True GPS?

[JCB_Arizona]

Is there true GPS in Tesla? It geolocates through satellites? Or does it try to locate through cellular connection like my iPhone. If I'm in an area with minimal cellular signal, the car still tracks my location, correct? The maps on the screen are loaded through cellular? Or are the maps stored in the internal memory?
I assume for the satellite radio, this is also supplied by the satellite, and no cellular connection required. Just double checking....

 

[DOCAL]

Both the Tesla GPS and the iPhone GPS are true GPS receivers. The iPhone can also use wifi triangulation, but it's not required.

 

[lunitiks]

In both AP1 and AP2-cars, the GPS-antenna resides in the Liftgate, top left (under glazing).

On AP1-cars, the coax wire from the GPS-antenna, goes directly to the back of the MCU on a blue Amphenol connector. Inside the MCU, you have a dedicated GPS module from "U-Blox".

On AP2-cars, the coax wire from the GPS-antenna, goes to the Nvidia PX2 on a blue Rosenberger connector. I don't know if there is a dedicated GPS module in the PX2... But GPS signal should go from the PX2 to the MCU (navi) through CAN-bus or Ethernet or something of that nature

 

[BigMskiman]

On purpose I navigated from a hotel to ski lodge to see the trip planner & map screens while about 1/2 of the trip was w/o AT&T signal on car & my iPhone. Maps displays less detail but my red triangle follows the path, the road I'm on, and the trip screen updates with % used and expected at end. Donno if it's saved maps, or predicted whatever, but quite nice to feel and be tracking at least something close.

 

[Solarman004]

The maps must be loaded through the cell connection. I've driven in large swaths of the Rockies where the maps, cell connection and Slacker all disappear.
But the GPS appears to function as time and distance remaining continues to stay accurate.

 

[BigMskiman]

The maps must be loaded through the cell connection. I've driven in large swaths of the Rockies where the maps, cell connection and Slacker all disappear.
But the GPS appears to function as time and distance remaining continues to stay accurate.

But you see no map, just "time/distance remaining" show as single numbers or on trip graph?

 

[lunitiks]

On purpose I navigated from a hotel to ski lodge to see the trip planner & map screens while about 1/2 of the trip was w/o AT&T signal on car & my iPhone. Maps displays less detail but my red triangle follows the path, the road I'm on, and the trip screen updates with % used and expected at end. Donno if it's saved maps, or predicted whatever, but quite nice to feel and be tracking at least something close.

This is called GPS "Dead Reckoning", and gives you "GPS" even inside sub sealevel, concrete tunnels. More info. The U-Blox module in the MCU is a "LEA-6R" (at least on AP1-cars, not sure about AP2), and this module provides for so called Dead Reckoning according to the spec.sheet

 

[Solarman004]

But you see no map, just "time/distance remaining" show as single numbers or on trip graph?

Correct. The map display turns into a solid tan screen with no map features. The time/distance remaining are in the Navigation function on the Nav screen. Even when the map goes away, the nav data in the upper left of the screen remains.

 

[BigMskiman]

Correct. The map display turns into a solid tan screen with no map features. The time/distance remaining are in the Navigation function on the Nav screen. Even when the map goes away, the nav data in the upper left of the screen remains.

Interesting, mine showed the road (& me) on undetailed map still, similar to @lunitiks posted video above