exterior by swiping the hand upward across the three white lights. This pops the door slightly so that a hand can fit behind it to lift. Swipe the hand downward across the three white lights to lock the closed door.
On the interior there will be a button to pop the door open and a strap to pull it closed. There will also be some form of manual release mechanism for emergencies.