Photo: Tesla
Tesla admits there is something wrong with Autopilot cameras in some Model S, X, and 3 vehicles made in the U.S. While the electric car manufacturer has not announced a recall yet, it has authorized service employees to replace the faulty cameras for eligible Tesla owners on a goodwill basis.
From time to time, car manufacturers have to admit some of their cars are not functioning properly. Whether it’s a design problem or a faulty part from a supplier, the problem must be fixed to keep customers happy. The more people are affected by the problem, the greater the chances are the problem will be fixed by the manufacturer. Sometimes a recall is issued, and that means all the affected cars have to go back to a service facility to get the problem fixed.
Of course, some recalls are costlier than others, and some manufacturers are more prone to have huge batches of cars affected, due to the ever-increasing car parts integration and standardization. For instance, the biggest and most expensive recalls in history were accounted by Toyota (unintended acceleration problem) and Volkswagen (Dieselgate anyone?).
Tesla, although a young carmaker by industry standards, is not safe from recalls, and has issued already several such actions. Among them, one for replacing faulty airbags and another for suspension issues that could lead to stability problems and ultimately to accidents.
A recently discovered problem revealed in internal Tesla communications is with Autopilot repeater cameras in some Model S, X, and 3 vehicles produced in the U.S. The modules have faulty printed circuit boards (PCB) that could lead the cameras to lose “electrical continuity and fail well before those cameras could be reasonably expected to need an upgrade” or replacement.
Repeater cameras are positioned below and slightly in front of the side-view mirrors in the front fenders of some Tesla vehicles. They enable features like Autopilot, Navigate on Autopilot, and Smart Summon, as well as blind-spot monitoring functionality. When they are not working, drivers typically see a black box or choppy video feed on their Tesla's main display, and they may get alerts that their Autopilot function is limited.
According to CNBC, owners of affected vehicles could be eligible to receive a “goodwill” repair. This means the repairs are done on Tesla’s money, even for vehicles that are not covered by warranty anymore. But to benefit, they must complain about having to pay for the replacement in the first place. Tesla is not expected to issue a recall on this account.
Of course, some recalls are costlier than others, and some manufacturers are more prone to have huge batches of cars affected, due to the ever-increasing car parts integration and standardization. For instance, the biggest and most expensive recalls in history were accounted by Toyota (unintended acceleration problem) and Volkswagen (Dieselgate anyone?).
Tesla, although a young carmaker by industry standards, is not safe from recalls, and has issued already several such actions. Among them, one for replacing faulty airbags and another for suspension issues that could lead to stability problems and ultimately to accidents.
A recently discovered problem revealed in internal Tesla communications is with Autopilot repeater cameras in some Model S, X, and 3 vehicles produced in the U.S. The modules have faulty printed circuit boards (PCB) that could lead the cameras to lose “electrical continuity and fail well before those cameras could be reasonably expected to need an upgrade” or replacement.
Repeater cameras are positioned below and slightly in front of the side-view mirrors in the front fenders of some Tesla vehicles. They enable features like Autopilot, Navigate on Autopilot, and Smart Summon, as well as blind-spot monitoring functionality. When they are not working, drivers typically see a black box or choppy video feed on their Tesla's main display, and they may get alerts that their Autopilot function is limited.
According to CNBC, owners of affected vehicles could be eligible to receive a “goodwill” repair. This means the repairs are done on Tesla’s money, even for vehicles that are not covered by warranty anymore. But to benefit, they must complain about having to pay for the replacement in the first place. Tesla is not expected to issue a recall on this account.
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