Can you validate any of these Software update claims?

[Jlindo]

Hello! I'm considering putting my order in for a Model X. My question applies to the S and X.

After my extended test drive which was amazing, the advisor at the Tesla showroom claimed the following:

1. Model S/Xs run a Linux OS (confirmed) but model 3s are running a new system that Tesla wrote from the ground up (no longer Linux (unlikely) or a new flavor of Linux?)

2. Latency response on the S/X is 140ms (unclear if referring to network or screen refresh), but model 3 is 10ms.

3. Tesla is porting the new software currently used in model 3 which is faster and more responsive to the S/X.

4. Computer hardware in the latest S/X is faster/ better than the model 3s, and therefore once the software port is released they will perform better than the model 3s interface.

5. Soon model S/Xs with existing latest hardware will be software upgraded and speed and responsiveness will be at least as good as the model 3s.

This was after my comments to him that the interface on the S/X is quite slow and unresponsive.

Can folks help validate or clarify any of these claims?

Thanks!

 

[bmah]

Hello! I'm considering putting my order in for a Model X. My question applies to the S and X.

After my extended test drive which was amazing, the advisor at the Tesla showroom claimed the following:

1. Model S/Xs run a Linux OS (confirmed) but model 3s are running a new system that Tesla wrote from the ground up (no longer Linux (unlikely) or a new flavor of Linux?)

2. Latency response on the S/X is 140ms (unclear if referring to network or screen refresh), but model 3 is 10ms.

3. Tesla is porting the new software currently used in model 3 which is faster and more responsive to the S/X.

4. Computer hardware in the latest S/X is faster/ better than the model 3s, and therefore once the software port is released they will perform better than the model 3s interface.

5. Soon model S/Xs with existing latest hardware will be software upgraded and speed and responsiveness will be at least as good as the model 3s.

This was after my comments to him that the interface on the S/X is quite slow and unresponsive.

Can folks help validate or clarify any of these claims?

Thanks!

I'll take a shot at these.

1. Model S and Model X run a variant of Ubuntu Linux on the CID and IC (the two screens). There are some other computers in the car that run other embedded operating systems. I believe the Model 3 also runs Linux on its center screen. It is fairly unlikely that Tesla (or most other technology companies) have the ability to build a new operating system "from the ground up".

2. I don't understand the context for "latency response".

3. This may or may not be true, although so far as us in the public have seen, there's no indication that the software on the Model 3 is being backported to the Model S/X, wholesale.

4. This is false. The processors in the Model S and Model X IC and CID are the same as when the Model S was first introduced (some version of the Tegra processor, Tegra 3 I think). The Model 3 runs something different but I'm not sure what it is (others here can comment on this). There have been some rumors about the Model S/X IC and CID running on Intel processors in a future hardware update. I am not sure about the capabilities of the processors used for the autopilot functionality.

5. Unlikely. People who have rooted the CID and IC on the Model S and Model X (I am not one of them) have noted that the Tegra 3 is fairly underpowered and it's not likely that this hardware could be made to perform much better in terms of responsiveness.

Bruce.

 

[FlyF4]

3. false. 4. false. 5 false.

 

[Ande]

#1 , of course, they could optimize their Linux , or base on another distro, but leaving Linux is .. completely unrealistic.

responsiveness ? unless I would play a high speed FPV shooter on the cars computer, I've never thought about "responsiveness" of it , are you suggesting that selecting an album or suspension level have too much delay on the graphical feedback ? - I don't have translucent fingers, so I never gave it a thought of how fast a button respond..

 

[chillaban]

Hello! I'm considering putting my order in for a Model X. My question applies to the S and X.

After my extended test drive which was amazing, the advisor at the Tesla showroom claimed the following:

1. Model S/Xs run a Linux OS (confirmed) but model 3s are running a new system that Tesla wrote from the ground up (no longer Linux (unlikely) or a new flavor of Linux?)

As far as I've seen this is false; the Model 3 is still running Linux though they may have gone with a different Linux stack compared to what's on the S/X

2. Latency response on the S/X is 140ms (unclear if referring to network or screen refresh), but model 3 is 10ms.

I can believe that. But another way of saying 140ms and 10ms are 7fps and 100fps.... One of which is abysmal and the other is nothing to write home about in the era of 144Hz monitors and 120Hz tablets.

3. Tesla is porting the new software currently used in model 3 which is faster and more responsive to the S/X.

Believable though not confirmed.

4. Computer hardware in the latest S/X is faster/ better than the model 3s, and therefore once the software port is released they will perform better than the model 3s interface.

TOTAL BS. The Model 3 uses an Intel Gordon Peak (Atom) SoC that is almost 10 years newer than the aging Tegra 2 and Tegra 3 based computer in the Model S / Model X. There's no imaginable way that this can be rectified with software updates. The Tegra 3 was used for those first generation Android tablets back in the good old days... it's an aging relic.

5. Soon model S/Xs with existing latest hardware will be software upgraded and speed and responsiveness will be at least as good as the model 3s.

That's really hard to believe. Especially given the 10ms claim requires refreshing the panel faster than current S/X hardware supports.


Your advisor is talking beyond his abilities.... Half of this is rumors about a always-around-the-corner update and the other half is just unbelievable.

 

[TexasEV]

I wish Tesla would train their employees to say “I don’t know” when they don’t know something. Instead, they make stuff up.

 

[FlyF4]

I wish Tesla would train their employees to say “I don’t know” when they don’t know something. Instead, they make stuff up.

Exactly what I was thinking. They need to just tone it down.

 

[TaoJones]

It is a strange and disappointing reality that a company that relies so much upon word of mouth has representatives that do the very thing that tends to torpedo word of mouth. Overpromising and underdelivering. Or not delivering at all.

Details matter. Keep an eye upon the surveys of new owner satisfaction. Tesla used to be at the top (98%) followed only by Corvette owners at 97% (and then a gap followed by everyone else). The last version of that monitoring I saw had Tesla at 92%. That's still fantastic for such a relatively young company, but that's also cause for concern.

Big picture, I think it's clear what Elon's trying to do - lead the way for everyone else in order to get the one thing he can't build in-house - competition. And he's already achieving this (see Norway and other countries with their intentions to no longer sell gas-powered vehicles soon).

It's still vexing for those of us funding this civilization-changing paradigm when we're ... how do I put this in a watered down version so as to avoid fascist censorship... when we're given misinformation repeatedly. And this from a sales organization that ranked NUMBER ONE, which is to say DEAD LAST in a salesmanship survey. Imagine how bad the regular car sellers are. Of course most if not all of us remember those stealership experiences vividly.

When you're #1, at 98%, the challenge is to get to 99%. And then 99.9% And so forth. It'll cost more than staying over 90% year over year. Ain't nothing easy.

 

[Jlindo]

Thanks guys, appreciate the info and thoughts!

 

[animorph]

Hey, at least the S and X have two ancient computers.

 

[Sonny Daze]

Based on my interactions with Tesla employees I'm surprised one of them knew what any of things are, let alone what Tesla is doing. One tried to tell me that no manufacturers make manual transmissions anymore and that Alcantara was made from cows.

 

[bob_p]

When we went to a local Store to see a new Model 3 - they had a long line of people waiting to sit in the car with a Tesla "expert" who would go through the car's features during our turn in the car.

Since we've been researching the Model 3 - we were more familiar with the Model 3 than the Tesla "expert".

And when the "expert" wasn't sure about a feature, he was clearly guessing.

For example, we asked where the 12V power port was - he said there wasn't one in the Model 3 - it was a feature present only in the S & X. After a quick search, we showed him where the 12V power port was - and his response was "I didn't know it was there".

Tesla staff always try to be helpful - though I wish they would admit when they don't know something - instead of guessing, because we've found they generally don't have any more information than the public has...

 

[GarrickS]

I interview people for tech jobs a lot. My biggest pet peeve is when people make answers without clearly saying they guessing.

I even tell people ahead of time. Do not make up answers. "I don't know" is a good answer. And still, most people try to impress and make up answers. It drives me bonkers.

 

[chillaban]

I interview people for tech jobs a lot. My biggest pet peeve is when people make answers without clearly saying they guessing.

I even tell people ahead of time. Do not make up answers. "I don't know" is a good answer. And still, most people try to impress and make up answers. It drives me bonkers.

It seems like a cultural/personality thing, maybe. I interview a lot of people for tech jobs too and see the exact same thing. Heck, one guy essentially reinvented USB on a whiteboard. I just don't understand the thought process of taking that gamble. The job description required this knowledge, so I guess in the best case you're bluffing that your interviewers/teammates can't call your bluff which means the job description is BS?