Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

notateslaapp.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 177 posts

Re: Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

#61

Post by GeorgeTirebiter »

yareal wrote: post #13

Autowiper sensors are some of the simplest, well understood technology around. You place an infrared led at a low angle to the windshield, you place an ir collector so the light from the LED hits it. (Remember that at shallow angles, light reflects off glass.) When water is on the sensor, the angle of refraction and reflection change, and the ir collector suddenly sees much less light. Two components, plus a microcon…

They are not this simple; if so, an RLS (Rain / Light Sensor) assembly would cost 50 cents. To do a proper job, you need an array of IR emitters, and an array of detectors; and they need to be properly integrated into your windshield glass.

The RLS is usually a part of the rearview mirror supporting structure.

It also has to also work for hail and snow/sleet. Again, it's not as simple as you suggest.

Re: Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

#62

Post by Nition »

klyrs wrote: post #3

There's totally an easy fix. Buy a squirt gun, and shoot your windshield near the camera whenever you need a wipe. Edit: ooh, better yet, make a magnetic hood ornament with a squirt gun and a camera pointing at the lower half of the windshield... add GPT4o and Bob's your uncle!

You could have a graduated dial to control the squirt gun. Off, then intermittent water squirts, then light, and finally heavy. You could put it on a stalk coming off the wheel area and have complete control of the wipers.

With your GPT-4 solution you could even have 'auto'!

Re: Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

#63

Post by ASalazarMX »

yareal wrote: post #15
TaylorAlexander wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re right about Elon but I’ve thought about it and it’s flawed reasoning. Humans don’t do it “with vision” we do it with five senses and the human brain. The computer is severely limited compared to the human brain, so in the context of things like LiDAR, the computer needs all the help it can get. And for rain sensing, the camera doesn’t see the windshield like a person does!

Considerably more than five senses, actually. We rely on a huge variety of inputs beyond the basic ones when we drive.

Vision and hearing are the main senses we use to driving, and touch a distant third. Using taste, smell or proprioception means something is probably wrong with your vehicle.

Re: Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

#64

Post by devwastaken »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #2

> This is a result of Tesla’s strategy to rely upon Tesla Vision to replace all sensors – which they’ve successfully used most recently to replace the ultrasonic parking sensors (USS) on their vehicles. Tesla believes that vision is the solution to achieving all self-driving capabilities, and this includes the elimination of extraneous sensors such as USS and radar. Why are they so hell-bent on using nothing but vide…

There's multiple videos demonstrating Tesla's that self drive themselves into obstacles, including trains, because video cannot properly figure out obstacles.

Re: Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

#65

Post by fbdab103 »

frabjoused wrote: post #47
Stratoscope wrote: post #17

For anyone curious, Technology Connections has a good video on how traditional automobile rain sensors work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLm7Q92xMjQ

Excellent watch, thanks.

I really enjoyed how he was struggling to balance the laser with a lightbulb. That seems like one of the worst household objects available for the task.

Re: Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

#66

Post by ASalazarMX »

binkHN wrote: post #40
hanief wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they falsely believe human only needs one sense to navigate: sight. But we actually use our hearing, smell, and touch too. So, multiple type sensors is actually better than only one.

I imagine smell and touch are less valuable when driving a vehicle.

Touch is probably only needed to feel when you bump into something you didn't see, hopefully at low speed... but taste, yuck!

Re: Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

#67

Post by shiroiushi »

binkHN wrote: post #40
hanief wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they falsely believe human only needs one sense to navigate: sight. But we actually use our hearing, smell, and touch too. So, multiple type sensors is actually better than only one.

I imagine smell and touch are less valuable when driving a vehicle.

Touch is really important: it's how you can tell if your vehicle is sliding. You can feel the various forces of the vehicle's motion through touch.

Re: Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

#68

Post by tedunangst »

dontreact wrote: post #4
pavel_lishin wrote: post #2

> This is a result of Tesla’s strategy to rely upon Tesla Vision to replace all sensors – which they’ve successfully used most recently to replace the ultrasonic parking sensors (USS) on their vehicles. Tesla believes that vision is the solution to achieving all self-driving capabilities, and this includes the elimination of extraneous sensors such as USS and radar. Why are they so hell-bent on using nothing but vide…

Elon’s belief that humans doing it with vision is proof it can be done with video

This is true in a sense, but humans incorporate so much more information. Like if I drive past a sprinkler, I know there will be a short burst of water hitting the window. But this requires a fairly complex assessment of the surrounding environment.

Re: Tesla Auto Wipers: Why They Don't Work and Why There Isn't an Easy Fix

#69

Post by kayodelycaon »

creativeembassy wrote: post #60

This is my #1 complaint with our new Model Y. The "Auto" setting is completely worthless. It almost never turns on when it's raining. When it does turn on, it's either too fast or too slow. It'll turn on randomly when there's no rain. But it's not just the sensor, which would be inconvenient. The lack of control makes it *dangerous*. You have to push the button in _slightly_ on the left stalk, which makes the wipers…

> Tesla vehicles lack a rain sensor.

Here’s how a proper rain sensor works https://youtu.be/TLm7Q92xMjQ?si=Yb-_TBYbPIuPXk_p

Post reply on HN