Tesla software update can help its car cameras see lot better
Backing into a rubbish bin, squashing the neighbour’s cat, destroying a garden gnome – all things that are perfectly possible if the live images from your reversing and side view cameras are a bit grainy.
Tesla clearly knows this too, as it recently released an Over The Air (OTA) update for owners using the previous generation of Hardware 3.0. The software update 2023.32 improves the display quality of the cameras spread across most Teslas.
The update has addressed many things, including improved Autopilot visualizations, while the volume indicator on the instrument cluster has been switched from horizontal to vertical. But the real meat and potatoes are in the improved camera quality.
For starters, parts of the video feed in the reverse camera view are now cropped to minimize distractions. Part of the trunk and bumper has been removed, although we thought drivers would have liked to know where those things are when reversing.
Tesla hasn’t made an official statement about the software update yet, but… No Tesla app says improvements in the way the video is processed have led to improved clarity, especially when used in direct sunlight or dimly lit situations.
It begs the question, “Why hasn’t this been done before?” It’s something some Tesla owners wonder about, but the company is always keen to emphasize its ability to continually update even older technology as advances in software take place.
Can you see more clearly?
As with everything with Tesla, there has been some debate about whether the update made that much of an improvement.
In the image above, internet commentators have been quick to point out that several spotlights have been turned off that might have disrupted the image quality in the earlier shots.
Regardless of the outcome, owners of Teslas with the previous generation HW3 can be happy that the company continues to develop older technology. Especially since the camera hardware in newer cars with HW4 has been completely overhauled.