Scary glitch backing up

[stevesark]

I feel like in our cars, with limited visibility out the back window, the backup guidance should be redundant (I.e. if the camera fails, promximity sensors shouldn’t).

Last night while backing up, I had a scary situation that made me realize I’ve become dependent on these systems. I had to back a few feet to get out of parallel parking situation. I knew there was only a few feet and the car was moving but the reverse image was frozen on screen, and absolutely no proximity noises. Took me a second to realize, and stopped about 5mm from collision.

I feel like it had to be an McU glitch. The dashcam on the back captured everything as it should have.

Anyone else seen this?

 

[NedH]

Yes happens to me all the time. My backup camera freezes or stutters so often that my backup procedure has become: I carefully watch the image on the screen and if it stops moving I stop the car and wait for it to catch up.

 

[stevesark]

Yes happens to me all the time. My backup camera freezes or stutters so often that my backup procedure has become: I carefully watch the image on the screen and if it stops moving I stop the car and wait for it to catch up.

Sensors too, or you don’t let it get that far?

 

[RayK]

I feel like in our cars, with limited visibility out the back window, the backup guidance should be redundant (I.e. if the camera fails, promximity sensors shouldn’t).

I'm not totally sure if it is related to this, but an explanation could be that the cable running to the camera is damaged. There is a recall associated with it:

Service and diagnostic information for independent businesses and individuals involved in the professional maintenance and repair of Tesla vehicles.

service.tesla.com

December 21, 2021	21V-00D	Description: The Model 3 trunk harness is equipped with a solid core coaxial cable that provides the rearview camera feed for visibility on the center display. Over time, repeated opening and closing of the trunk lid may cause excessive wear to the coaxial cable. If the wear causes the core of the coaxial cable to separate, the rearview camera feed is not visible on the center display.
		Safety Risk: Unavailability of the rearview camera display may affect the driver’s rear view and increase the risk of a collision. If there is a loss of rearview camera display, the driver can continue to operate the vehicle by performing a shoulder check and using their mirrors when backing.
		Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect the trunk harness on affected vehicles for wear. If wear is determined to be within specifications for the coaxial cable, Tesla Service will equip the harness with a guide protector to ensure a sufficient radius when the harness holds in a closed trunk state and prevent further wear. If wear is determined to be beyond the specifications for the coaxial cable, Tesla Service will install a new harness and guide protector.

 

[stevesark]

I'm not totally sure if it is related to this, but an explanation could be that the cable running to the camera is damaged. There is a recall associated with it:

Service and diagnostic information for independent businesses and individuals involved in the professional maintenance and repair of Tesla vehicles.

service.tesla.com

December 21, 2021	21V-00D	Description: The Model 3 trunk harness is equipped with a solid core coaxial cable that provides the rearview camera feed for visibility on the center display. Over time, repeated opening and closing of the trunk lid may cause excessive wear to the coaxial cable. If the wear causes the core of the coaxial cable to separate, the rearview camera feed is not visible on the center display.
		Safety Risk: Unavailability of the rearview camera display may affect the driver’s rear view and increase the risk of a collision. If there is a loss of rearview camera display, the driver can continue to operate the vehicle by performing a shoulder check and using their mirrors when backing.
		Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect the trunk harness on affected vehicles for wear. If wear is determined to be within specifications for the coaxial cable, Tesla Service will equip the harness with a guide protector to ensure a sufficient radius when the harness holds in a closed trunk state and prevent further wear. If wear is determined to be beyond the specifications for the coaxial cable, Tesla Service will install a new harness and guide protector.

I do have that recall notice, but it was thinking it read like an all or nothing failure of the camera.

 

[RayK]

It is possible for there to be an intermittent connection of the coax conductor which could affect the video transmission. However, upon further thought, that cable assembly would not explain the loss of the proximity sensors as those are on the bumper and not the trunk lid.

 

[stevesark]

It is possible for there to be an intermittent connection of the coax conductor which could affect the video transmission. However, upon further thought, that cable assembly would not explain the loss of the proximity sensors as those are on the bumper and not the trunk lid.

Right. My theory is MCU crash or subsystem crash. I just so happened to have mobile service coming for something else tomorrow AM, but I’m going to ask if they can dig up logs and have a look.

 

[BMWM3Man]

Not to be "that guy" but you can never rely solely on a back up camera...Tesla's or anyones.

 

[stevesark]

Not to be "that guy" but you can never rely solely on a back up camera...Tesla's or anyones.

Goes without saying. Haste almost took me down with this one.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

Wait. Is the camera not supposed to glitch and freeze randomly? Mine had always worked perfectly until V11 but has been glitchy/laggy ever since. I just assumed it was a feature.

 

[father_of_6]

My first year of ownership, I never experienced a problem with the backup cam. Then v11 came along and it's become regularly laggy.

Learning now that the proximity sensors aren't responding is very concerning.

 

[Resist]

We are clearly relying way too much on technology. Back in the day vehicles didn't have sensors or cameras and we had to use the rearview and side mirrors, even on vehicles with terrible rear window visibility. Many times I would get out of my vehicle to see how much room I had to backup. I feel we need to get back to the basics and use technology as an added feature and not the primary feature.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

No, back in the day we just drove blindly until we felt the impact. Bumpers were designed to "bump" and literally had oil-filled shock absorbers incorporated into the mount for that purpose.

And when plastic bumpers were "invented" the first few generations usually included non-marking rubber features. Today's smooth painted bumper is only practical thanks to cameras and ultrasonics - not better drivers.

 

[ochompsky]

I'm not totally sure if it is related to this, but an explanation could be that the cable running to the camera is damaged. There is a recall associated with it:

Service and diagnostic information for independent businesses and individuals involved in the professional maintenance and repair of Tesla vehicles.

service.tesla.com

December 21, 2021	21V-00D	Description: The Model 3 trunk harness is equipped with a solid core coaxial cable that provides the rearview camera feed for visibility on the center display. Over time, repeated opening and closing of the trunk lid may cause excessive wear to the coaxial cable. If the wear causes the core of the coaxial cable to separate, the rearview camera feed is not visible on the center display.
		Safety Risk: Unavailability of the rearview camera display may affect the driver’s rear view and increase the risk of a collision. If there is a loss of rearview camera display, the driver can continue to operate the vehicle by performing a shoulder check and using their mirrors when backing.
		Remedy: Tesla Service will inspect the trunk harness on affected vehicles for wear. If wear is determined to be within specifications for the coaxial cable, Tesla Service will equip the harness with a guide protector to ensure a sufficient radius when the harness holds in a closed trunk state and prevent further wear. If wear is determined to be beyond the specifications for the coaxial cable, Tesla Service will install a new harness and guide protector.

i think this problem was widely introduced with v11. im guessing the atom cpu's are really struggling to keep up.

We are clearly relying way too much on technology. Back in the day vehicles didn't have sensors or cameras and we had to use the rearview and side mirrors, even on vehicles with terrible rear window visibility. Many times I would get out of my vehicle to see how much room I had to backup. I feel we need to get back to the basics and use technology as an added feature and not the primary feature.

"get off my lawn"

 

[Sans-gas]

Not to be "that guy" but you can never rely solely on a back up camera...Tesla's or anyones.

I let my car do for me, what my neck no longer does. If you camera isn’t working, service is in order. Too many blind spots. It does kind of sound like the trunk recall issue.

 

[drtimhill]

It is possible for there to be an intermittent connection of the coax conductor which could affect the video transmission. However, upon further thought, that cable assembly would not explain the loss of the proximity sensors as those are on the bumper and not the trunk lid.

Yeah, while possible, a lot of people are seeing this all at once, which is more likely related to a software bug. Also, the camera cable would tend to fail more or less permanently I would suspect.

 

[BigNick]

Release notes for 2022.8.x mention the rear-view camera lag.

2022.8.2 Official Tesla Release Notes - Software Updates

Tesla software update 2022.8.2 includes Charging Time Estimation, Vehicle Preconditioning, Active Phone Calls, New Language Support, Boombox, Autopilot Speed Indicator, Faster Backup Camera, Cloud Profiles.

www.notateslaapp.com

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

Hmm, yeah that pretty much settles it.

 

[Resist]

I let my car do for me, what my neck no longer does. If you camera isn’t working, service is in order. Too many blind spots. It does kind of sound like the trunk recall issue.

Driving is a privilege and not a right, and I believe every state requires the driver to turn their head to look behind them. And if you can't do that then you probably legally can't drive.