Tesla introduced on X that it’s engaged on a brand new technique to preserve the cameras clear on the Cybertruck.
Hopefully, it should make its technique to different Tesla autos as a result of it’s a frequent downside with the efficiency of its superior driver help techniques (ADAS).
When driving utilizing Tesla’s Autopilot or Full Self-Driving (Supervised) suite of driver-assist options, you’ll usually get an alert that the system won’t work correctly as a result of “a number of cameras are obstructed” attributable to dust or snow coming off the highway and into the lenses.
For Cybertruck, that’s a fair downside as a result of the rear-view digital camera is the one technique to look behind the automobile when the tonneau cowl is up.
It led to some homeowners complaining that they should keep in mind to scrub the digital camera in the back of the truck virtually each time they use it, particularly within the winter.
Tesla responded to a few of these feedback by way of its ‘Tesla AI’ account on X. One proprietor particularly requested if Tesla is planning an answer for when it achieves “unsupervised self-driving” as a result of it then can’t count on somebody to at all times be capable of clear the cameras and Tesla responded:
On a extra critical observe, a extra complete cleansing answer is being labored on.
Tesla didn’t elaborate on the answer or when it will be out there.
Again in 2019, we reported on Tesla making use of for a patent on expertise “to make use of laser beams to scrub particles off its vehicles routinely.” It mused that it could possibly be used to scrub cameras, however nothing got here out of the patent software.
Tesla says that it plans to realize unsupervised self-driving functionality in California and Texas round Q2 2025, however the newest knowledge makes this sound extraordinarily unlikely, to say the least.
Electrek’s Take
I doubt that it will likely be lasers, although it will be cool, however there’s undoubtedly a necessity for an answer.
In my very own expertise with FSD within the Quebec winter, I get alerts of obstructed cameras actually each different drive.
Tesla has already carried out heaters, which assist some, however apart from the front-facing cameras, which profit from the windshield wipers, there’s a necessity for extra.
What’s fascinating right here is Tesla mainly admits that for unsupervised self-driving, which was a part of the query it answered, it wants so as to add additional {hardware} to make it work.
