The compact Tesla Model 3 and Model Y are no longer equipped with a frontal radar: it has ceased to be installed in electric vehicles manufactured by the company's main plant in the United States. The new version of the autopilot uses only video cameras for navigation. In the near future, mid-size Model S and Model X, as well as cars assembled outside of North America, will lose radar.
Radar sensors are relatively expensive, and data processing from them requires significant computing power. Tesla previously told shareholders that "the Tesla Vision camera-based vision system is ultimately all that is required for fully autonomous driving."
The company warned customers that Tesla Vision vehicles may initially come with limited autopilot features. In particular, the maximum speed will be limited to 120 km / h, and the distance following the vehicle in front will be greater than usual.
Now all new Teslas are equipped by default with a standard set of advanced driver assistance features, dubbed Autopilot. For an additional $10,000, the manufacturer offers a Full Self Driving software package with more features.
Autopilot allows an electric vehicle to drive independently on roads, accelerate and decelerate within a lane. Full Self Driving activates an automatic lane change if necessary, and also includes the Summon function, when the owner can call the car to him using a smartphone (for example, so that she leaves the parking lot for him).
All Teslas with the Autopilot system since 2014 have been equipped with a front-facing radar. He hits 170 meters ahead. This sensor is able to "see" vehicles through heavy rain, fog or dust. The computer processes data from it at a speed of 200 frames per second.
It is curious that after the abandonment of sensors, electric cars did not become cheaper.
Tesla has reduced the cost of autopilot on Model 3 and Model Y
