Lining up to back into a charging space?

[Transformer]

Before backing into a narrow charging stall in a busy parking garage, how do you judge how far to drive past it before shifting to R?

I'm seeking an alignment guideline for Model 3, actually one for each of the near/far sides of the aisle.

How well do these answers fit a Model 3?

• The Easiest Way to Reverse Into a Parking Space
• YouTube: Reverse Parking tips

but of course don't grind your tires into the road by steering while stationary, so go a bit further past the chosen parking space, then start backing up, then steer.

 

[RayK]

Given enough room to perform the maneuver, I pull past the spot by a car length but at a 45 degree angle (turn the wheel right to back in to the left), then back in using only the rear view camera. I've learned to trust the car's vision and on screen guidance as the sight line out the back window isn't all that great. A couple of glances left and right to make sure that there's no other vehicles or carbon-based life forms that might get in the way.

 

[LoudMusic]

I find it easier to give myself a head start by first turning away from the spot I want to back into. Then I'm doing a forward 45 degree and a reverse 45 degree, instead of a reverse 90 degree. When I start backing up the spot is already in my rearview.

Also, practice. Go to an empty parking lot like a mall or school and just practice backing up into a spot and then get out and look at where you ended up. Take some cones or cardboard boxes to act as the charging pedestals if you need to.

 

[MikeRTX]

Another case where a true camera-based bird's-eye-view camera system would be invaluable. This heat map thing just isn't precise enough.

 

[Gasaraki]

Why is a Tesla different than any other vehicle when backing in to a spot?

 

[stopcrazypp]

I find it easier to give myself a head start by first turning away from the spot I want to back into. Then I'm doing a forward 45 degree and a reverse 45 degree, instead of a reverse 90 degree. When I start backing up the spot is already in my rearview.

Also, practice. Go to an empty parking lot like a mall or school and just practice backing up into a spot and then get out and look at where you ended up. Take some cones or cardboard boxes to act as the charging pedestals if you need to.

View attachment 1056130

I do the same thing. Learned it from back in parking on hills (observing other people do that and trying it out myself). The initial turn helps a lot for lining the car! I used to pull as far left as possible and do 90 degree, but in that case it's much easier to misjudge and have to make more adjustments. The rear view camera also makes it super easy, although it's also possible to line up the car using the side mirrors also.

 

[PianoAl]

then get out and look at where you ended up.

Has anyone else noticed that, when backing in manually, the backup lines may be exactly centered in the parking spot, but the car is not actually centered?

 

[stopcrazypp]

Another case where a true camera-based bird's-eye-view camera system would be invaluable. This heat map thing just isn't precise enough.

I use the rear view camera and/or side mirrors when doing back in parking. I don't see the utility of the other aids in this particular application. Those are more useful for the blind spot in the front or parallel parking.

 

[Transformer]

Good ideas!

I back in OK but sometimes it takes extra back-and-forth for not starting far enough past the spot, esp. when there's a car behind me that might get into the backup path. Then I can feel hurried.

When the space is narrow due to a cement column or adjacent cars, I check the side view mirrors repeatedly, except once where it was both of those factors. In that case the voice command "fold mirrors" was really handy.

Why is a Tesla different than any other vehicle when backing in to a spot?

A good straight line! Anyway, it's just that the starting position depends on the car's dimensions.

Has anyone else noticed that, when backing in manually, the backup lines may be exactly centered in the parking spot, but the car is not actually centered?

Yes. For that reason, I offset the backup lines to near the right edge of the parking spot.

Is that offset consistent across Model 3 cars?

Another case where a true camera-based bird's-eye-view camera system would be invaluable. This heat map thing just isn't precise enough.

Yes! Could Tesla implement the sides and rear parts with the current cameras?

I'd like to test the heat map Park Assist but it isn't an option for my 2020 M3 on 2024.20.1, despite what Notateslaapp says. Because it's an Intel Atom based computer?

 

[RayK]

Has anyone else noticed that, when backing in manually, the backup lines may be exactly centered in the parking spot, but the car is not actually centered?

Not that I can remember, but then again, I've never bothered to look back and verify I'm centered. I'll probably be going out today to run some errands and then charge the car so I'll check. The place I usually charge has two ChargePoint DCFC back-to-back but one has a concrete curb/island on one side of the parking slot, while the other has parking spaces on either side.

 

[LoudMusic]

Has anyone else noticed that, when backing in manually, the backup lines may be exactly centered in the parking spot, but the car is not actually centered?

I only casually trust those lines. The mirrors tell the real story.

 

[KenC]

Before backing into a narrow charging stall in a busy parking garage, how do you judge how far to drive past it before shifting to R?

I'm seeking an alignment guideline for Model 3, actually one for each of the near/far sides of the aisle.

How well do these answers fit a Model 3?

• The Easiest Way to Reverse Into a Parking Space
• YouTube: Reverse Parking tips

but of course don't grind your tires into the road by steering while stationary, so go a bit further past the chosen parking space, then start backing up, then steer.

The key is to get into this position:

The video has the car starting way out here, then turning the wheels, and beginning to back up. To me, that's way too far. He didn't need to go 4ft past the first car. Just think where your car needs to be to meet the apex of that white line in the first image. To me, I would stop as soon as my rear bumper lined up with the left edge of the off-white car, then start backing up into the spot.

Never had an issue with looking over the inside shoulder and backing in. Now, I use the car's cameras. Practice, practice practice. You should be able to do it both ways, by looking over your shoulder, and by using the cams.

 

[RayK]

@PianoAl

So I parked at my usual ChargePoint station and used the car's rearview camera to line up what I considered at the time to be centered. However, upon review of my photo at home, it looks like I'm a little bit to the driver's side of the slot.

I then went out to take photos of both sides of the front of the car with the intent to stitched them together:

It looks like I didn't line up the same on both sides to take these photos, but visually, to my eye, my car was pretty close to centered (without resorting to a tape measure). Certainly, not as off as what my car said I was.

So I guess the in-car camera's guidance lines is a little off; the camera says I'm not centered, but I don't think I'm that far off.

 

[MikeRTX]

Has anyone else noticed that, when backing in manually, the backup lines may be exactly centered in the parking spot, but the car is not actually centered?

Yes.

 

[KenC]

@PianoAl

So I parked at my usual ChargePoint station and used the car's rearview camera to line up what I considered at the time to be centered. However, upon review of my photo at home, it looks like I'm a little bit to the driver's side of the slot.

View attachment 1056393

I then went out to take photos of both sides of the front of the car with the intent to stitched them together:

View attachment 1056394

It looks like I didn't line up the same on both sides to take these photos, but visually, to my eye, my car was pretty close to centered (without resorting to a tape measure). Certainly, not as off as what my car said I was.

So I guess the in-car camera's guidance lines is a little off; the camera says I'm not centered, but I don't think I'm that far off.

I think your in-car cam is correct. The right side of your image is larger than the left, so you've made the space to the line, larger on the right, relative to the left. I've restitched your photos, but it's not perfect because your angle to the car is not the same, but this is a better representation of the distance, in my opinion:

 

[stopcrazypp]

Has anyone else noticed that, when backing in manually, the backup lines may be exactly centered in the parking spot, but the car is not actually centered?

I haven't noticed that, but I haven't busted out the tape measure so can't be sure. I don't think I exactly line up based on the virtual lines, but rather try to keep the camera centered between the real world parking lines (similar to how I would by eye when pulling in).

This may result in being off by an inch or two, because if you take a look, the rear camera isn't actually in the center of the car. That may also play a factor in the alignment of the virtual lines.

 

[Izzyz28]

I recommend parking the car in a safe area and taking a remedial driving class.

 

[Transformer]

This may result in being off by an inch or two, because if you take a look, the rear camera isn't actually in the center of the car. That may also play a factor in the alignment of the virtual lines.

Curious! The rear camera is 1 3/4" to the left of the Tesla logo (Fremont-made 2020 Model 3). The virtual lines are offset roughly that distance in the other direction.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Curious! The rear camera is 1 3/4" to the left of the Tesla logo (Fremont-made 2020 Model 3). The virtual lines are offset roughly that distance in the other direction.

Yeah, I wonder if this may play a factor. It could in multiple ways: parallax, the virtual lines not shifted exactly the right distance to account for this (either too little or too much), or people subconsciously centering the camera instead of the lines.

 

[icy1007]

I just use Autopark. lol