Calibration in Minnesota winter

[S v eastman]

I just picked up my new MYLR during a very snowy day yesterday. Wondering if any of you have experience and suggestions on how to successfully calibrate the cameras in challenging conditions. The roads are now snow covered and thus don’t show lane lines in many places. Also any tips on keeping cameras relatively clear during snowy conditions and sloppy roads would be great to learn. Thanks folks

 

[Dewg]

Unfortunately, I don't think you can calibrate without lane markings. You'll have to drive manually until you can find a well plowed highway with visible markings. The front cameras will keep themselves clean, and the B-pillar cameras are usually kept clean by aerodynamics. The A-pillar and rear camera can get dirty, and there isn't much you can do. Someone suggested hitting the lenses with some chemicals like RainX to keep them slick to water.

 

[Pianewman]

Seems obvious to me. If there's snow on curbs, painted lines, etc., there's no way for calibration to work.

As for snow on sensors, as with ANY car with sensors, you need to manually clean them if you want them to work. They don't have a heating element in them, nor tiny wipers!

 

[Liminx]

Personally, i don't trust Auto Drive, FSD, or cruise control in messy weather. Worried about phantom braking that can end up in a hydroplane or something. safety first ! However when it is not messy I am all about it

 

[sleepydoc]

Personally, i don't trust Auto Drive, FSD, or cruise control in messy weather. Worried about phantom braking that can end up in a hydroplane or something. safety first ! However when it is not messy I am all about it

Yes. Do not even think about using autopilot in snowy conditions. You really shouldn’t use cruise control in such conditions, either.

Give it a few days - the streets will be cleared and lines visible again and the car will be able to complete its calibration.

 

[gx9901]

I just picked up my new MYLR during a very snowy day yesterday. Wondering if any of you have experience and suggestions on how to successfully calibrate the cameras in challenging conditions. The roads are now snow covered and thus don’t show lane lines in many places. Also any tips on keeping cameras relatively clear during snowy conditions and sloppy roads would be great to learn. Thanks folks

I think highways around Twin Cities are generally pretty clear a few days after snowfall. Perhaps drive around on highways that have visible lanes (I already see some roads that have visible lanes today) in a few days.

I believe there's a heating element around the front camera, and the wipers should be enough to keep it clear if there isn't a big snow or ice buildup in the area. However, as a couple of others pointed out above, I would not use AP or any cruise control in bad weather.

 

[fiehlsport]

What's the rush? You're not going to use Autopilot in the snow anyways. Keep driving the car, and you'll hit a day where the roads are visible.

 

[sleepydoc]

What's the rush? You're not going to use Autopilot in the snow anyways. Keep driving the car, and you'll hit a day where the roads are visible.

S/he has a brand new Tesla and wants to try out all the features! I remember when I got mine - I couldn’t wait for the calibration to finish so I could try It out. The other, bigger problem is TACC doesn’t work at all until you have the sensors calibrated.

As a practical matter, the roads around Minneapolis are still too icy to be using FSD or TACC.

 

[Occupied Mars]

The cameras will not work on a snow-covered road; instead, consider a snow tire or a snow chain, which will increase your safety if you are driving on the snow-covered road all season.

 

[vonklarp]

I just picked up my new MYLR during a very snowy day yesterday. Wondering if any of you have experience and suggestions on how to successfully calibrate the cameras in challenging conditions. The roads are now snow covered and thus don’t show lane lines in many places. Also any tips on keeping cameras relatively clear during snowy conditions and sloppy roads would be great to learn. Thanks folks

In general you should not have a need to calibrate your cameras on a new vehicle.

 

[sleepydoc]

In general you should not have a need to calibrate your cameras on a new vehicle.

It’s pretty standard for the cameras to need calibration when picking up a new Tesla.

 

[sleepydoc]

For the OP, another thing to know is that Auto Pilot and FSD do not make any adjustments for rain, snow or ice. Whenever it snows you instinctively slow down and increase your stopping and following distance. More so if you see a patch of ice or snow at an intersection. Tesla isn’t that smart, so even if it needs traction control to get going and ABS to stop it will still keep acting like the road is dry.

I used TACC on my way to work tonight but disengaged and handled the braking myself whenever I got to an intersection of a section of road that wasn’t dry.

 

[S v eastman]

For the OP, another thing to know is that Auto Pilot and FSD do not make any adjustments for rain, snow or ice. Whenever it snows you instinctively slow down and increase your stopping and following distance. More so if you see a patch of ice or snow at an intersection. Tesla isn’t that smart, so even if it needs traction control to get going and ABS to stop it will still keep acting like the road is dry.

I used TACC on my way to work tonight but disengaged and handled the braking myself whenever I got to an intersection of a section of road that wasn’t dry.

Thanks for the input, I appreciate the help! The car has now calibrated but as you and others mentioned, good to wait until clear dry roads to start using the more automated features. I am excited to, so I also thank you for the heads up that those features don’t adjust to snowy etc conditions. Seems the car should be able to accommodate those conditions

 

[Volleyballmom]

Thanks for the input, I appreciate the help! The car has now calibrated but as you and others mentioned, good to wait until clear dry roads to start using the more automated features. I am excited to, so I also thank you for the heads up that those features don’t adjust to snowy etc conditions. Seems the car should be able to accommodate those conditions

After a winter of driving my MYLR AWD in snowy, icy and slushy conditions in Quebec (I'm assuming you get much of the same during your Minnesota winters), I strongly urge you to drive with the same care and caution in winter conditions as you would with any other car. The Model Y is a good car, but it's not the greatest winter driving car (even if you have top-of-the-line winter tires). And the tech is not flawless. I'm willing to bet that it certainly wasn't designed with our northern winter driving conditions top-of-mind.

I'm lucky to have a second car, so I've made my MY my fair-weather car. My Subaru Forester with studded winter tires is my winter car. And if it can't handle the conditions, nothing aside from a snowmobile will!

 

[S v eastman]

After a winter of driving my MYLR AWD in snowy, icy and slushy conditions in Quebec (I'm assuming you get much of the same during your Minnesota winters), I strongly urge you to drive with the same care and caution in winter conditions as you would with any other car. The Model Y is a good car, but it's not the greatest winter driving car (even if you have top-of-the-line winter tires). And the tech is not flawless. I'm willing to bet that it certainly wasn't designed with our northern winter driving conditions top-of-mind.

I'm lucky to have a second car, so I've made my MY my fair-weather car. My Subaru Forester with studded winter tires is my winter car. And if it can't handle the conditions, nothing aside from a snowmobile will!

Nice and great ideas! I have an AWD Honda CRV and have kept it for those same considerations.

 

[sleepydoc]

I’m on my 3rd winter with my MY and just replaced the OEM Continental tires with Vredestein. even accounting for the age of the tires the Vredesteins are significantly better in the snow. They’re still and all season tire, though, and a dedicated winter tire will clearly be better.

One thing I’ve noticed in my first 2 winters is that the MY has a tendency to swing it’s rear out and fishtail a bit on turns. I attribute that to 3 factors:

• The tires are fairly wide. Great for traction on dry pavement and also more necessary with a heavy car but it makes them more likely to become skis
• Even though it’s AWD, the MY has a rear wheel bias in its power distribution with the front motor being more of ‘on demand’ than full time. From what I’ve read I think this is due to the rear motor being more efficient combined with the fact that RWD is normally preferred for driving dynamics.
• The center of gravity of the car is further back than it is with an ICE car due to the battery placement.

The end result is that as you turn and start to accelerate out of a turn like one normally does the rear tires are more likely to lose grip. Having said that, the traction control system is quite good, IME, and it reliably recovers. I’ve never had an issue starting from a stop, either.

The final thing to consider is that the MY is a heavy car at 4500 lbs (2000 kg). No matter what it will take longer to stop - it’s just plain physics.

I came from an Audi A4 with the quattro AWD system - one of the best on the market. For winter driving it was clearly better and I was initially kind of disappointed in my MY but after getting some experience with it I’ve found it to be controllable and consistent, I just need to drive differently than I did with my Audi. If you have an AWD CRV that will still likely be better - it’s lighter and less powerful making it easier to control. (And cheaper to repair if you crash!)

Congrats again on your new baby!

 

[S v eastman]

I’m on my 3rd winter with my MY and just replaced the OEM Continental tires with Vredestein. even accounting for the age of the tires the Vredesteins are significantly better in the snow. They’re still and all season tire, though, and a dedicated winter tire will clearly be better.

One thing I’ve noticed in my first 2 winters is that the MY has a tendency to swing it’s rear out and fishtail a bit on turns. I attribute that to 3 factors:

• The tires are fairly wide. Great for traction on dry pavement and also more necessary with a heavy car but it makes them more likely to become skis
• Even though it’s AWD, the MY has a rear wheel bias in its power distribution with the front motor being more of ‘on demand’ than full time. From what I’ve read I think this is due to the rear motor being more efficient combined with the fact that RWD is normally preferred for driving dynamics.
• The center of gravity of the car is further back than it is with an ICE car due to the battery placement.

The end result is that as you turn and start to accelerate out of a turn like one normally does the rear tires are more likely to lose grip. Having said that, the traction control system is quite good, IME, and it reliably recovers. I’ve never had an issue starting from a stop, either.

The final thing to consider is that the MY is a heavy car at 4500 lbs (2000 kg). No matter what it will take longer to stop - it’s just plain physics.

I came from an Audi A4 with the quattro AWD system - one of the best on the market. For winter driving it was clearly better and I was initially kind of disappointed in my MY but after getting some experience with it I’ve found it to be controllable and consistent, I just need to drive differently than I did with my Audi. If you have an AWD CRV that will still likely be better - it’s lighter and less powerful making it easier to control. (And cheaper to repair if you crash!)

Congrats again on your new baby!

Thanks for the info, makes sense to me. I appreciate the support and the experiences you’re sharing

 

[Midnightsun]

Tesla is rear wheel bias meaning the rear is your primary drive, when slip is detected the front kicks in in slippery conditions. This moment of slip or the time it takes to engage the front, is what causes the rear end to kick out a little however it is quickly brought under control by the car. People get scared when this happens as they are not used to this type of behaviour. Once you get used to it you will see the Y or any other dual motor Tesla for that matter, really handles slippery pretty darn well. Tesla has tweaked this behaviour and continue to do so striving for the eventual perfect setup which has improved quite a bit in the last 2 years by the way.

In slippery winter conditions, keep the car in chill mode and be gentle on the accelerator, let the car do its magic.

A selectable snow mode putting the car into a front wheel bias would really help in those really bad winter conditions IMHO

 

[Tesery]

Absolutely, driving on snow-covered roads can be tricky, especially for our beloved Teslas with their high-tech cameras. Here's my take on ensuring a safe and smooth winter drive:

Snow Chains – Your Winter Knights: When cameras take a back seat due to snow covering, it's time to call in the winter knights. Tesery's Tesla Snow Chains are the unsung heroes here. They provide that extra grip, that extra assurance when the roads are more white than asphalt.

Tire Tread Matters: If chains seem a bit too much, investing in a good set of snow tires could be your winter game-changer. Look for those with deep treads designed to tackle the fluffiest of snow. They keep you stable and in control, even when the cameras are on snow-covered strike.

Safety First: Regardless of your choice, whether it's snow chains or specialized snow tires, the primary goal is safety. It's not just about navigating the winter wonderland; it's about doing it with confidence and, most importantly, safety.

So, for the upcoming snowy adventures, consider gearing up with Tesery's snow chains. They're not just accessories; they're your winter safety companions. Happy and safe driving!

 

[richyrich]

I just picked up my new MYLR during a very snowy day yesterday. Wondering if any of you have experience and suggestions on how to successfully calibrate the cameras in challenging conditions. The roads are now snow covered and thus don’t show lane lines in many places. Also any tips on keeping cameras relatively clear during snowy conditions and sloppy roads would be great to learn. Thanks folks

Take it on the highway? Around us they are salted and lanes are visible except in the very worst of storms.