Ok, I think I know what this is!!!
It’s a receiver/antenna for the upcoming Starlink global broadband Internet! You know, those Microsat-2a and Microsat-2b satellites that SpaceX is launching this week!
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Hello, rear radar :-)
- Thread starter lunitiks
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Ok, I think I know what this is!!!
It’s a receiver/antenna for the upcoming Starlink global broadband Internet! You know, those Microsat-2a and Microsat-2b satellites that SpaceX is launching this week!
strangecosmos
Non-Member
I don’t know. What else is shaped like a rectangular prism, or can be contained in one?
stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
Sure, but it looks exactly like a radar unit and there really isn't anything much else that makes sense to put there (nothing comes to mind) and looks the same.
strangecosmos
Non-Member
Fair enough. Someone mentioned vehicle-to-vehicle communications for platooning, but that makes less sense than radar. Could it be a new high-res GPS? Or perhaps a redundant/secondary homelink to allow a safety driver to take remote control of an unpiloted vehicle in autonomous mode?
Perhaps as tech writer some research , go for your investigative journalism award
, go for your investigative journalism award
strangecosmos
Non-Member
It would be logical to add a rear-facing radar rather than 360-degree radar. For the simple reason that roads are long but narrow. The ultrasonics can see two lanes in either direction, but only two car lengths back. That means cameras are the only sensor modality for most of the stuff happening behind the car. Having at least two sensor modalities is good.
Of course it would be ideal to have quadruple redundant 360-degree radar, lidar, thermal imaging, microphones, ultraviolet, and x-rays, but Tesla is trying to strike a delicate balance between functionality and cost.
Of course it would be ideal to have quadruple redundant 360-degree radar, lidar, thermal imaging, microphones, ultraviolet, and x-rays, but Tesla is trying to strike a delicate balance between functionality and cost.
It seems highly unlikely now that the rear camera is active for Autopilot. This would mean on the Model 3 there's radar only for the rear.
strangecosmos
Non-Member
I’m almost certain the rear Model 3 camera is used for Autopilot, just as it is in the S and X. See the Autopilot page.
You know backup camera is not used on S/X autopilot, right? IT does not have an NN, it's a second class citizen in every respect (worse quality, blinded easily, ...) and at one time it was not even included in snapshots.
Do all the other cameras have networks attached? I know you said previously that the wide angle only has the rain sensing network; are all 6 others accounted for? The website says EAP uses 4 cameras where FSD uses 8, and it would make sense for those 4 to be front standard, front narrow, and the two side repeaters. And it would also make sense for only EAP networks to be being hooked up for now.
Someone here mentioned that the 3 is advertised to use 7 cameras, as opposed to the 8 mentioned on that page. I can’t find it but it may be on the order page or something. If that’s the case, it would make sense for the rear camera to be axed in favor of this radar.
All the cameras except backup camera have a matching NN now (used or unused).
In 17.50.2 (the last firmware I had on my car) it appeared that only main_narrow NN was active. I have no way of knowing about what current firmwares do (but it's a safe bet the rain sensing NN is now active since 17.50.3). The NNs themselves did not change for quite a while now (like since November) which is probably a sign they are happy with their performance so far.
It could be that the rear-facing camera is only used with FSD. Where there is no neural net for it because however it functions is left for the FSD code. As part of the upgrade from 4 to 8 active cameras.
"Build upon Enhanced Autopilot and order Full Self-Driving Capability on your Tesla. This doubles the number of active cameras from four to eight".
Of course in real world situations the rear-view camera is hardly ever usable due to how much dirt accumulates on it. So having some kind of additional sensor was likely required. Radar is perfect for this as your primarily looking for motion (cross traffic, incoming cars, etc). I still think it's going to need to go to an NN to pick up things like kids, small animals, etc.
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strangecosmos
Non-Member
Really!
So do the left and right rearward cameras give a full 180-degree field or view?they do, but there's a dead zone behind the car. Check in the ap2.0 pictures threadReally!
Zarwin
Member
Really!
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