Tesla infotainment system upgradeable from MCU1 to MCU2

[AustinP]

And the rear camera seems higher resolution. My wife saw the back up cam and asked did they change the camera? It's her daily driver... so she should know what it looked like before.

Would you mind asking her again when she backs up at night ?
I’ve read many complains that it’s very much useless at night on MCU2.

 

[tranzndance]

Question to those without AP or with AP1, who did the MCU2 upgrade. (*)

I read above, right after doing the upgrade, there are many positive reactions: mainly because of the much more reactive MCU, and a little for the added entertainment (Video apps & Games).
But in the end, there will be no really useful new feature while driving (no Sentry anyway, no better AP visual...). The new entertainment are nice when not driving, but really, even when traveling, we don't wait in the car.

Here is my question: after the wow moment of having the new faster "toy" has passed, are you still happy you made such an expense ?

I mean, let's compare to my smartphone.
I used to switch asap iPhones: the newer phone was zippy again, and added some cool new feature (eg touchID).
But honestly, after a few days, I have to face it: it's just doing whatever it always did for me: phone, calendar, internet and some apps that works no differently than on the older one.
I'm still keeping my iPhone7, even with iOS 14: my Wife's new XR is definitely faster, and FaceID is cool, but basically: what I just wrote above.

So, what is your honest opinion on MCU2 for PreAP or AP1 cars?

(*) I definitely would do MCU2 if I had AP2 or above, as MCU1 is severely slowed down by AP2 and above, and also brings improved/fix features to Sentry etc...

If you're happy with how things are working, save yourself money and don't get it. I was frustrated with the sluggishness of the computer, and my husband would have returned a car that had a sluggish MCU. Different strokes for different folks. Dollars saved for those that don't care.

 

[goRt]

I’ve read many complains that it’s very much useless at night on MCU2.

Yep, it's great during the day and fairly useless in the dark.

 

[boaterva]

I lost one setting. WiFi. But it really was not lost. Its a new modem, 2.4/5 GHz, so it being new the old settings are not going to work. My Homelink worked and I am surprised others find that it does not. No clue why BT is not workin

It's new hardware with new radios (new MAC addresses): Bluetooth, Wifi are not going to work by definition. We just did the HW3 upgrade on our 3 and had to re-do those also. Homelink was fine on both. I was also the first or one of the very first at Tysons and lost nothing in settings (same for our 3, which was done by mobile service two weeks ago).

 

[Need]

Would you mind asking her again when she backs up at night ?
I’ve read many complains that it’s very much useless at night on MCU2.

She almost never drives at night. I will try the backup cam at night if I remember. Is this just on a upgraded MCU 1 to 2 or any MCU 2? Because my Model 3 came with MCU 2 and the backup cam is just fine at night to me. Now during the day, the backup cam on the Model 3 is not as good as my wife's MCU 1. When my wife saw my car's backup camera for the first time, she said your backup camera sucks LOL.

 

[AustinP]

She almost never drives at night. I will try the backup cam at night if I remember. Is this just on a upgraded MCU 1 to 2 or any MCU 2? Because my Model 3 came with MCU 2 and the backup cam is just fine at night to me. Now during the day, the backup cam on the Model 3 is not as good as my wife's MCU 1. When my wife saw my car's backup camera for the first time, she said your backup camera sucks LOL.

I read that it’s all MCU2 in S and X. Not sure about 3 or Y.
But apparently, if you never had a MCU1 to compare, you might find it “normal”.
It’s probably purely software as folks that upgraded their MCU did not change the camera hardware.

 

[BrokerDon]

Has anyone tried to install brighter LEDs backup lights to compensate for the darker MCU 2 backup display ?

I upgraded the OEM backup light bulbs on another vehicles with these MUCH brighter LEDs https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H54SP6O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1...

I haven't had the need on our 2015 MS P85D with MCU 1, but it clearly installing brighter LED backup lights sounds like a quick and inexpensive fix for MCU 1 -> MCU 2 upgraded Teslas.

 

[AustinP]

Has anyone tried to install brighter LEDs backup lights to compensate for the darker MCU 2 backup display ?

I upgraded the OEM backup light bulbs on another vehicles with these MUCH brighter LEDs https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01H54SP6O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1...

I haven't had the need on our 2015 MS P85D with MCU 1, but it clearly installing brighter LED backup lights sounds like a quick and inexpensive fix for MCU 1 -> MCU 2 upgraded Teslas.

Bjorn has also a nice tip

Video here

Edit: correct direct link to video

 

[jlv1]

Have you deleted all of your past destinations? I've read that helps.

Yes, someone wrote that deleting old nav destinations helps. I did so on my S when it had the MCU1 - it did not help.

 

[Duffer]

Would you mind asking her again when she backs up at night ?
I’ve read many complains that it’s very much useless at night on MCU2.

On Friday, we had the Infotainment Upgrade (MCU1-> MCU2) completed on our 2017 MS. I noticed that at night the back-up camera view is fine, except for a "shadow" in the middle of the screen(?). To be fair, I have not had occasion to reverse in a location without some ambient lighting.

 

[Need]

Would you mind asking her again when she backs up at night ?
I’ve read many complains that it’s very much useless at night on MCU2.

I just tried it. There are no place anywhere near without street lights. Here is one with a street light pretty far away. I think the backup cam is perfectly fine at night... better than what I can see for sure.

 

[KalJoMoS]

Bjorn has also a nice tip

Video here

This would work only on Model 3 and perhaps Y as all panels on S are aluminium

 

[rob4448585]

Scheduled for next week

Car already has HW3

 

[Need]

Scheduled for next week


Car already has HW3

Oh wow you don't have to pay sales tax! They made me pay CA sales tax on the $2500.

 

[rob4448585]

Oh wow you don't have to pay sales tax! They made me pay CA sales tax on the $2500.

sales tax was the line below where I cropped the image. I felt it didn't add anything to the MCU swap and the Radio upgrade

 

[AustinP]

About the darker back up camera image, here is an interest post with images comparing also to 3: How is your rear camera after MCU1 to MCU2 upgade (dark?)

 

[Zuikkis]

MCU2 now available for Pre-AP cars in Europe as well.

 

[watt]

MCU2 now available for Pre-AP cars in Europe as well.

So probably also includes the HW3.0 cars (whose prior done a HW2.x -> HW3.0 upgrade)? I'm going to attempt to schedule another appointment.

 

[PatrickCH4313]

So probably also includes the HW3.0 cars (whose prior done a HW2.x -> HW3.0 upgrade)? I'm going to attempt to schedule another appointment.

This is correct. I have an appointment next week for a MCU2 upgrade for a HW3 + MCU1 car and it has been confirmed.

 

[Zuikkis]

It's funny that even pre-AP cars get HW3 upgrade with MCU2. Perhaps they are offering full AP upgrade later? Might be expensive though.