Curious bit on inside front roof rendering

[Andrew]

I was just looking at the pics of the new Shop Tesla Gear Model S Panoramic Roof Sunshades and noticed the rendering of the ceiling piece/coverplate between the regular sun visors. In our car (delivered March 2013), it's just a flat-ish plastic grill in that space.

Are new cars coming with something that looks like this? What is it? Two directional microphones? Poorly-placed coat hooks?

 

[pgiralt]

I was just looking at the pics of the new Shop Tesla Gear Model S Panoramic Roof Sunshades and noticed the rendering of the ceiling piece/coverplate between the regular sun visors. In our car (delivered March 2013), it's just a flat-ish plastic grill in that space.

Are new cars coming with something that looks like this? What is it? Two directional microphones? Poorly-placed coat hooks?

Supposedly the european-spec cars have always had this. Not sure why it's different from the US. Maybe someone can comment if recent US-spec cars have the new design.

 

[mknox]

Supposedly the european-spec cars have always had this. Not sure why it's different from the US. Maybe someone can comment if recent US-spec cars have the new design.

The NA design does have two microphones under the grille. Early on, I complained of poor voice recognition and thought I was going to get this new assembly. I didn't. They replaced the microphones behind the grille which did fix my problem.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

I was just looking at the pics of the new Shop Tesla Gear Model S Panoramic Roof Sunshades and noticed the rendering of the ceiling piece/coverplate between the regular sun visors. In our car (delivered March 2013), it's just a flat-ish plastic grill in that space.

Are new cars coming with something that looks like this? What is it? Two directional microphones? Poorly-placed coat hooks?

I could be wrong, but I think this is a design change from 2013 cars to 2014 cars

 

[pgiralt]

I could be wrong, but I think this is a design change from 2013 cars to 2014 cars

Pretty sure all the EU cars have had this - even those shipped in 2013. The question is - is there anyone with a US car that actually has this on their car?

 

[Newscutter]

Dammit. Made me walk all the way to the parking lot (at work) to look.

My US build car from a couple months ago does not have that piece. Just the large grill area. Of course, that was nearly 12,000 VINs ago (holy crap!)

 

[SeminoleFSU]

Pretty sure all the EU cars have had this - even those shipped in 2013. The question is - is there anyone with a US car that actually has this on their car?

okay the information I read was probably incorrect then. thanks

 

[Chris TX]

I wonder if that's the ionizers.

 

[pgiralt]

I wonder if that's the ionizers.

No. It's just the microphones. The ionizer would be part of the HVAC system somewhere.

 

[matbl]

Supposedly the european-spec cars have always had this. Not sure why it's different from the US. Maybe someone can comment if recent US-spec cars have the new design.

I have a recent (built early June this year) EU spec car and mine does not look like this.
For that particular part it looks exactly like the one here: Model S Photo Gallery | Tesla Motors

 

[pgiralt]

Maybe this was only something on early EU spec cars then. I'm in a US loaner with VIN 44XXX and it still has the same as in my car - the one that doesn't look like the rendering.

 

[pete8314]

To me they look like ultrasonic sensors for the intrusion alarm. Not very subtle though, but nor are they for a mic. It would be unusual to have a mic for the passenger as well.

 

[pgiralt]

To me they look like ultrasonic sensors for the intrusion alarm. Not very subtle though, but nor are they for a mic. It would be unusual to have a mic for the passenger as well.

Ahh - that might be it because that option is only available on EU cars, correct?

 

[mknox]

It would be unusual to have a mic for the passenger as well.

I think it's to pick up a passenger's voice who may be joining in on a hands-free phone call. (Just a guess on my part). Even the grill-style microphone cover has two actual mics inside.

 

[Fuzzylogic]

Yes they are the ultrasonic transducers for the intrusion alarm.
I didn't opt for that, and don't have them on my car. (EU spec) I have seen them on other cars though.