Autopilot Retrofit on Classic P85 - Done by wizkid057!

[cdub]

Didn't see a post on this yet... but he did it:

Autopilot Retrofit on Classic P85 | wk057's SkieNET

So, a couple of months ago I decided that I would look into attempting to retrofit everything needed to make my my wife's 2014 P85 (VIN P28xxx) autopilot capable. Several people said I was crazy, that it would never work, it would take way too much time and effort, would cost more than just trading in towards a new car with autopilot, and all sorts of nay-saying from multiple people. I’m not one to be easily discouraged, however.

Suffice it to say, it’s been a heck of a project. But most importantly, a completely successful one and my wife is now the proud owner of the very first “classic” Model S to be retrofitted with full autopilot hardware.

First, don’t expect this to open the floodgates for people to start retrofitting autopilot on to older Model S. This was a pretty crazy project to take on, and honestly I’m not going to do it again. It requires the ability to modify the vehicle’s internal configuration and the ability to calibrate and VIN-burn various modules once they’re installed and wired, none of which I am disclosing methods for accomplishing, sorry.

Next, this project took me roughly 50 hours of labor working on the actual car, spread over about a week. This doesn’t include the hours spent planning everything I was going to do. I spent many hours going over the wiring diagrams and comparing my wife’s P85 to my P85D. I went over every possible detail before even starting to gather parts to be as certain as possible that this would work with her car when I was done. I also spent hours making custom wiring harnesses, tracking down some of the oddball connectors needed, and laying things out in detail before beginning work.



Finally, this project does have some warranty implications for sure, the extent of which I probably don’t even know. Basically nothing I’ve added to the car will be covered by or be able to be worked on by Tesla service. To them, this is a 2014 P85 that is pre-autopilot. If anything goes wrong with anything related to my changes (and there are a LOT of changes) then I’m on my own. Fortunately none of the major components needed to be changed or modified, like the motor and battery. So legally, my warranty is intact on the important stuff. Overall, I’m unsure how Tesla is going to react to this, if at all.

 

[wk057]

Subscribed.

 

[cdub]

Subscribed.

Impressive man. I'd be worried it wouldn't work or would go haywire... but then again that's just me... I worry.

But kudos man. Nice wrap too.

 

[cdub]

Has Elon offered you a job yet?

 

[TerribleOne]

Wow nice work man! Very impressive.

 

[davidc18]

awsome!

 

[ggies07]

This is nuts man, nuts! But very impressive.

 

[fluxemag]

I'm an Electrical Engineer and am consistently blown away by your projects wk057! That's some fearless tinkering...

 

[Rockster]

wk057, you are a god!

 

[Da0ne]

awesome work i would love to convert my classic 85 to have autopilot

 

[DieAbetic]

WK057... amazing man. Really impressive.

How on earth did you get the firmware/software update? All you say is "I spent several hours getting the firmware and calibrations working.... After a bit more work with calibrations and firmware, everything was in order." Does this mean you already had the firmware to tweak, or had to somehow trick Tesla into sending firmware/software? Get it from your other car's firmware, perhaps?

 

[Brightonuk]

This is totally amazing awesome job mate

 

[disillusioned]

"Oh, look, an actual crazy person!"

This is intense. I also love that you have the yellow on the dash. Is that an image you have to make yourself, or do you just specify an RGB value and the interface colors it?

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

I was thinking in the u tube video that the P85 didn't have sensors before...nice!

 

[Canuck]

Very impressive!

"I did this as a sort of proof-of-concept, and because I wanted my wife to have autopilot but didn’t want to trade her car in."

I call BS on that though. In fact, he did it because of me:

So, to clarify my previous points, I will not be buying another retail product from Tesla. Better? lol... some people... (starting to wonder why I cleared certain people off of my ignore list...)

Stop the Press! Tesla announces REAL HP numbers for P85D and P90L

Oh, and when you buy another vehicle from them, years down the line, and I can almost guarantee you will, I hope my words, and this exchange, comes to mind. Regardless of putting me on your ignore list (as if I care -- but nice of you to mention what you think of me), you probably won't be able to ignore that thought from popping up.

Stop the Press! Tesla announces REAL HP numbers for P85D and P90L

This was my plan from the start since now I can get my "classic" non-AP S done next, right WK057? We go way back, and we're the best of friends. Always getting along so well!

Wait a minute, he says this: "Now, I know the next big question: How much did it cost? Well, not counting my own labor, all together the project cost less than $9,000. That includes costs for parts from Tesla..."

Isn't that buying "another retail product" from Tesla? I win!

Come back wk057 and please post here again. The new forum isn't that bad. I lost all my rep points too in the transition and I was so close to getting the free pony!

 

[Dithermaster]

That is so mega awesome. If the hobby version was that much, I see why Tesla doesn't do retrofits, it would cost $20K!

However, I didn't read anything in there that explains how the pre-AP car steers itself -- are there already actuators for steering in non-AP cars? Did I miss something? I re-scanned the posting and even searched for "steer" and only found the part about the levers.

 

[Todd Burch]

Wow wk, simply amazing. For my own selfish reasons, I hope Tesla gives you a high level technical position so you can make our cars even better .

 

[Adrien]

WOW....Just Wow! I'm sure like many others here I want to just pick your brain on all the intricacies of your project. I had lots of naysayers back when I was building (and built) the highest horsepower Integra. We don't listen, right? ;P

"Oh, look, an actual crazy person!"

This is intense. I also love that you have the yellow on the dash. Is that an image you have to make yourself, or do you just specify an RGB value and the interface colors it?

Kind of. I saw in another post it was some kind of number based system and not Hex. I don't remember, but you've got the methodology right.



I wonder how much access to the drivetrain components you can get to and start incrementally demanding more Amps from the inverter all while watching temps sensors, etc. Theoretically it's that easy to crank up power on EVs, just temps are the issue

 

[Camera-Cruiser]

Subscribed.

Madness! and I want some.

One day my wife is going to come home and find "her" Tesla in the state of undress depicted in WK057's blog and she will kill me.
Yup. Someday.....

You might go blind, but here is the link: Autopilot Retrofit on Classic P85 | wk057's SkieNET

 

[Saghost]

That is so mega awesome. If the hobby version was that much, I see why Tesla doesn't do retrofits, it would cost $20K!

However, I didn't read anything in there that explains how the pre-AP car steers itself -- are there already actuators for steering in non-AP cars? Did I miss something? I re-scanned the posting and even searched for "steer" and only found the part about the levers.

Virtually every modern car has the equipment to steer itself, if it knew where to steer.

Tesla uses a dual pinion electric power steering unit, which means there's an electric motor pushing on a second rack on the power steering under normal conditions anyway. It's programmed to apply force in carefully measured increments in response to how you turn the steering wheel (thus lessening the force required on the steering wheel) - but it is just as capable of pushing the steering from lock to lock on its own, with different programming.

I don't know the details of hooking the AP module into the steering, or whether they just talk over the CANBus, maybe? - but I've never read anything suggesting the power steering system was different on the AP cars.
Walter