Poor sensitivity for rain with Auto setting on Wipers

[plasmo]

Does anyone else have issues with wipers not automatically triggering (in Auto mode) when it is raining...until its almost impossible to see (especially when driving in the dark while raining)?
It usually gets quite difficult to see before the wipers start, and it would be nice to increase the sensitivity...

 

[McFlurri]

YES!! So much yes.. very very frustrating!

 

[PoitNarf]

I’m pretty sure we’ve all experienced this at some point. I just do a quick press on the wiper button at the end of the stalk if I need to get the windshield cleared quicker than the auto wipers will do it.

What’s probably happening is that since the front autopilot cameras are used for rain detection there are times when there is less of a rain buildup at the top of the windshield where the cameras are than there is lower on the windshield. There have been a number of times I’ve been driving in the rain and the auto wiper function just isn’t cleaning the windshield as fast as I would like and in all of those cases I’ve noticed that the top of the windshield is clearer than the bottom. I’m guessing it’s the aerodynamics of the Model 3 that can sometimes cause this.

 

[McFlurri]

I’m pretty sure we’ve all experienced this at some point. I just do a quick press on the wiper button at the end of the stalk if I need to get the windshield cleared quicker than the auto wipers will do it.

What’s probably happening is that since the front autopilot cameras are used for rain detection there are times when there is less of a rain buildup at the top of the windshield where the cameras are than there is lower on the windshield. There have been a number of times I’ve been driving in the rain and the auto wiper function just isn’t cleaning the windshield as fast as I would like and in all of those cases I’ve noticed that the top of the windshield is clearer than the bottom. I’m guessing it’s the aerodynamics of the Model 3 that can sometimes cause this.

Still shitty though... Tesla gave me a BMWX3 loaner and it was amazing.

Plus.. the intermittent wipers even at slowest speed is waaay to fast.

Fortunately its just a software update fix

 

[PoitNarf]

Fortunately its just a software update fix

I’m not so sure it’s that easy. If my theory is right that the aerodynamics of the car lead to less rain buildup on the windshield near the top where the cameras are then how do they properly detect the amount of rain on the lower part of the windshield? Sure they could just increase the sensitivity and make the wipers activate more often but this could lead to unnecessarily overactive wipers. That would definitely be safer than less active wipers but it would still be distracting to have the wipers run too rapidly and would also lead to increased wear on the wiper blades.

 

[TX_Drivetime]

We have had a record amount of rain this month in south Texas and I have done well with the wipers set to auto but they do still feel like they should come on a bit faster. I treated my windshield with Rain X and that helped quite a bit.

 

[RayK]

Rain? What's that?

 

[Knightshade]

This is really one of those places spending $3 on a rain sensor would've been worth the margin.

My 2008 Lexus with auto wipers was a revelation to me. When it came with the other options packages I was getting I thought "Well that's stupid, who needs auto wipers"

After having em for a while they were seriously one the most awesome things on the car. You just set it to auto and never, ever, had to think of your wipers again...ever. Perfect every time for years upon years.

Any time I rent car without them (and it rains) it's by far the worst most obvious missing feature in comparison. I'm like "wait- I need to actually adjust my wipers by hand like some damn peasant??"

Kinda cringing at the stories I hear about the "camera" driven Tesla version when I pick up car up.

 

[TT97]

This is really one of those places spending $3 on a rain sensor would've been worth the margin.

Are you sure there is no sensor? On some other threads people believed the sensor above the front cameras is a light/temperature/humidity sensor.

 

[Knightshade]

Are you sure there is no sensor? On some other threads people believed the sensor above the front cameras is a light/temperature/humidity sensor.

Yes no rain sensor- if there was the car would've had rain sensing wipers from the factory in the first cars instead of waiting on a software update to the camera could do it.

 

[TT97]

Yes no rain sensor- if there was the car would've had rain sensing wipers from the factory in the first cars instead of waiting on a software update to the camera could do it.

That's your thought process? The first Model 3s delivered had no FM radio or Bluetooth streaming. I don't think they added that hardware later. Just because there is some hardware on the car, doesn't mean the programming is done.

My car must also have FSD as all the hardware is there.

 

[PoitNarf]

Are you sure there is no sensor? On some other threads people believed the sensor above the front cameras is a light/temperature/humidity sensor.

We know for a fact there is no dedicated rain sensor. I’ve seen several articles about this. There is also this talk presented by Tesla’s director of AI where he specifically talks about the autowipers and how they are an AI vision problem because of the lack of a dedicated rain sensor. The entire video is a very interesting watch but if you want to skip to the part about wipers go to 25:38 in the video.

 

[PoitNarf]

Further evidence that autowipers are entirely vision based and have no dedicated rain sensor:

And this one is pretty entertaining:

 

[Tezlah]

I’m not so sure it’s that easy. If my theory is right that the aerodynamics of the car lead to less rain buildup on the windshield near the top where the cameras are then how do they properly detect the amount of rain on the lower part of the windshield? Sure they could just increase the sensitivity and make the wipers activate more often but this could lead to unnecessarily overactive wipers. That would definitely be safer than less active wipers but it would still be distracting to have the wipers run too rapidly and would also lead to increased wear on the wiper blades.

Perhaps, when we get Version 9, someone with an aftermarket Dashcam can compare what their aftermarket Dashcam sees vs. what the Tesla autopilot camera sees in the rain? Assuming the aftermarket dash cam is positioned to view the full windshield.

 

[Knightshade]

That's your thought process? The first Model 3s delivered had no FM radio or Bluetooth streaming. I don't think they added that hardware later. Just because there is some hardware on the car, doesn't mean the programming is done.

My car must also have FSD as all the hardware is there.

Except the Model S cars also didn't have rain sensing wipers once they switched to AP2 or higher with camera-only (which is all the 3 ever had)

There were multiple threads about how the older AP1 cars with sensors worked great and the new ones not at all for lack of the sensor until a software update finally enabled the cameras to do it, a LONG time later.

That's not comparable to the FM thing that was just them pushing the 3 out the door before it was ready and then was updated shortly after.

First look at Tesla’s complex automatic wipers for Autopilot 2 cars in action

 

[scott8659]

The lack of a dedicated rain sensor is truly baffling. The auto wipers are practically worthless with any true rainfall. Compounding the issue is the lack of controls on the left stalk requiring you to take your eyes of the road to mess with the touch screen to make adjustments. Tesla has largely been given a pass on this and other issues like the infotainment because most buyers have been enthusiasts but that will rapidly change. Personally I wish they would fix these issues instead of wasting resources on things like Atari games.

 

[Tezlah]

The lack of a dedicated rain sensor is truly baffling. The auto wipers are practically worthless with any true rainfall. Compounding the issue is the lack of controls on the left stalk requiring you to take your eyes of the road to mess with the touch screen to make adjustments. Tesla has largely been given a pass on this and other issues like the infotainment because most buyers have been enthusiasts but that will rapidly change. Personally I wish they would fix these issues instead of wasting resources on things like Atari games.

I completely agree. The auto wipers are worthless in their current form.

When I want to manually change the wiper speed, instead of swiping the windshield wiper card on the screen:
Press the windshield wiper button on the left stalk, then it will pull up the wiper menu. You won’t have to have your eyes off the road as much.

 

[VT_EE]

Has anybody tried putting RainX on the windshield except for the area over the cameras? This might work well and not mess up the AI programming.

 

[Remonster]

For what it's worth my experience with auto wipe has been just fine.

In my case it seems the sensors are very sensitive and sometimes wipe too early. I was driving through heavy fog and was suprised how early the auto wipers picked up the sprinkles and wiped.

I keep my windshield fairly immaculate so maybe general cleanliness helps the sensors pickup? That's completely speculation though.

 

[RayW]

I don't know what you guys are talking about, my AP2 auto wipers work great!
Until it rains.... or I drive under a bridge when it's raining... or drive under a street light when it's raining... or it gets confused by oncoming headlights when it's raining...
And I only had to wait 18-months for Tesla to train some AI algorithm to not work correctly and push it to my car (amazing!)
Otherwise, they work great when it's sunny and I always leave them on