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Parking sensors
- Thread starter Zas
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- Model S User Interface
SteveW25561
Member
I figure (not justifying or accepting of this) that Tesla is evaluating the risk:reward ratio. There are relatively few service Centers and they are relatively lower staffed, and those staff are not trained for body work (they might screw up a few bumpers when trying to drill them). Plus percentage wise Tesla is likely gambling on pissing off only a small percentage of existing owners (since this isn't an issue moving forward).
Therefore with this in mind, a plug and play fascia/bumper replacement would be the easiest way to go.
Of course none of this excludes solutions like:
1. Subcontracting out the bumper drilling or
2. Offering an exchange program to take existing bumpers in and back to refurbish and reuse on new builds.
Subcontracting the work to local experienced installers is clearly the most efficient way to go from a cost, time and environmental point of view. Even allowing customers to buy the sensors and install on their own and then Tesla activating the software (yes likely at another cost) would resolve the majority of complaints.
Since we know the bumpers are already scored its trivial to drill. It's then a matter to see which cars have wiring harnesses in place already.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
Therefore with this in mind, a plug and play fascia/bumper replacement would be the easiest way to go.
Of course none of this excludes solutions like:
1. Subcontracting out the bumper drilling or
2. Offering an exchange program to take existing bumpers in and back to refurbish and reuse on new builds.
Subcontracting the work to local experienced installers is clearly the most efficient way to go from a cost, time and environmental point of view. Even allowing customers to buy the sensors and install on their own and then Tesla activating the software (yes likely at another cost) would resolve the majority of complaints.
Since we know the bumpers are already scored its trivial to drill. It's then a matter to see which cars have wiring harnesses in place already.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
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I was at SC center and tech told me that they will use a punch at each SC to make the holes. He said a two piece Green Lee (?) punch is used where you drill a small hole to insert a threaded rod, then a punch goes on each side of the bumper and they are tightened until the punch cuts through the facia. He said this is the way Volvo adds sensors. Hoping this info is correct because I don't understand the need for new facias.
teslasguy
MSP P#1117
I had front/rear parking sensors installed on my P85 including displays that look like factory install. Around $1500. Look and
Work great!
Work great!
Their pricing will tell us how much they want to discourage the upgrade. Around $2500 - they want people to upgrade. $5000 - they don't want people doing it. $7500 means P*** off..
And by the way, for me the benefit of the sensors is not parallel parking but rather to avoid parking bump/curb rash when head-in or back-in parking. I've already had a couple of close calls.
And by the way, for me the benefit of the sensors is not parallel parking but rather to avoid parking bump/curb rash when head-in or back-in parking. I've already had a couple of close calls.
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teslasguy
MSP P#1117
I've posted pics previously under the mods thread. The front display sits on top of the mirror and looks like part of the mirror frame.
NigelM
Recovering Member
Here's the link to teslasguy's pics: Parking-Sensor-Installation-Stories-amp-Pics/=1#post297777
There's also pics from other members installations on that thread.
There's also pics from other members installations on that thread.
Obviously no third party job is going to be as nice as the Tesla solution. However, the point is that everything else being equal, the third party installation really should be more expensive than the Tesla one, since they need the same sensors installed but need to provide some additional hardware to display the feedback rather than it just showing up on the center console.
jcaspar
Member
I will soon be placing an order for a Model S and was somewhat excited about the parking sensors till I saw them in person at Santana Row. I think the sensors, particularly those in the black nose, disrupt the look and lines of the car. They are similar to any other car with these sensors but for some reason, they just don't look good on the S in my opinion. Anyone see them in person and feel the same?
NotMandatory
Member
That's a pretty slick implementation.
I'd be interested in finding out how much it would cost to upgrade/retrofit an existing MS released before the parking sensors to include them. Although it's probably not "worth it" due to the cost of physically replacing (or modifying) the bumpers, after seeing the way this feature integrates so seamlessly in the 2nd screen I now wanna know how much it would cost. "Nervous wallet", indeed...
I'd be interested in finding out how much it would cost to upgrade/retrofit an existing MS released before the parking sensors to include them. Although it's probably not "worth it" due to the cost of physically replacing (or modifying) the bumpers, after seeing the way this feature integrates so seamlessly in the 2nd screen I now wanna know how much it would cost. "Nervous wallet", indeed...
wdimagineer
Member
I supplied Volvo's instructions in a previous post and also sent them to my contacts at Tesla. Glad they might be going this route.
I did the install on a friends car. It was trivially easy to put holes in the bumper.
justaddsun
Member
Steve, did they say they WILL use the punch or they should/could use the punch? The former implies that the decision has been made to move forward with retrofits. My contact tells me it's still a 50/50 decision at this point.
I have picked up my S in Munich today. It has parking sensors installed.
The one thing I noticed is that it seems like the front sensors will be switched off when you are in reverse. I don't quite understand why because it is helpful to have the front sensors active when you are going out of a parking slot in a garage. If you turn too much and the front gets too close to the neighbouring car it should be. Currently it doesn't. I hope this will be fixed with a software update. I will report it back to Tesla.
The one thing I noticed is that it seems like the front sensors will be switched off when you are in reverse. I don't quite understand why because it is helpful to have the front sensors active when you are going out of a parking slot in a garage. If you turn too much and the front gets too close to the neighbouring car it should be. Currently it doesn't. I hope this will be fixed with a software update. I will report it back to Tesla.
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I agree this sounds like a problem to me. If you're backing up and the wheels are at an angle you could get close to something (post, wall or other car).
I have confirmed this is true for 5.0 as well and agree that this can pose a problem. I spoke with Tesla who stated that this was a "feature." When I explained to them the issue of needing to sense the front distance when backing out and turning out of a parking spot, he said "Oh, that's interesting. That does seem important." He is passing this on.
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Greenlee punches are straightforward and relatively inexpensive tools. They are easy to use and require no special expertise. They are often used by electricians to make cleanly punched holes in fixtures for wiring fittings. (They don't leave burs like drilling can).
Here's an example of a Greenlee punch that is probably in the ballpark in terms of size: Greenlee Punch on Amazon
"Needing" to use one of these shouldn't be an obstacle to home installation/retrofit of parking sensors (altho I expect drilling/filing would work just as well)...
Everyone that I have spoken to at Tesla, from my local tech all the way up to Jerome Guillen says a variation on the thems of:
1) For TM to do the job it must be exactly as the car was certified to FMVSS (same as you have to get the full performance + package)
2) They consider the method of punching holes to be so critical that it must be done on the laser punch to assure such compliance
3) It's going to be expensive
That having been said, and having had some experience Inspiron life with FMVSS certification and presently dealing routinely with lawyers who interprete regulations very strictly to the benefit of their clients, it seems that Tesla would really rather not have us upgrading (better to buy a newer Model S).
Lastly, it is doubtful that they will buy back our old parts because they must use all new parts on new cars to legally sell them s new,.
All that being said, I'm in for the aftermarket price plus a little bit for the better interface (looks neat above), but I'm not crazy and at some $ level I will just go for the aftermarket and keep the cash.
1) For TM to do the job it must be exactly as the car was certified to FMVSS (same as you have to get the full performance + package)
2) They consider the method of punching holes to be so critical that it must be done on the laser punch to assure such compliance
3) It's going to be expensive
That having been said, and having had some experience Inspiron life with FMVSS certification and presently dealing routinely with lawyers who interprete regulations very strictly to the benefit of their clients, it seems that Tesla would really rather not have us upgrading (better to buy a newer Model S).
Lastly, it is doubtful that they will buy back our old parts because they must use all new parts on new cars to legally sell them s new,.
All that being said, I'm in for the aftermarket price plus a little bit for the better interface (looks neat above), but I'm not crazy and at some $ level I will just go for the aftermarket and keep the cash.
