Photo: @WholeMarsBlog via Twitter | Edited
Tesla announced removing ultrasonic sensors from its vehicles in October last year, promising that Tesla Vision would offer the same functionality. Nevertheless, despite some tentative moves, newer Teslas still come without the ability to estimate distances. The recent approval for the HW4 sensor suite for the Model S and Model X shows that the ultrasonic sensors might be lost for good.
Maneuvering in tight parking spaces is not for everyone, and that’s why the automotive industry has developed ultrasonic sensors. They can detect when the car approaches an obstacle that might be hidden from view and issue a warning. The more advanced systems can even estimate the distance to nearby objects, effectively mapping the car’s surroundings.
The coin-sized sensors in the front and rear spoilers can save the day or at least prevent a fender bender, especially when dealing with smaller objects that might lie low in the parking lots. Ultrasonic sensors are fairly inexpensive, and the science behind them is also simple, which makes them almost ubiquitous. Even the cheaper car models are now fitted with them, or at least you can order them as an extra when building your configuration.
That’s why Tesla surprised everyone when they announced giving up on ultrasonic sensors last October. An expensive vehicle sold in the luxury segment without ultrasonic sensors? Sure, why not. Just don’t expect Autopark, Park Assist, Summon, and Smart Summon to function anymore. Tesla promised that the lost functions would be restored later when the transition to Tesla Vision is complete.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because the ultrasonic sensors weren’t the first components sacrificed on the road to Tesla Vision. Tesla also cut the radar sensors two years ago, which, at the time, crippled safety assist systems like Autosteer, Smart Summon, and Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance. They were later gradually reinstated, and nobody complains about the missing radar today. Nevertheless, it appears that Tesla is still considering bringing it back into the cars.
That’s why people eagerly wait for Tesla to change its mind about ultrasonic sensors. You might not be aware, but the missing sensors are causing the most complaints to NHTSA, next to phantom braking only. People want them back so badly that they hoped the Hardware 4 sensor suite would come with them, just like the rumored radar return. That’s because, four months after Tesla said Tesla Vision would replace them, owners still don’t have a clue about obstacles in front and behind their cars.
Unfortunately, Hardware 4 is almost certain to roll out without the distance sensors. European Authorities certified the new hardware and the Tesla Model S and Model X, and the first refreshed vehicles we’ve seen don’t feature ultrasonic sensors. Considering that these cars are only produced in Fremont, we’re almost sure what we’ve seen is what we’ll get, and we’ve seen no ultrasonic sensors.
You might be wondering why this is such a big issue, especially as Tesla offers a rear-view camera stream on the center display to help with parking. Well, imagine you buy a Tesla now, and you might consider adding the Enhanced Autopilot or even the FSD capability to your configuration. The first would cost you $6,000, and three of the five advertised features don’t even work.
The coin-sized sensors in the front and rear spoilers can save the day or at least prevent a fender bender, especially when dealing with smaller objects that might lie low in the parking lots. Ultrasonic sensors are fairly inexpensive, and the science behind them is also simple, which makes them almost ubiquitous. Even the cheaper car models are now fitted with them, or at least you can order them as an extra when building your configuration.
That’s why Tesla surprised everyone when they announced giving up on ultrasonic sensors last October. An expensive vehicle sold in the luxury segment without ultrasonic sensors? Sure, why not. Just don’t expect Autopark, Park Assist, Summon, and Smart Summon to function anymore. Tesla promised that the lost functions would be restored later when the transition to Tesla Vision is complete.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because the ultrasonic sensors weren’t the first components sacrificed on the road to Tesla Vision. Tesla also cut the radar sensors two years ago, which, at the time, crippled safety assist systems like Autosteer, Smart Summon, and Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance. They were later gradually reinstated, and nobody complains about the missing radar today. Nevertheless, it appears that Tesla is still considering bringing it back into the cars.
That’s why people eagerly wait for Tesla to change its mind about ultrasonic sensors. You might not be aware, but the missing sensors are causing the most complaints to NHTSA, next to phantom braking only. People want them back so badly that they hoped the Hardware 4 sensor suite would come with them, just like the rumored radar return. That’s because, four months after Tesla said Tesla Vision would replace them, owners still don’t have a clue about obstacles in front and behind their cars.
Unfortunately, Hardware 4 is almost certain to roll out without the distance sensors. European Authorities certified the new hardware and the Tesla Model S and Model X, and the first refreshed vehicles we’ve seen don’t feature ultrasonic sensors. Considering that these cars are only produced in Fremont, we’re almost sure what we’ve seen is what we’ll get, and we’ve seen no ultrasonic sensors.
You might be wondering why this is such a big issue, especially as Tesla offers a rear-view camera stream on the center display to help with parking. Well, imagine you buy a Tesla now, and you might consider adding the Enhanced Autopilot or even the FSD capability to your configuration. The first would cost you $6,000, and three of the five advertised features don’t even work.
Imagine you buy a new Tesla, spend $6,000 on Enhanced Autopilot, and then 3 out of 5 advertised features don't even work because there are no ultrasonic sensors. What's going on @elonmusk? pic.twitter.com/iqSPq9fYys
— Dirty Tesla (@DirtyTesLa) February 9, 2023
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