Rear view camera resolution upgraded?

[cynix]

I recently drove a loaner and noticed that its rear view camera's image quality is much better than the one on my car. I took a closer look at the cameras themselves and they appear physically different too. The new camera's image is unbelievably clear and you can easily see the grains on the asphalt, letters on distant signages, etc.

I walked around the local showroom and it appears that a car with VIN 128xxx has the old camera, but VIN 145xxx has the new camera, so it must have been upgraded somewhere between these VINs. (Both cars were post-facelift.)

Does anyone know if the camera can be retrofitted on a pre-facelift car?

 

[supratachophobia]

I've noticed the same thing, but I'm not sure if it's new hardware or if I should chalk it up to micro abrasions of the lens cover over time.

 

[green1]

Better? it gets BETTER? Tesla already had the best rear view camera in the business by an extremely large margin, I'm not sure why they would waste their time trying to improve it any?

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

Tesla is always improving their car. Like I said previously. Your car is outdated the moment you bought the car. The only way to keep up is never to buy the car to begin with.

It is nice tesla is improving the little things. They have a great car but it is the little things IMO that makes it a luxury experience.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

Why would you pay to upgrade a camera that is used infrequently and when the camera is already so good? Seems like a waste of money to me just to "keep up". Tesla needs to change the location of the camera to keep it from getting so dirty all the time. The quality is secondary.

 

[cynix]

Why would you pay to upgrade a camera that is used infrequently and when the camera is already so good? Seems like a waste of money to me just to "keep up". Tesla needs to change the location of the camera to keep it from getting so dirty all the time. The quality is secondary.

I keep it open all the time and use it as a rear view mirror, since visibility in the actual mirror through the rear window is quite limited.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

I keep it open all the time and use it as a rear view mirror, since visibility in the actual mirror through the rear window is quite limited.

Ah that makes sense. I tried that a couple of times and it made me dizzy lol

 

[ecarfan]

Why would you pay to upgrade a camera that is used infrequently

I have the rear camera image present on the top of my center display continuously. Greatest rear view mirror ever.

I keep it open all the time and use it as a rear view mirror

Exactly.

But I agree that it is usually useless in the rain and that needs to be addressed.

 

[Sir Guacamolaf]

I know by law they can't get rid of rear view mirrors, but I wish they'd introduce cameras all around, allow the driver to see the feed on the screens, and record the feed.
This rear view camera improvement ... well it's an improvement that nobody needed, and solves a problem nobody had.

 

[animorph]

Could be a step toward rear/blind spot camera monitoring for the new AP...

 

[deonb]

Why would you pay to upgrade a camera that is used infrequently and when the camera is already so good? Seems like a waste of money to me just to "keep up". Tesla needs to change the location of the camera to keep it from getting so dirty all the time. The quality is secondary.

Sometimes upgrading to the latest mass produced better thing is cheaper than staying at obsolete technology.

 

[supratachophobia]

I have the rear camera image present on the top of my center display continuously. Greatest rear view mirror ever.
Exactly.

But I agree that it is usually useless in the rain and that needs to be addressed.

If you have an aftermarket subwoofer, you can turn it up and rain drops get reverberated off. Just a little pro tip for you.

 

[cynix]

If anyone has access to the Model S service manuals, could you please post the part number of the new camera and whether the manual says it's compatible with older cars?

 

[cynix]

The friendly folks at my local SC had a look at the parts catalogue, and confirmed that the camera has indeed been updated (multiple times even), with the latest update being in June. Unfortunately the parts manual says it's not compatible with older cars.

The new camera is rather cheap, so I'm tempted to just order one and see if I can replace it myself. My only concern is that it may end up frying something else in the car…

I wonder if those who have worked on the camera in the past (@artsci?) can shed some light on this?

 

[supratachophobia]

The friendly folks at my local SC had a look at the parts catalogue, and confirmed that the camera has indeed been updated (multiple times even), with the latest update being in June. Unfortunately the parts manual says it's not compatible with older cars.

The new camera is rather cheap, so I'm tempted to just order one and see if I can replace it myself. My only concern is that it may end up frying something else in the car…

I wonder if those who have worked on the camera in the past (@artsci?) can shed some light on this?

@wk057 would be another person to ask about this as well.

 

[RDoc]

The friendly folks at my local SC had a look at the parts catalogue, and confirmed that the camera has indeed been updated (multiple times even), with the latest update being in June. Unfortunately the parts manual says it's not compatible with older cars.

The new camera is rather cheap, so I'm tempted to just order one and see if I can replace it myself. My only concern is that it may end up frying something else in the car…

I wonder if those who have worked on the camera in the past (@artsci?) can shed some light on this?

It may not be compatible because it's higher resolution, that is the video signal is different. If so, your existing electronics likely can't handle it.

 

[sorka]

Could the camera be part of AP 2.0 yet to be announced?

 

[HankLloydRight]

Could the camera be part of AP 2.0 yet to be announced?

Of course it is! *EVERYTHING* is a part of AP 2.0 yet to be announced.

 

[cynix]

It may not be compatible because it's higher resolution, that is the video signal is different. If so, your existing electronics likely can't handle it.

There's varying levels of "can't handle it" though. It'd be okay if I plug it in and my screen is blank. It's a whole different matter if I plug it in and my car blows up…

 

[supratachophobia]

There's varying levels of "can't handle it" though. It'd be okay if I plug it in and my screen is blank. It's a whole different matter if I plug it in and my car blows up…

Relax, it's not a Samsung camera, is it?