I'm always concerned with damaging the front lip when pulling in to a parking spot with a curb in front. My wife discovered that you can use the rear camera to aid in this. When inching forward into the spot, look at the rear camera and as soon as you can see the parking lines, you know you're in the spot. Brilliant. Here's a picture of my screen once I pulled into the spot. Pretty simple and I hope everyone enjoys using this idea.
At least around here, the length of parking spots vary wildly. There are tons the S sticks out a bit in the back even if I pull all the way up. A neat tip, but I'd be concerned about unknowingly pulling into a shallow spot.
We haven't seen that issue in NJ. Maybe there is a regulation here that requires spots be a certain depth?
Agreed. I tried this once or twice, but spot widths and depths vary greatly (is there a standard?), so in reality, it's only useful if you know the spot and that the lines match up with what you're aiming for.
I use it when I drive through one spot to park facing out on the other side - as soon as I can see the painted dividing line in the camera, I stop.
Which s/w release has those handy arrows? Just kidding I use the b/u camera for the same thing, I also know I'm far enough into my garage when I can see 1 full tile behind me.
Like many, I also worry about scuffing the lower front on parking bumpers. A front, downward tilted camera would be a great option. Its impossible to judge exactly horizontal approach distance, or the height of the curb or bumper vis a vis the low Tesla. With a previous car, I once parked over a parking stop with no problem, but when I backed out, two rebar were sticking up just a half inch, but they hooked under the plastic lower bumper piece and ripped it right off.
I usually "Back in" to a parking spot, so that back up camera automatically comes on and very clearly shows where the curb is. Secondly, rear of the car is much higher compared to the front end and that prevents scuffing. Other times I have used the b/u camera while driving which eliminates most of the blind spots.
That happens a lot (with the rebar), though I guess it's more of a North America problem, most spaces are not like that elsewhere, but the curbs can be much angrier, my old street had granite curb stones, and were brutal to rims. You never forget that crunching sound!
great idea tried it today and it worked if you park at the same places all the time you can get used to the length of the parking lines and do it backing in is also the preferred way but sometimes the drivers door will face a wall and you cant get out
You might want to look at artsci's solution, here is the link: Front/Rear Camera Touchscreen Switch Kit - SOLD
Which would also be relatively easy to achieve in software, to provide a drivers blind spot aid. My previous car (A5) used the rear camera for blind spot detection, but I think it also had sensors in the mirror housings.
Not so easy to achieve in software as you might think. WhiteP85 spent two months designing the circuit for the camera switch, and this was just to switch between a front and rear image on the touchscreen with two Tesla cameras mounted on the the car -- the stock Tesla camera on the rear and another mounted on the front.