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When did the backup sensors start giving distances

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I noticed when I backed out of my garage this morning that the backup warnings on the display screen also tells you how far away you are from an object when the sensors detect something. Is this something new or have I just not noticed it in the past?
 
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Could be it be possible it was at one point a "trim level" thing?
My 2014 S has done this the whole 3 years I have owned it so Tesla had the tech available pre-3.
I could see it having been bundled into a higher option package on the 3 and for software streamlining I could see it becoming standard later.

Just a thought, and this could make everyone "right".
 
I’ve had an S without backup sensors since 2012. We got our first 3 in early 2018 and since day 1 it has shown how many inches away an obstacle is. We use it to judge distance and position in our garage. I will look to see if anything looks different, but some Distance capability has always been there.
 
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Could be it be possible it was at one point a "trim level" thing?
My 2014 S has done this the whole 3 years I have owned it so Tesla had the tech available pre-3.
I could see it having been bundled into a higher option package on the 3 and for software streamlining I could see it becoming standard later.

Just a thought, and this could make everyone "right".

Maybe... My model 3P has always shown distance from the beginning though and I bought it december 2018. If its trim, its not S/X > 3. Certainly could be the SR / SR+ etc dont have it though, I am not familiar with those.
 
i always back up when not parallel parking and i back up in my home space and ive seen this for some time (2020 m 3 pup). the car will show "STOP" if you get too close to something and I think (?) it will even stop the car? maybe im smoking crack on the last item but i thought it did that just today when i got too close to the wall...
 
i always back up when not parallel parking and i back up in my home space and ive seen this for some time (2020 m 3 pup). the car will show "STOP" if you get too close to something and I think (?) it will even stop the car? maybe im smoking crack on the last item but i thought it did that just today when i got too close to the wall...

Yeah it definitely displays "STOP" if you get too close.

The main issue with the sensors, is that when something drops out of the range of the sensors, it will just switch to the "next thing". So, its possible for it to pick up a concrete block parking stops when you first start pulling into a space, but then stop reporting on it, and jump to the "next thing" behind you without you noticing that its no longer the parking block.

the good news is, for most parking blocks the model 3P is juuust high enough to clear the average one, but I would still recommend caution if one is relying on the sensors to park... unless you are backing into something with a wall, or a pole or something that wont drop below the sensor range.
 
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The main issue with the sensors, is that when something drops out of the range of the sensors, it will just switch to the "next thing". So, its possible for it to pick up a concrete block parking stops when you first start pulling into a space, but then stop reporting on it, and jump to the "next thing" behind you without you noticing that its no longer the parking block.
I really wish Tesla would put that in bold type in the manual.

When I was showing my wife how to work all the features of the car, this almost bit me, as she didn't catch that this very thing was happening as she was parking the car. She didn't quite understand why I was yelling "stop, stop, STOP!" "But honey, it says that there's still 18 inches!" she said, as the parking block nearly contacted the front spoiler lower lip. At least it was a dramatic enough moment that this part of the day's lesson stuck. She's been very careful about this since then.

I'm sure there have been more than a few Tesla owners surprised by front lip contact when the sensors showed there was still plenty of room.
 
I'm sure the manual states we shouldn't rely on sensors. When something suddenly disappears, why would the car care? Maybe it was an object that indeed was removed, or a person that moved... You know, if you're seeing the distance shorten and all of a sudden it goes back up again while you're still moving in the same direction, that's a clear sign that you've passed an obstacle that sensors don't see anymore
Object angles can be dangerous too... The car might think you'll clear it yet there's a small piece that sticks out that sensors cannot pick up. Know your surroundimgs first and use the camera. After that, if it's clear flat surfaces, maybe rely on sensor reported distance...
 
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