Looks kind of hidden, just from the styling of it:
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/attachments/smartselect_2019...
https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/attachments/smartselect_2019...
While I remembered the physical lever existed, I forgot where it actually was until this post so I would likely be spending that time to figure it out again and probably just panic and break the window like the person in the original article did.
This is to facilitate opening and closing, not to protect the weatherstripping. In modern cars (last decade at least) the cabin is air tight enough that closing the door fast/hard enough to get both "halves" of the double latch secure meets air pressure resistance that makes this "hard". By lowering the window a smidge, the force required from inside to pull the door shut is reduced.
This feature is fully achievable with the same sensor that detects whether the [mechanically controlled] door is open or not, and whether you are pulling on the interior latch.
For sedans (cars where the window glass is fully framed in the door), the design of the weather stripping doesn't require this window behavior. You can probably visualize why that is. In a coupe, the window glass has to seal quite tightly against the roofline, with a very limited profile and no supporting structure.
That may be the stated reason, but like retracting door handles, it's an aesthetic decision.
Different cars have different air-tightness of the cabin, different interior volume, different door pull designs, and different door weights. It's these factors combined that dictate whether such window shenanigans are useful or not. Not just the inherent limitations of sealing the glass against the roofline.
The major point of my response was that Tesla's claim (per the post, I didn't verify) that this is needed or useful to somehow improve the longevity of the weatherstripping, is nonsense. However, there are other valid reasons for this behavior.
So if my car is on fire, I can get out using the manual release, but my kids have to kick their way free? Or climb out the front? Or wait for me to break the window from the outside somehow?
How is this even legal?
This really looks like a corolla. I’ve heard the critique before of the interiors but wow. Beyond that, they have to roll the windows down every time you open the door to prevent damage to the seals? That seems insane? I’d get used to it but I’m surprised this isn’t pointed out more often as kind of absurd engineering.
Not sure I understand your concern here, but isn't is how every frame-less car door works? See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NM-dunSOLw
So it’s a form over function trade off. CLS is a low volume model. Looks absurd to me in a model 3 “mass market car” alongside 2 door handles, a classic one and a cool button press one.
It isn't. My 2004 toyota solara had frameless windows and didn't play any shenanigans with it, and as others in this rough thread have pointed out, subaru doesn't either. I don't know where you got this idea but you've managed to ingore two very popular brands at minimum so maybe you should reconsider some things
In the case of Toyota Solara, how does the glass fit with the seal on the A-pillar and roof? The roll-down mechanism is required because the glass on those doors have to be "inserted" into the seal.