HW2 tweak in Model 3 -- addition of dedicated rain/light sensor

[alcibiades]

As most know, the HW2 cars lack a dedicated light/rain sensor. Despite launch day assurances that our cars would ship with auto headlights/highbeams and rain-sensing wipers, the former arrived very late (auto-highs were in the 17.releases, I think) and the latter is nothing but a promise in a tweet. And now it appears that Tesla has realized they made a mistake.

Behold: the Model 3 camera suite

Is there any chance they could do a retrofit or am I simply out of luck with regard to the wipers? Pretty aggravating for a car that cost me over 100k to be missing a useful feature that requires a sensor that costs less than $50.

 

[Saghost]

The rain sensing wipers on AP1 cars aren't great, but they more or less work.

Tesla promised you rain sensing, and I expect they'll deliver, regardless of what they do for the 3. It may or may not work better than the AP1 solution.

Looking at the picture, I would think a retrofit would require a windshield replacement and is thus unlikely.

 

[araxara]

Check this other thread where the poster has a picture of the rain sensor on his AP2 car: Model 3 has dedicated rain sensor, a bad sign. So it seams that no retrofit is necessary.

 

[MarcusMaximus]

As most know, the HW2 cars lack a dedicated light/rain sensor. Despite launch day assurances that our cars would ship with auto headlights/highbeams and rain-sensing wipers, the former arrived very late (auto-highs were in the 17.releases, I think) and the latter is nothing but a promise in a tweet. And now it appears that Tesla has realized they made a mistake.

Behold: the Model 3 camera suite

Is there any chance they could do a retrofit or am I simply out of luck with regard to the wipers? Pretty aggravating for a car that cost me over 100k to be missing a useful feature that requires a sensor that costs less than $50.

Check your car and you'll see this same sensor is there. Not entirely sure what it does, but I noticed it a few months ago on my 2016 AP2 S.

 

[alcibiades]

Check your car and you'll see this same sensor is there. Not entirely sure what it does, but I noticed it a few months ago on my 2016 AP2 S.

Even Tesla mouthpiece elektrek says what we see in the 3 is a rain sensor.

So that there is a sensor of one sort in a kind of similar spot in the X/S doesn't mean that the sensor in a different spot on the 3 is the same as the S/X sensor. This is what my camera housing looks like. I guess we'll find out when the 3 is released or if a "journalist" ever has the balls or access to ask Tesla serious questions.

 

[MarcusMaximus]

Even Tesla mouthpiece elektrek says what we see in the 3 is a rain sensor.

So that there is a sensor of one sort in a kind of similar spot in the X/S doesn't mean that the sensor in a different spot on the 3 is the same as the S/X sensor. This is what my camera housing looks like. I guess we'll find out when the 3 is released or if a "journalist" ever has the balls or access to ask Tesla serious questions.


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So far as I can tell, Electrek got their info on it being a rain sensor from people saying it was on these forums. It's not particularly outlandish that it would be(especially if you're unaware of the very similar sensor on the MS/X), and Tesla isn't saying anything, so they ran with it.

That was then discovered and used as a source here, making a nice little feedback loop.

 

[ecarfan]

This is being discussed in multiple existing threads. For example Model 3 has dedicated rain sensor, a bad sign