Pictures of radar unit obstructed: please post yours

[dhanson865]

Are all common plastics transparent at the frequency that the radar uses? "Clear" in the visible spectrum doesn't imply transparency at other frequencies.

What materials are transparent to radar? Weatherproofing a radar gun | Physics Forums - The Fusion of Science and Community

Had a chance to test the materials this morning, to my surprise the detector continued working with all of them. The first test piece was 10mm 'armoured' clear acrylic normally used in the windows on yachts. The second was 6mm clear 'cast acrylic sheet' made by Altuglas and the final piece was 1mm Clear HIPS (high impact polystyrene).

What blocks GPS signals? Radar waves (specifically X,K, and Ka bands)? - Ars Technica OpenForum

Plastics and other materials can be all over the board when it comes to attenuation. The figure you're looking for is 'loss tangent'. Lower loss tangent == less loss == better signal strength.

Dielectric Constant, Strength, Loss Tangent - RF Cafe

To answer your original question: You should be just fine with a thin piece of just about any plastic, as long as nothing metallic is involved. Anything HDPE, LDPE, PC, or ABS should pose no problem.

Keep the plastic as thin as you can possibly get away with, and leave at least 1-2 inches of space between the plastic and the radar unit to avoid detuning the internal antennas.

So keep it thin, keep it carbon free and metal free, and keep it an inch or so in front of the radar.

 

[green1]

On the bright side, this only ever happens at times when you don't use cruise control anyway. Cruise control in EVERY vehicle ever made specifically warns against using it in inclement weather.
So maybe it reduces the effectiveness of AEB, but it has no effect on Autopilot.

 

[thecloud]

On the bright side, this only ever happens at times when you don't use cruise control anyway. Cruise control in EVERY vehicle ever made specifically warns against using it in inclement weather.
So maybe it reduces the effectiveness of AEB, but it has no effect on Autopilot.

I would think that inclement weather is when you actually do need the radar. Even though you aren't using TACC or Autosteer, the car should be able to track the vehicle ahead of you in potentially whiteout conditions. Someone recently posted an image elsewhere on TMC showing foggy/snowy conditions where the car was able to "see" a vehicle ahead even though it wasn't visible out of the windshield.

 

[Andyw2100]

On the bright side, this only ever happens at times when you don't use cruise control anyway. Cruise control in EVERY vehicle ever made specifically warns against using it in inclement weather.
So maybe it reduces the effectiveness of AEB, but it has no effect on Autopilot.

The problem is that if my memory serves, when the radar is obstructed the error message indicates that you have lost other driver assistance features as well. Some of these are safety features that you would ordinarily like to be present 100% of the time. I can't check the exact details of this right now, but I believe this is the case.

 

[Andyw2100]

So to make this crystal clear: If you have a picture of your radar unit obstructed, please post it here, in this thread.

If you have something to say on the topic, or even related to it, please click here: Cruise Control unavailable, with a twist (loss of all driver assistance features too
(and please DO NOT post in this thread.)

January 20, 2016
Ithaca, NY

Driver Assistance Features Unavilable

 

[mspohr]

Radar not working, didn't expect it to work. Would not use it if it doesn't working.

 

[mspohr]

View attachment 108844
Radar not working, didn't expect it to work. Would not use it if it was working.

Don't seem to be able to edit this message now so I fixed the autocorrect mangled words above.
Also, location is along I-80 at Nevada/California border (Gold Ranch) on 12 January 2016. I'd just driven 50 miles through snow storm.

 

[Andyw2100]

February 9, 2016
Syracuse, NY

Driver Assistance Features Unavailable

 

[Andyw2100]

February 17, 2016
Syracuse, NY

Driver Assistance Features Unavailable

 

[ccharleb]

Old thread, but we got some snow today in Montreal (Canada) and I wasn't able to activate TACC. My radar was like the previous picture.
I'm wondering how this is going to work (snow+radar) with AP2 - Level 5.....

 

[1101011]

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Got to love the California car.

(In all fairness, that sensor style is not unique to Tesla - e.g. Skoda does it too - but no cover plate is fairly rare at the premium level.)

 

[Doug4650]

Anybody seen / heard of any kind of a radar-transparent cover? I'm wondering if some kind of plastic piece, more forward positioned would keep the snow from building up?

 

[Carspotter Daily]

"Snow plow mode"

 

[Kristoffer Helle]

Lives in Norway..never had this problem.
Drives a lot on salty roads. That seems to help

 

[meloccom]

It doesn't have to snow to have this problem.
I lost all TACC and AP function today for about 15 minutes but was on the highway when it happened and couldn't stop to reboot or look at the front of the car.
It started working again before I got to my destination where I removed a couple of grasshopper legs from around the the radar.

 

[RogerHScott]

Maybe they chose that spot so people wouldn't use cruise control when it should not be used.

That would be "anywhere that can be reached from a location where there was either falling snow or snow/slush on the roads being thrown up without passing through an area warm enough to melt the snow the previously accumulated in the front radar"? Yeah, those places are clearly unsuited for cruise control, because...?

 

[RogerHScott]

On the bright side, this only ever happens at times when you don't use cruise control anyway. Cruise control in EVERY vehicle ever made specifically warns against using it in inclement weather.
So maybe it reduces the effectiveness of AEB, but it has no effect on Autopilot.

No. See above.