MCU2 - Retrofit

[Aggmeister2010]

MCU1 is soooooo slow......... Need an upgrade path as soon as possible

I've seen all the rumors (even the most recent ones) and I still say - If Tesla actually develops and releases a MCU1 to MCU2 upgrade, I'll eat my own shorts.

MCU1 cars, including my own, are 3-4 years old at a minimum. It would take hundreds if not thousands of engineering hours to develop, approve, manufacture, and release a retrofit kit. All for what? So folks with older cars can 'modernize' their cars and avoid buying a new car for longer?

It's not in a manufacturer's best interest to make the existing product less appealing to replace with the new version. And as a stockholder, I hope they DON'T make a retrofit. Yeah, my MCU is slower than a new car....but Tesla should be focusing on pushing folks to trade in and buy new, rather than keep their old car longer. That's what drives more revenue and more new innovation.

It would be like if Apple released a camera and processor upgrade for the iPhone 8 that made it the same as the 11. Then, why would I buy a new 11? I'd just pay a few bucks to upgrade my 8 and keep it longer, meaning a lot less revenue for Apple.

It would be great if Aftermarket vendors could do upgrades like this - because frankly, I think Aftermarket Companies who aren't also focused on designing 3 new cars could get this released MUCH FASTER. But Tesla should absolutely NOT develop this themselves.

You may disagree, and it's not what MCU1 folks want to hear (and I'm a MCU1 owner too), but it's the reality of doing business.

 

[Krash]

... If Tesla actually develops and releases a MCU1 to MCU2 upgrade, I'll eat my own shorts...

Boxers, briefs or something more like this?

 

[bob_p]

I agree that it may be better for Tesla to offer incentives to purchase a new vehicle vs. spending $ and resources to retrofit MCU1/AP2 vehicles to support the new AP3 processor (if it requires an MCU upgrade). Even if an MCU1 to MCU2 upgrade was available for an additional cost, based on how much it did cost, we'd have to evaluate whether or not it would be worthwhile to add now that our vehicle is already 3 years old.

Instead of an MCU/AP upgrade, if Tesla offered us incentive to purchase a new S or X, we'd strongly consider it (transfer AP/FUSC/extended warranty with a $5000 trade-in credit).

 

[Aggmeister2010]

I agree that it may be better for Tesla to offer incentives to purchase a new vehicle vs. spending $ and resources to retrofit MCU1/AP2 vehicles to support the new AP3 processor (if it requires an MCU upgrade). Even if an MCU1 to MCU2 upgrade was available for an additional cost, based on how much it did cost, we'd have to evaluate whether or not it would be worthwhile to add now that our vehicle is already 3 years old.

Instead of an MCU/AP upgrade, if Tesla offered us incentive to purchase a new S or X, we'd strongly consider it (transfer AP/FUSC/extended warranty with a $5000 trade-in credit).

Agreed.

and just to clarify, I definitely think an upgrade to the MCU should exist, I just think someone in the aftermarket should make it, not have Tesla circle back to make it.

service is slow as it is - adding a bunch of older vehicle retrofits at service centers wouldn’t help that.

 

[viper2ko]

Agreed.

and just to clarify, I definitely think an upgrade to the MCU should exist, I just think someone in the aftermarket should make it, not have Tesla circle back to make it.

service is slow as it is - adding a bunch of older vehicle retrofits at service centers wouldn’t help that.

Well the problem is Tesla won't allow anyone to buy a mcu2. The upgrade is plug and play

 

[KyleDay]

Well the problem is Tesla won't allow anyone to buy a mcu2. The upgrade is plug and play

The upgrade is NOT plug and play. The provisioning of the MCU2 requires a handful of required files in order to work correctly in the vehicle as well as talk to the Tesla servers. You can’t just buy an MCU2 and install it and expect it to work. It will not.

Furthermore, you need IC2, and Tuner2 installed. While wiring doesn’t need any changes, the barrier to entry for DIY retrofits for MCU2 will be the software access which isn’t easily available.

Trust me, I know what I’m talking about. You’ll see a post from me in the near future about my MCU2 retrofit efforts.

 

[Aggmeister2010]

Furthermore, you need IC2, and Tuner2 installed. While wiring doesn’t need any changes, the barrier to entry for DIY retrofits for MCU2 will be the software access which isn’t easily available.

This is my big issue with Tesla. They aren't open enough to allowing an aftermarket business to develop from a software standpoint. I guess I can understand that if you look at Tesla as a software company that just happens to make cars -- because they sell 'unlocks' like FSD and Ludicrous for quite a bit of money, and if someone undercut them, that would hurt their bottom line.

But for things like this where you're changing out hardware and doing upgrades to cars that are way-post-sale, it does get annoying that they lock down any aftermarket stuff by holding a card over folks head with the unknown of - If I modify the software in the car, will Tesla lock me out of service/supercharging/updates?

I could understand having a policy of cutting off updates if you modify the software. When they push updates to the car it's not likely to be able to correct for any programming changes it's not expecting...which could cause problems. So, if you want to get updates again, you have to have tesla re-flash the car.

But their current stance seems to be "if you change anything, at all, you're excommunicated for life!"

 

[verygreen]

But their current stance seems to be "if you change anything, at all, you're excommunicated for life!"

except that's illegal and as long as you use all OEM parts you can compel them to bless your build. I know people that used courts to make them do it.

 

[Akikiki]

Maybe we will hear about a MCU2 upgrade path at the next big Tesla event ? Such as Battery Investor Day in April ?

Wouldn't that be cool?

 

[viper2ko]

Maybe we will hear about a MCU2 upgrade path at the next big Tesla event ? Such as Battery Investor Day in April ?

Wouldn't that be cool?

Zero chance

 

[Akikiki]

The M3 has had qality issues from the get go. Just skeptical now after giving Tesla over $270K for the 2 MS. I don't know then what to think of doing with my Roadster 2020 base resrvation.

Can you show us some written paper from Tesla that guarantees to you that your cars would remain the newest and greatest tech? I think no.

 

[Guy V]

Can you show us some written paper from Tesla that guarantees to you that your cars would remain the newest and greatest tech? I think no.

No, but if their EMMC design for failure requires paying an inordinate amount to replace the entire MCU1 rather than just the chip, they should at least make an upgrade to MCU2 an option for that.

 

[_jmk]

MCU1 cars, including my own, are 3-4 years old at a minimum.

MCU2 was released march 2018 for production. My X is Feb18, now exactly 2 years old, with MCU1. MCU1 cars delivered from the inventory all the way up to june.

 

[MikeBur]

Boxers, briefs or something more like this?

Something’s you just can’t un-see... thanks

 

[Aggmeister2010]

Boxers, briefs or something more like this?

I prefer to make my own out of Fruit by the Foot. Fits better that way

 

[mhan00]

2500 for an MCU2 upgrade, but you lose AM/FM radio for some reason. Interesting.

 

[mhan00]

Infotainment Upgrade

 

[Aggmeister2010]

Weeeell, I guess I know what I’m having for dinner.

 

[ABC2D]

"Is anything removed with the Infotainment Upgrade?
Yes. You will no longer have access to AM, FM or Sirius XM radio. You will still have access to internet radio and music streaming, including streaming over Bluetooth"

Whaat? No even FM? WTF is that? Got to be a mistake

 

[verygreen]

"Is anything removed with the Infotainment Upgrade?
Yes. You will no longer have access to AM, FM or Sirius XM radio. You will still have access to internet radio and music streaming, including streaming over Bluetooth"

Whaat? No even FM? WTF is that? Got to be a mistake

not a mistake

The mcu2 needs new digital tuner instead of analog one in mcu1 cars.
And that replacement is a lot of labor, so somebody run the numbers and decided that it's good enough as is.