2017.50.3.f3425a1 is out!

[Electroman]

What ? Auto rain sensing is available now ? There goes about 50% of the posts on this forum.

Not so fast. I am sure there is always anpther edge case or so to complain

 

[Asterix187]

Not so fast. I am sure there is always anpther edge case or so to complain

How about getting the washer jets to fire automatically if the screen is dirty?

 

[chillaban]

How about getting the washer jets to fire automatically if the screen is dirty?

Yeah. AP1 totally did that and was a million times better. My AP1 loaner could fly for brief periods of time too.

 

[RGagne1975]

My Model S is in for yearly service and I just received a notification on my app so I should get this update during my service.

 

[arcus]

I've got mine as well. Ironically, the notification came right after I finished writing about it on my blog last night.

Looking at the firmware tracker, a lot of cars have already reported the update given a short period of time since release.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Why not have AP use a trusted rain sensor that has already been debugged? They can experiment with software rain detection one self driving is a reality. In this world, there is only one rain sensor, from a reliable manufacturer.

Because Tesla is a company that released AP2 before it was ready.

 

[brkaus]

My question was really the technicality of why it seems like the whole system has been over-engineered. Has nothing to do with a rain sensor or anything like that... You guys are entitled to your own opinions, but I am trying to figure out how/why they did it this way.

I for one have never been happy with the performance of rain sensing wipers.

I would hope this approach they could actually create a product that meets my needs. It should also be very minimal overhead on the existing systems.

Of course, everyone has different expectations of wipers. Some find the wipe more distracting than the spots in the window. Some other way around.

Finally, I’m really not that concerned either way. The button works fine for me too. And it gets it right every time

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Not so fast. I am sure there is always anpther edge case or so to complain

Let me help you there.

It would be so much easier, you know, if Tesla just delivered what they sold. Right?

 

[AnxietyRanger]

How about getting the washer jets to fire automatically if the screen is dirty?

That is actually a positive. As in a good thing.

Tesla never promised it (great! no broken promises either), but it can be seen as positive potential for the camera-based sensing.

See, how easy it is when you don't make promises you don't break. All you can see is positive potential there then.

 

[landis]

Is Pennsylvania the only state that requires headlights (and taillights) to be on in the rain?

Shall I hope for, or just be surprised when auto wipers and auto headlights 'just work' together?

I haven't seen this mentioned yet. Is it already covered?

 

[ucmndd]

Is Pennsylvania the only state that requires headlights (and taillights) to be on in the rain?

No.

Shall I hope for, or just be surprised when auto wipers and auto headlights 'just work' together?

I haven't seen this mentioned yet. Is it already covered?

My AP2 car already turns the headlights on when the wipers are activated.

 

[arcus]

See, how easy it is when you don't make promises you don't break. All you can see is positive potential there then.

Then again, only those who don't try never fail. Aiming low makes it for an easily achievable target.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

The myth that there are less sensors is simply not true, they just included a less capable sensor.

Not sure, but aren't there fewer sensors on AP2 than AP1?

Look at this picture of the setup for AP1

What you are showing are cut-outs for sensing heads. You are of course right that AP2 has less of them, obviously, since its sensor is a smaller combo. But there is only one sensor device behind them.

AP2:

In the AP1 facelift wiring diagram, there is a "Wiper / Washer and Rain Sensor" page describing a combined "Rain Light Sensor".

In the AP2 wiring diagram that same page is now "Wiper, Washer and HVAC Sensor" describing an "HVAC Sensor".

Both the AP1 and AP2 sensor connect to Body Control Module (BCM), which further on connect to e.g. headlights and wipers - actually still marked as such in the case of AP2 as well.

In both cases, the LIN-wire from the sensor (Rain Light in AP1 or HVAC in AP2) to the BCM is designated "WPR" (wiper).

I believe the current assumption is that what used to be a Rain, Light and Humidity sensor (a very common combo in this area in cars) in AP1, is now just a Light and Humidity sensor in AP2, used e.g. by the headlights, climate control and wipers.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Then again, only those who don't try never fail. Aiming low makes it for an easily achievable target.

That's IMO a fallacy. There is no need to make promises to aim high. All they'd have to do is aim high internally. And if they have to do it in public, there is no need to ask money for it, i.e. to pre-sell those promises.

 

[georgewyull]

Auto wipers feedback - seem to work well in daylight, but they are pretty terrible at night, out of urban/lit up areas. Mine would only really work once another car drove past and illuminated the windscreen at night.Hopefully this can be improved upon.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Auto wipers feedback - seem to work well in daylight, but they are pretty terrible at night, out of urban/lit up areas. Mine would only really work once another car drove past and illuminated the windscreen at night.Hopefully this can be improved upon.

This is not an unexpected problem with passive sensors such as cameras. Traditional rain sensors use a built-in light source (infrared) to highlight and measure rain (well, actually, to lose light through wet reflection). This is a bit like the camera vs. Lidar conversation. Lidar is also great in darkness, because it provides an active light (laser) of its own. Cameras do not provide a light of their own (unless infrared cannons are used). The car's headlights, OTOH, may not be optimized in showing rain where it is best percetible to the cameras...

I'm sure this can be improved on, but these are the kind of things where one would wish Tesla had a bit more robust and redundant suite to work with.

 

[Ken7]

Probably because there is no need to wipe if there's nobody in the car to look out the windshield.

Also makes a lot of sense if you’re sending the car through a car wash unattended.

 

[Duffer]

That’s the only way I’ll probably be able to test on my car
We’re in So Cal and rain no longer happens here !!

We live near Irvine Lake which is now more like a pond

Hoping for some rain soon, we need it

I think the rain cycle is every 8 years here in NorCal.

Hmm, now if I can get my wife to stand in just the right place when washing the car...

 

[SucreTease]

Can someone explain why the need for a neural net for rain-sensing wipers? I don't understand. Seems like an overengineering feat to me?

Especially when they could have used blockchain to do it.

 

[lunitiks]

What you are showing are cut-outs for sensing heads. You are of course right that AP2 has less of them, obviously, since its sensor is a smaller combo. But there is only one sensor device behind them.

I'm afraid this might be a misunderstanding. On AP1, there's one camera and one sensor: The Hella rain-light/solar-humidity sensor. I've posted images and diagrams of it elswhere, but I'll repost them here:

If you look closely, the other "black dots" to the right of the camera aren't actually sensors, but termination points for the heating thread you see around and in front of the camera