Tesla Model X's Falcon Wing Doors Prove To Be Awesome (VIDEO)

Oct 04, 2015 01:21 PM EDT | Sonja Killebrew

Tesla's Model X SUV showed off a variety of cool features in its recent unveiling, among them being its foldout Falcon Wing doors. These doors are designed to open upward and then outward, USA Today reported.

While other cars like the classic Mercedes-Benz sports cars, have gullwing doors that open horizontally outward, the Model X's doors open upward while bending on a hinge, like an elbow, noted CNN Money.

The falcon doors are controlled by a button from the back by the rear passengers. Tesla's engineers created the elbow-effect through double hinge.

While the Mercedes-Benz gullwing doors open quickly upward, they require wide open parking spaces. The Model X can park anywhere due to the doors' sensors. The Falcon Wing doors have sensors that modulate the angle at which they open to avoid bumping into cars parked just 12 inches away, reported Wired. The bottom parts of the doors run nearly parallel to the side of the parked cars as they pull up.

The gorgeous electric car's dramatic doors have sensors inside that are sonar, inductive, and capacitive, according to BGR. Ultrasonic sensors actually bounce high-pitched sound waves off of surrounding objects, like bats, to detect what might get in the way. This safety feature stops doors from closing accidentally on an arm or a leg.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk believes that the elegant Falcon doors increased the demand for the fully electric luxury SUV, saying that Tesla saw "a very big jump" since Wednesday's launch, MarketWatch reported.

He added that he wanted the doors' movements to be as graceful as possible. "Actually, I had the engineers watch ballet," Musk said.

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