Model Y Thermal Image - Ultrasonic Sensors

[acarney]

Another variable before declaring there's no heating of sensors would be to measure these after a half-hour drive in subfreezing temps.

Or look at any of the pictures showing a dusting of snow covering the whole front of the car after a drive. If they’re heated, it’s not powerful enough to melt even a quarter inch of snow/frost/ice buildup while driving....

 

[acarney]

This morning I tried this. My car had been sitting in the garage overnight. The temperature in the garage was 51 degrees F. I turned on climate in the app to HI and waited 10 minutes before taking these pictures. Based on these, I don't see any evidence of heating of the charge port or other sensors but it could be that it has to be below a certain ambient temperature for it to heat.

View attachment 628276

View attachment 628277

It might be the case that ambient has to below a specific temp.... go park the car outside for an hour?

Also, I think you need to use the defrost button. That should set the temp to max and the defrost on, just then don’t adjust the temp down.

 

[Routybouty]

It could also be that the radar heater only runs if the radar can detect an obstruction. Without any evidence, I imagine the returns are going to be very fast and/or very degraded with snow/ice on the bumper. If it doesn't detect the problem, then why enable the heater. I could see them tying this to temp. If we have confidence of snow/ice and it's < 35f, then enable the heater.

For the ultrasonic sensors I wonder if it could be a different emissivity of the sensor material vs the bumper. Might just be on also.

 

[scissorfighter]

Another benefit is that it has a 25 Hz refresh rate so you can record smooth thermal videos versus the 9 Hz refresh rate with most other thermal cameras.

Great pics, thanks for sharing! I’d love to see you demonstrate the 25hz refresh in a video walkaround of your preheating car on a cold morning...

 

[fparent]

It could also be that the radar heater only runs if the radar can detect an obstruction. Without any evidence, I imagine the returns are going to be very fast and/or very degraded with snow/ice on the bumper. If it doesn't detect the problem, then why enable the heater. I could see them tying this to temp. If we have confidence of snow/ice and it's < 35f, then enable the heater.

Once the radar detects an obstruction due to ice and snow, it's already too late. At that point Autopilot becomes unusable and we can't even turn on the simple cruise control. Getting the radar area on the bumper warm enough to melt ice and snow could take a while going at 65 mph.

 

[Koolio46]

It might be the case that ambient has to below a specific temp.... go park the car outside for an hour?

Also, I think you need to use the defrost button. That should set the temp to max and the defrost on, just then don’t adjust the temp down.

Yeah, I want to say I remember reading somewhere that the charge port heats only when ambient temps are near or below freezing.

 

[Mr. James]

amazing pictures. Interesting how you also improved visibility by changing the color from rainbow to white.

 

[rxlawdude]

Once the radar detects an obstruction due to ice and snow, it's already too late. At that point Autopilot becomes unusable and we can't even turn on the simple cruise control. Getting the radar area on the bumper warm enough to melt ice and snow could take a while going at 65 mph.

And this is where Tesla needs to have an Autopilot setting that just provides "dumb cruise control" for those situations where autopilot/FSD are unavailable for any reason.

 

[fparent]

And this is where Tesla needs to have an Autopilot setting that just provides "dumb cruise control" for those situations where autopilot/FSD are unavailable for any reason.

You're right. But even my 2012 Genesis will disable cruise control when there's too much snow on the bumper. I don't know why it has to be this way but it seems to be imposed by the radar technology the system is based on.

 

[rxlawdude]

Clearly Tesla can set up a static cruise control that just ignores signals from radar and cameras, as many newer HW3 equipped cars (Enterprise rental MS100s, for example) that don't have any autopilot features enabled.

 

[LevelHeaded]

Fwiw, when I got home tonight the snow was melted off the radar dots but stuck everywhere else on the front end of my MY!

 

[EVKANE]

The sensors and cameras are definitely heated. Might be related to Sentry on/off. This is after a cold (not freezing) night parked outside with Sentry on.

 

[origingalatic]

 

[Daks]

Most of the heated stuff I have around the house only turns on when the temps are close to freezing and will only heat to just above freezing. I bet Tesla does this too, no reason to heat the charge port door if it couldn't possibly be frozen shut. At 51F, that isn't going to happen...

BTW - those thermal cameras are great - although it's also how people get your pin code from an ATM or gas pump... I now have to make sure I push all of the buttons after I put my pin code in.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Thermal imaging is cool


(see what I did there)

so cool, it's hot.

 

[MattM24]

My Y's front bumper a couple weeks ago covered in a sheet of ice. The sensors are all clear.

 

[LoudMusic]

neat, i'd play with one if i had one.
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Model Y | Tesla