v9.0 Dashcam - why only 2.5?

[georgewyull]

I've read a few users say that the dashcam feature hasn't been enabled for 2.0 cars, because the camera isn't good enough and it was upgraded as part of 2.5. However, if you look at Tesla's Full Self Driving Hardware video made back in August 2016 below:

The camera quality looks absolutely fine. Given this was August 2016 surely it is 2.0 hardware? I'm struggling to understand why 2.0 users can't have this much requested feature. Anyone with any other ideas or info?

 

[Derek Kessler]

It's likely not the camera — it's probably the custom Autopilot computer through which the cameras are routed and its level of capability to output to the USB ports.

As far as I'm aware, the computer is the only thing that's changed between 2.0 and 2.5, as well as the upcoming 3.0.

 

[drklain]

It's certainly not a change in the cameras. Indications are no change in cameras between 2.0 and 2.5. Changes were to the AP computer and MCU1 change to MCU2.

It's actually more likely the issue of MCU1 (AP1 and 2 cars) and MCU2 (AP2.5 cars) because the video files have to be sent to the MCU which then saves them to the USB drive (the MCU is what interfaces with the USB ports). Others in other posts have talked about the fact the MCU processor issue is likely why this feature is only available for AP2.5 cars. Even with that said, looks like the dashcam implementation is pretty useless -- only works when the car is on and driving and only captures one of the forward facing cameras, so no protection for your car being hit while parked, no rear camera coverage, etc.

Bottom line -- if you are a person who feels you need dashcam to provide evidence/info in case of something happening to your car, you are likely better off buying a dedicated dashcam unit vice relying on this implementation.

 

[brkaus]

It's certainly not a change in the cameras. Indications are no change in cameras between 2.0 and 2.5. Changes were to the AP computer and MCU1 change to MCU2.

It's actually more likely the issue of MCU1 (AP1 and 2 cars) and MCU2 (AP2.5 cars) because the video files have to be sent to the MCU which then saves them to the USB drive (the MCU is what interfaces with the USB ports). Others in other posts have talked about the fact the MCU processor issue is likely why this feature is only available for AP2.5 cars. Even with that said, looks like the dashcam implementation is pretty useless -- only works when the car is on and driving and only captures one of the forward facing cameras, so no protection for your car being hit while parked, no rear camera coverage, etc.

Bottom line -- if you are a person who feels you need dashcam to provide evidence/info in case of something happening to your car, you are likely better off buying a dedicated dashcam unit vice relying on this implementation.

I was pretty sure there are a lot of AP2.5 cars that have MCU1.

 

[Cbass206]

I was pretty sure there are a lot of AP2.5 cars that have MCU1.

I think anything from about late August 2017 until March 2018 would be AP2.5 with MCU1

 

[Naekuh]

I was pretty sure there are a lot of AP2.5 cars that have MCU1.

i can pretty much confirm this as i was right on the cut off point in getting my MCU2.
Meaning if i was located either on the east side, or if i ordered a 3 months earily, i would of gotten AP2.5 with MCU1.

Also im hearing that Camera up front isnt that great.
Sure i can detect a car in front of you, may even help you decide whose at fault in an accident, but thinking you can replace your blackvue for it, is wishful thinking.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Actually, AP2.5 is said to have more color-channels than AP2 in some of its cameras (repeaters at least) - not sure about any differences in the forward-looking ones though. We had the part-numbers somewhere too, this has been discussed on the Autonomous Vehicles sub-forum. @verygreen? @lunitiks?

I'm guessing the secondary core on the AP2.5 computer could be one reason for the dashcam difference, or other such performance/redundancy question? The suggested difference in ability to output to USB, in theory, could be another - if there is some architectural limitation there.

And yes, obviously AP2.5 shipped months become MCU2, so MCU2 isn't the reason.

 

[ucmndd]

However, if you look at Tesla's Full Self Driving Hardware video made back in August 2016 below:

The two years that have lapsed since this video speak very clearly to suggest that it should not be used to determine the actual capability of any aspect of the car whatsoever.

 

[BigD0g]

It's certainly not a change in the cameras. Indications are no change in cameras between 2.0 and 2.5. Changes were to the AP computer and MCU1 change to MCU2.

Incorrect, the cameras did change from 2.0 -> 2.5, there is also a direct connection from the backup camera to the APE unit in 2.5 that's not present in 2.0 via a splitter.

 

[ab26]

back in the days, when AP2.5 released, someone did a tear-up and found that AP2.5 has an extra Pascal GPU. I wonder if the processing of the dash cam requires this additional pascal GPU.

 

[ArbitrageMan]

The two years that have lapsed since this video speak very clearly to suggest that it should not be used to determine the actual capability of any aspect of the car whatsoever.

Seriously! Was that video faked?!

 

[Bebop]

I was pretty sure there are a lot of AP2.5 cars that have MCU1.

Mine is AP2.5 and has MCU1

 

[appleguru]

Incorrect, the cameras did change from 2.0 -> 2.5, there is also a direct connection from the backup camera to the APE unit in 2.5 that's not present in 2.0 via a splitter.

The backup camera connects to the APE on v2 also, it just doesn’t go through a splitter like AP 2.5 does (because AP2.5 needs to connect it to BOTH autopilot engines, not just one)

Anyways, biggest difference that matters here I think is the increased processing power availible on AP2.5. I suspect AP2 on the latest EAP fw is pretty tapped out, while AP2.5 might have plenty of extra headroom to encode video feeds to H264 and shuttle them over to the MCU via Ethernet to get stored on a USB stick.

 

[Geo7121]

I think anything from about late August 2017 until March 2018 would be AP2.5 with MCU1

I think you are correct, some AP2.5 used MCU1, TESLA was probably working off old MCU stock. My Sept 2017 MS75 dashcam works so suggests is AP2.5 but, the MCU is most likely MCU1 as the HTML5test performance only scores 304 out of 555. I hear MCU2 performs better, which I hope I can upgrade to in the future.

 

[PhilDavid]

I think with Ap2.5 they also changed the front radar, not that it has any impact on the Dashcam feature.

I hope when they do the HW 3 upgrade that will enable dash cam mode for AP2 cars.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

back in the days, when AP2.5 released, someone did a tear-up and found that AP2.5 has an extra Pascal GPU. I wonder if the processing of the dash cam requires this additional pascal GPU.

This is my speculation as well. I think AP 2.5 has more processing power that is needed in this case. Thus it does not seem completely impossible that "AP3" retrofits might enable this feature on AP2 cars as well, unless there is some camera or camera connection related issue in addition.

 

[croman]

I think with Ap2.5 they also changed the front radar, not that it has any impact on the Dashcam feature.

I hope when they do the HW 3 upgrade that will enable dash cam mode for AP2 cars.

I don't see why they won't.

 

[timvracer]

The video is absolutely accurate... as accurate as any of Elon's tweets or statements anyhow.

 

[D.E.]

Why not 2.0...

It might be that it is a limited rollout. Remember we were told that uncorking was only available for the very newest motors, then the uncorking required a different fuse, then later it turned out that all the 75Ds were allowed to be uncorked. So this time only 2.5 hardware can have front camera video exported. Since the camera does record and presumably the video can be sent to Tesla, it seems likely that the video could be exported on the non 2.5 cars. We just can't have it yet.

I put in a 4k Blackvue. It wasn't difficult to install. I don't care if I ever get my Tesla front camera exporting video.

 

[PhilDavid]

I would still have a dedicated 1080P front and rear backup camera but the Tesla built in dashcam is useful as an extra backup.