Tesla navigation map is now in grey scale - how do we change this?

[JD01]

Wait a minute... so we are saying that Tesla changed the map colours to save bandwidth? Really?

Unless it is indeed 8 bit grayscale rather than 24bit color then here is no benefit. If that is the case, why don’t we just do 8 bit color instead? The map can do very well with a 256 color pallet.

The last time I contemplated 8 vs 24 bit color was in the late 90’s

It's not as simple as 8-bit grayscale vs 24-bit color because there are compression algorithms to consider. I'd also guess they're using 12-bit grayscale and 16-bit color palettes.

Regardless, my guess is yes... They did it to save bandwidth. In fact, they've likely reduced the bandwidth requirements for the maps by at least a third.

 

[Shock-On-T]

Processing 24-bit images isn't the issue. Grayscale is much smaller than color so it's probably about bandwidth.

While it may not seem like much, it makes a huge difference when you have two hundred thousand cars constantly downloading stuff over 4G.

Only if the images are bitmap. If they are vector the color doesn't affect size.
ie. blue water, green land, brown road is the same size as light grey water, grey land, dark grey road.

 

[kavyboy]

It's not as simple as 8-bit grayscale vs 24-bit color because there are compression algorithms to consider. I'd also guess they're using 12-bit grayscale and 16-bit color palettes.

Regardless, my guess is yes... They did it to save bandwidth. In fact, they've likely reduced the bandwidth requirements for the maps by at least a third.

I've read several people here stating that they have switched to satellite view as a result of the change. That's got to be consuming lots of data. Just a few people doing that would offset any savings elsewhere.

 

[JD01]

Only if the images are bitmap. If they are vector the color doesn't affect size.
ie. blue water, green land, brown road is the same size as light grey water, grey land, dark grey road.

Agreed. But as long as they're using raster images, my theory is sound.

I've read several people here stating that they have switched to satellite view as a result of the change. That's got to be consuming lots of data. Just a few people doing that would offset any savings elsewhere.

Not really. The images are still the same dimensions and resolution so each square would be the exact same size uncompressed. Whatever compression algorithm they're using (JPEG, TIFF, PNG, etc) would make a difference, of course, but probably not as much as you're thinking.

Regardless, new owners won't have that option unless they pay for connectivity. It's not about us because all of the early adopters are grandfathered in. Tesla's on track to double it's fleet over the next 12 months so all of the free data we've been getting isn't sustainable in the long run.

On second thought, maybe I should say that it isn't sustainable for now.

It'll be interesting to see what happens once starlink comes online

 

[kavyboy]

Agreed. But as long as they're using raster images, my theory is sound.



Not really. The images are still the same dimensions and resolution so each square would be the exact same size uncompressed. Whatever compression algorithm they're using (JPEG, TIFF, PNG, etc) would make a difference, of course, but probably not as much as you're thinking.

Regardless, new owners won't have that option unless they pay for connectivity. It's not about us because all of the early adopters are grandfathered in. Tesla's on track to double it's fleet over the next 12 months so all of the free data we've been getting isn't sustainable in the long run.

On second thought, maybe I should say that it isn't sustainable for now.

It'll be interesting to see what happens once starlink comes online

I did a quick test, copying Google maps and satellite views from my desktop browser and pasting them into PNG's. The satellite views were 5 times larger than the maps. So if it's about bandwidth, that's significant.

 

[jlv1]

I actually don't think the maps are greyscale; they really seem to be in a new muted color palette. This tosses out all the arguments on size and processing power savings.

 

[jaguar36]

I doubt it was to save bandwidth. Tesla doesn't seem to have a strong desire to save bandwidth. They may be doing it to reduce writes to the flash, as that is causing MCU failures.

However I suspect it was purely an aesthetic change. Someone thought the grayscale looked better/more modern or something.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I did a quick test, copying Google maps and satellite views from my desktop browser and pasting them into PNG's. The satellite views were 5 times larger than the maps. So if it's about bandwidth, that's significant.

I didn't do my own tests but this sounds right to me. Maps can be compressed a lot more than satellite images.

 

[bak_phy]

Is maps smoother than satellite?

 

[Jjdsyd]

Agree the muted colours talking getting used to, but, the text is clearer and sharper. Almost like it’s higher res... I don’t detect much improvement in performance, other than the maps being a bit easier to read.

 

[Enz295]

Is it just me, or it seems that the map colors have now switched to white & gray?
I can't quite remember what it was like before, but the look of the maps on the large center screen seems different, on colors?
Anybody has noticed the same?

 

[MelaniainLA]

Not you - 2018.24.1 did vector maps. Search the forums and you'll see hundreds of posts here about this. Probably good to delete this post so we don't have duplicate threads.

 

[ShawnA]

Hi Enz295,

It's a toggle with the Google maps.

In the lower right of the display there are 3 icons: The earth, a car, and a lightning bolt.

If you touch the earth icon the display will toggle between a real aerial view of the earth in color and the gray and white you
mentioned in the daytime and a darker gray and lighter gray during the night.

If you touch the car icon ti will change the display to show the type of road and traffic density.

If you touch the lightning bolt it will show the chargers/superchargers in the area...

Shawn

 

[Enz295]

I know that. thank you.
It's just that the map colors (of the map view) seem to have changed now.

 

[JRMW]

Question

Am I the only one whose car maps barely work with the new grey maps?

I have a sea of grey, with no traffic info

I have to pinch and Unpinch and finally traffic info might display
And often I get grey tiles with no map at all...

It’s like the maps won’t load... or load super slowly

Is it just my car?

Argh

 

[deonb]

Grayscale will load faster than color if that was Tesla's reason to change.

Yeah? Then why are red cars faster than black cars??

 

[JD01]

Question

Am I the only one whose car maps barely work with the new grey maps?

I have a sea of grey, with no traffic info

I have to pinch and Unpinch and finally traffic info might display
And often I get grey tiles with no map at all...

It’s like the maps won’t load... or load super slowly

Is it just my car?

Argh

Contact your local SC. They pushed 2018.16 to me yesterday and so far, I haven't had any problems.

 

[cytranic]

I like the greyscale better

 

[JRMW]

Thanks JD

 

[scottm]

Having used the new grey maps for a week or so... I've formed my opinion.

I miss the blue water, and green parks. Call me 1980's .. but:

Color ADDS information for quick visual identification.

Making everything grey HIDES information.

It's really that simple.

Quiz: which word in the grey sentence is darkest?

Test: now find the red word on this page.

It is now harder to identify things on the map, and has created a bigger driver-distraction when trying to do so. This is a fact and a failure.

Also, roads being white on a too-light grey background in the
daytime makes it hard to use as a driving navigation tool while
roaming around (no destination selected that gives you a blue route).
One really has to concentrate more time now looking at the nav
screen to get value from it... opposite of what good driver
ergonomics suggest.

If roads were BLACK lines (or dark grey) instead of white on the light grey palette background that'd be better.

Two things I do like about the new nav:
- it handles pinch and rotate faster on my MCU1 generation car
- the labels on some things keep oriented in a readable way as the map rotates

But the loss of color combined with white roads on light grey background was a complete miss Tesla. Boo!