How is your rear camera after MCU1 to MCU2 upgade (dark?)

[Cheburashka]

Good tip. I try to do the same, but it is very dangerous in certain situations. For example, I back into my driveway at night. The driveway is sloped towards the street, so I need to apply pressure to the accelerator, and can't ride the brakes unless I get a "running start" <- the dangerous part. Furthermore, the rear camera is _essential_ when backing up a on a slope because the field of view out the rear window is to narrow on the vertical plane. While I might be able to see a human, or other large object out the rear window, or there might be enough light to reflect off a person wearing a white shirt, forget about seeing road obstacles such as pot holes, small children, cats, bikes etc..
Oh, and no, my car is so old, it does not have the ultrasonic collision indicators, so the camera is even more important.

I use my emergency blinkers/park anywhere lights when backing up to get more illumination.

 

[Hank42]

I sure wish we could find a way to get Tesla to put it back like it used to be. Isn't there some hero out there who can get a Twitter response out of Elon about this?

I wish, but why does it need to come to that?
I can't I just talk to someone/open a ticket/email etc, and have Tesla HQ adjust the settings remotly? NO? Ok, then I'm forced to waste Tesla's time, and mine with a Service appointment - probably just to be told "yeah, we know about it, deal with it". Ok, now this is novel - let users adjust some of their own settings and eliminate all the complaints - It's be nice to adjust the contrast/brightness of the rear camera now wouldn't it?

 

[MP3Mike]

It's be nice to adjust the contrast/brightness of the rear camera now wouldn't it?

Even if Tesla allowed you to change them US laws forbid Tesla to allow you to save those changes. You would have to make the change every time the camera is turned on.

So, enough people have to complain to get Tesla to change the default settings...

 

[Hank42]

I'm not so sure the camera is at fault, as others have mentioned. It appears the new screen's contrast/brightness settings are at play - adjusting the brightness (user configurable) of the display doesn't help much - the contrast setting needs to be changed.

 

[croman]

I'm not so sure the camera is at fault, as others have mentioned. It appears the new screen's contrast/brightness settings are at play - adjusting the brightness (user configurable) of the display doesn't help much - the contrast setting needs to be changed.

Is definitely not hardware. It is software and contrast is easily adjusted but I bet the AI prefers lower contrast to identify shadow movement which is lost by crushing black levels when increasing contrast.

 

[Hank42]

Is definitely not hardware. It is software and contrast is easily adjusted but I bet the AI prefers lower contrast to identify shadow movement which is lost by crushing black levels when increasing contrast.

I don't have an AI, so not sure that applies Let the AI see what it wants, and let the human see what a human needs to see!

 

[Horia]

Same low light camera issue here. Updated my 2012 model S to MCU2 after MCU1 died the expected "black screen" death about 3 months ago. Immediately after the upgrade, service said Tesla FW team is aware of the issue and is on their "to-do" list. Since then I got several FW updates, none addressing the problem.

When I contacted the SC now for an update(I needed to schedule an service appointment, it was impossible to contact them on the email/phone) , the service guy kept BS-ing ,saying that's normal, even though I mentioned MCU1 didn't have that issue and Tesla previously acknowledged the issue .

On a side note, Tesla service went from stellar few years ago to 0 stars now. Can't even blame the service personnel, they are severely understaffed and flooded by angry customers last few times I was there.

 

[Hank42]

Same low light camera issue here. Updated my 2012 model S to MCU2 after MCU1 died the expected "black screen" death about 3 months ago. Immediately after the upgrade, service said Tesla FW team is aware of the issue and is on their "to-do" list. Since then I got several FW updates, none addressing the problem.

When I contacted the SC now for an update(I needed to schedule an service appointment, it was impossible to contact them on the email/phone) , the service guy kept BS-ing ,saying that's normal, even though I mentioned MCU1 didn't have that issue and Tesla previously acknowledged the issue .

On a side note, Tesla service went from stellar few years ago to 0 stars now. Can't even blame the service personnel, they are severely understaffed and flooded by angry customers last few times I was there.

Did you actually attend your appointment to speak to the Service Guy, or did they contact you before your appointment?
I too "just want to open a ticket" but instead, I had to open a service appointment - waste of everyone's time. I sure hope they do not try to charge me a diagnostic fee for something so obvious.
BTW, great photo - every ti me I try, my phone camera alters the white balance to make the dark brighter

 

[Horia]

Did you actually attend your appointment to speak to the Service Guy, or did they contact you before your appointment?
I too "just want to open a ticket" but instead, I had to open a service appointment - waste of everyone's time. I sure hope they do not try to charge me a diagnostic fee for something so obvious.
BTW, great photo - every ti me I try, my phone camera alters the white balance to make the dark brighter

Yes, I talked to someone form the service. Waste of time. Guy literally told me that at nighttime the camera doesn't get the same amount of light as it does during day, and that's why it's darker.

As of now I'm using the emergency light excellent tip from this thread, and wait for v11

 

[Horia]

Hank42 - they contacted me before the appointment. Guess that's one way to actually speak with someone.

 

[Hank42]

Hank42 - they contacted me before the appointment. Guess that's one way to actually speak with someone.

I just a text asking me for more information. But as of now, my in-person-show-up-again-late-for-work-appointment is still set.

 

[Hank42]

UPDATE:
Instead of taking it in, a ranger reached out to me and came to replace my rear camera. He stated MCU2 needs a new camera to make it work properly in the dark. Ok, I'm game. (Doesn't answer why the same camera worked flawlessly with MCU2 for low light conditions - but there could be some firmware compatibility that makes the pair work better.)

It's an improvement, but I don't consider the issue fixed to my satisfaction. You be the judge - here are the before and after pics, and pics compared with my Model 3. While I don't have any pics from MCU1 with camera 1, You'll have to take my word that the image resembled the same brightness and clarity as the Model 3 photo:

MODEL 3:

MODEL S - MCU2 - ORIGINAL CAMERA W/BACKUP LIGHTS

MODEL S - MCU2 - ORIGINAL CAMERA W/BRAKE LIGHTS

MODEL S - MCU2 - NEW CAMERA W/BRAKE LIGHTS

MODEL S - MCU2 - NEW CAMERA W/REVERSE LIGHTS

It's an improvement, and I applaud Tesla for making an attempt. It is usable, but nothing like the original, and certainly does not come close to the near daylight scene of the 3

 

[SoCal Buzz]

Much better and usable at least.

 

[Horia]

Definite improvement. I'll need to reach out to Tesla...again, since it appears there is a solution.

 

[Trebek1762]

UPDATE:
Instead of taking it in, a ranger reached out to me and came to replace my rear camera. He stated MCU2 needs a new camera to make it work properly in the dark. Ok, I'm game. (Doesn't answer why the same camera worked flawlessly with MCU2 for low light conditions - but there could be some firmware compatibility that makes the pair work better.)

Do you have a part number for the camera or a work invoice showing what was done?

 

[Hank42]

Do you have a part number for the camera or a work invoice showing what was done?

You know, they never sent me an invoice/follow-up. Huh.. Wonder why that is. I'll try to find out.

 

[SucreTease]

You know, they never sent me an invoice/follow-up.

They don't send you one. It is accessed from the Service portion of the Tesla phone app.

 

[krsgio]

My appointment is next week. Originally when I approved my invoice I saw a camera on there but didn't think anything of it. I can't access the invoice again now that I can tell in the app prior to my appointment to get the part number.

 

[KArnold]

Did you pay for the new camera?

 

[Battpower]

Guy literally told me that at nighttime the camera doesn't get the same amount of light as it does during day, and that's why it's darker.

It's quite staggering how stupid they think there customers must be. How do they have the nerve to come up with this kinda cr*p?! And then we let them work on our cars.

@krsgio, I don't see how this can primarily be a camera issue. Evidently swapping the camera appears to make a small difference, but just look at those who have had the mcu upgraded. They went from 'all cameras similar and useable' to 'rear camera totally dark in lower light levels' and all they had swapped was the MCU itself.