Tesla Issues Physical Recall After Identifying a Forward-Facing Camera Issue

July 25, 2023

By Kevin Armstrong

Tesla is recalling some vehicles due to the misalignment of the front-facing cameras

We all know how Elon Musk feels about the term "recall," so it's worth noticing when the company issues one. Tesla has issued a voluntary recall affecting select 2023 Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles. This action is due to potential issues related to the pitch angle of the forward-facing cameras, a key aspect of Tesla's safety features.

Voluntary Recall

The recall, though not impacting all models, applies to a specific set of vehicles determined through manufacturing records and onboard camera pitch angle data. Tesla has provided owners with the ability to verify their vehicles' status via the Tesla VIN Recall Search or the NHTSA VIN Recall Search tools.

The root of the issue is a possible misalignment of the forward-facing cameras. This misalignment could lead to the deactivation of certain active safety features - Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, and Lane Keeping Assist - without notifying the driver. While this might theoretically increase collision risk, it's important to clarify that there have been no known incidents related to this issue.

Tesla has quickly made necessary changes to its production process upon identifying the potential defect. A crucial adjustment has been narrowing the specification for the pitch angle of the front-facing cameras, thereby minimizing the chance of similar issues arising in future models.

Tesla's Solution: Efficient and Cost-free

Tesla's approach to rectifying the problem is prompt and efficient. Tesla Service will inspect the pitch angle of the forward-facing cameras on the affected vehicles. If necessary, the angle will be adjusted to its correct specification, ensuring the optimal functioning of the safety features. This inspection and adjustment, if required, will be performed free of charge to Tesla owners and will take approximately 20 minutes.

Owners are urged to schedule a service appointment through the Tesla app. By navigating to 'Service', then 'Request Service', and selecting 'Other' followed by 'Something Else', they can specify 'Open Recall Repair — Forward Facing Camera Pitch Angle’ in the 'Describe Concern' field.

Although recalls are not the news any vehicle owner wants to hear, they are a part of maintaining the high standard of safety and performance that Tesla strives for. The company's quick action in identifying and addressing this issue reinforces Tesla's dedication to its customers. This recall serves as a testament to the proactive steps Tesla takes in the interest of its customers, providing them with a secure and superior driving experience.

Tesla Increases Price of Model S; Starts Offering Free Lifetime Supercharging

December 14, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

For the first time in quite a while, Tesla has increased the price of one of its vehicle offerings. The Model S Long Range and the Model S Plaid have both received a hefty price increase. However, not all is bad - as Tesla also added a new benefit for buyers.

Price Increase

The price increase for the Model S is $5,000 - currently only in the United States. This price increase will likely impact other markets, including Canada, in the coming days.

The Model S Long Range now starts at $79,990, while the Model S Plaid now starts at $94,990. The Model S and Model X now have the same starting price. Interestingly, that’s also the same pricing point for the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast Trimotor non-Foundation Series.

The vehicle configuration does not appear to have changed, so the new pricing is simply an increase rather than the addition or removal of features. Tesla previously cut the price of the Model S and Model X by 15% in 2023, so this could simply be an adjustment to ensure that the vehicle pricing stays in line with inflation and other factors.

Free Lifetime Supercharging

For those on the fence about ordering a Model S, Tesla has brought back Free Lifetime Supercharging when you order a new Model S on or after December 13, 2024. As always, Free Lifetime Supercharging is restricted to the buyer’s Tesla account and to that specific vehicle. It cannot be transferred to another vehicle or another owner after ownership transfer. It’s worth noting, that it also doesn’t exclude the owner from receiving Supercharger idle fees or congestion fees. There is currently no end date for this promotion.

There are currently no changes to the Model X, neither a price increase nor the addition of Lifetime Superchargering. However, when Tesla makes changes to one of their premium vehicles, it usually affects the other one as well. So be on the lookout for potential changes to the Model X offering in the coming days.

We’ve seen Tesla value Lifetime Supercharging at $5,000, so this falls in line with the price increase we’re seeing. It’s possible that Tesla will begin to bring back Lifetime Supercharging as a perk for buying into their more premium Model S and Model X cars, or this could be another temporary promotion to get buyers who are on the fence to go ahead and make their purchase while this promotion lasts.

Tesla’s Optimus Robot Learns to Walk Without Vision [VIDEO]

December 13, 2024

By Karan Singh

Optimus Falls - but catches itself!

Not a Tesla App

Tesla recently showed off a demo of Optimus, its humanoid robot, walking around in moderately challenging terrain—not on a flat surface but on dirt and slopes. These things can be difficult for a humanoid robot, especially during the training cycle.

Daily walks help clear your mind pic.twitter.com/dUsW58trS6
— Tesla Optimus (@Tesla_Optimus) December 9, 2024

A Look Behind the Curtain

Most interestingly, Milan Kovac, VP of Engineering for Optimus, clarified what it takes to get Optimus to this stage. Let’s break down what he said.

Optimus is Blind

Optimus is getting seriously good at walking now - it can keep its balance over uneven ground - even while walking blind. Tesla is currently using just the sensors, all powered by a neural net running on the embedded computer.

Essentially, Tesla is building Optimus from the ground up, relying on as much additional data as possible while it trains vision. This is similar to how they train FSD on vehicles, using LiDAR rigs to validate the vision system’s accuracy. While Optimus doesn’t have LiDAR, it relies on all those other sensors on board, many of which will likely become simplified as vision takes over as the primary sensor.

Today, Optimus is walking blind, but it’s able to react almost instantly to changes in the terrain underneath it, even if it falls or slips.

What’s Next?

Next up, Tesla AI will be adding vision to Optimus - helping complete the neural net. Remember, Optimus runs on the same overall AI stack as FSD - in fact, Optimus uses an FSD computer and an offshoot of the FSD stack for vision-based tasks.

Milan mentions they’re planning on adding vision to help the robot plan ahead and improve its walking gait. While the zombie shuffle is iconic and a little bit amusing, getting humanoid robots to walk like humans is actually difficult.

There’s plenty more, too - including better responsiveness to velocity and direction commands and learning to fall and stand back up. Falling while protecting yourself to minimize damage is something natural to humans - but not exactly natural to something like a robot. Training it to do so is essential in keeping the robot, the environment around it, and the people it is interacting with safe.

We’re excited to see what’s coming with Optimus next because it is already getting started in some fashion in Tesla’s factories.