Tesla's Auto Wiper Update: A Response to Persistent Owner Feedback

February 20, 2024

By Kevin Armstrong

New Update for Auto Wipers

Not a Tesla App

Tesla has revolutionized the automotive industry; for all its accolades, the company has fallen short on the automatic wiper system. Even the most hardcore Tesla fan can only cringe as the wiper blade squeals across a dry windshield or squint as the wipers can’t keep up with the rain, sleet, or snow. However, it appears the company is set to roll out a critical update targeting the performance of its auto wipers.

Tesla's unique approach to automating wiper function is at the heart of the issue. Unlike traditional vehicles with rain sensors, Tesla's system leverages the vehicle's cameras and a computer vision neural network. This technology adjusts the wiper speed based on the detected precipitation intensity. However, the reality for many users has been a system that is either overly sensitive, activating in clear conditions, or under-responsive during actual rainfall or snowfall.

Anticipated Updates and Improvements

Countless grievances with video caught the attention of a Tesla engineer. Yun-Ta Tsai, a Senior AI Engineer at Tesla, responded on X: “The new improvement should go out soon.” How remains a mystery as the vehicles do not have rain sensors, and the cameras cannot get a clear view of the entire windshield.

The new improvement should go out soon.
— Yun-Ta Tsai (@YunTaTsai1) February 19, 2024

This is not Tesla's first attempt to address the auto wipers' performance issues. In June 2023, Tesla announced a pivotal upgrade to its auto wiper system, Autowiper v4, signaling a leap forward from its 'Deep Rain' initiative. This new development, underscored by Elon Musk's assurance that "wipers will be super good," marked a shift towards a more sophisticated and responsive system. The technology would leverage a surround video technique, integrating data from all onboard cameras. But it appears the update did little to wipe away the complaints.

Reputation at Risk

Tesla's journey with the auto wiper system highlights the broader challenges and responsibilities of pioneering new technologies in the automotive sector. As the company pushes the boundaries of what's possible, particularly with its ambitious Full Self-Driving capabilities, addressing seemingly minor features like auto wipers is crucial. These features directly impact user experience and confidence in the brand's technological prowess.

Tesla's refinement of the auto wiper system (again) demonstrates the company’s responsiveness to customer feedback but also its dedication to improving vehicle safety and convenience under varying weather conditions. The outcome of these updates could serve as a benchmark for integrating AI and camera-based systems in automotive applications, potentially influencing future developments across the industry.

Tesla Posts Job Listing for TeleOp Engineer for Robotaxi & Optimus

November 26, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

Tesla has listed an interesting new job position at its Engineering Headquarters in Palo Alto, California. This position is for a C++ Software Engineer, working on Teleoperation. What exactly is being Teleoperated? Why Optimus (listed as Tesla Bot), and Robotaxi/Cybercab of course.

The job listing was just posted on November 24th, 2024 and is the first of a pair of jobs related to the deployment of both Robotaxi and Optimus.

C++ Software Engineer, Teleoperation, Tesla Bot & Robotaxi

This position will involve building an application in Unreal Engine to allow remote operators to interface with both vehicles in the Robotaxi fleet and Optimus humanoid robots. Part of the job will include backend architectural and frontend UX decisions, focusing on usability, security, reliability, and high performance.

Tesla is looking for someone with practical experience in Unreal, C++, and Python, as well as experience working on both Linux and Windows in networking, filesystems, and storage. If this job sounds like a fit for you, you can take a look at the position here.

Backend Software Engineer, Tesla Bot & Robotaxi

The second position related to Robotaxi and Optimus is for a Backend Software Engineer. This person will likely work alongside the other position, designing and implementing the components required for autonomy features and processes. In addition, they will build automated tests, monitoring, and metric systems to ensure seamless operation.

For this position, Tesla is looking for someone with experience in C++, Go, and Python, as well as Linux and virtualization tools like Kubernetes, Terraform, Ansible, or Puppet. Oh, and a dash of skill in databases such as PostgreSQL, DynamoDB, ElasticSearch, or Redis. If that’s your plate, here’s the link.

It’s interesting to see Tesla begin recruiting for these positions - in fact, Tesla is recruiting 35 new positions just for Optimus under Engineering or Manufacturing Engineer titles, which means a heavy emphasis on building out new teams to solve new problems.

Tesla and Rivian Settle 4-Year-Long Lawsuit Out of Court

November 26, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

Tesla and Rivian have been in court since 2020. Tesla alleged that ex-employees stole and transferred trade secrets. Tesla also alleged that Rivian was encouraging Tesla employees to depart and bring said trade secrets with them on their way to Rivian.

Tesla is now seeking to have the suit dismissed on December 24th of this year, assuming the settlement terms are reached.

Initial Lawsuit

The initial lawsuit in 2020 involved several employees, including a Health and Safety Manager, a Charging Network Manager, and two Human Resources Recruiters, who all departed Tesla to move to Rivian. Tesla alleged that these employees took trade secrets, confidential materials, and proprietary information when they joined Rivian.

The next year, Tesla added to the suit, alleging that Rivian stole technology related to Tesla’s next-gen batteries. That would’ve been the 4680-cells back then - now the updated Cybercell which is shipping in the Cybertruck.

Out-of-Court Settlement

On November 25th, Tesla informed the California state court that it would be settling the matter with Rivian out of court. This means that Tesla and Rivian have come to an agreement outside of the court case, and Tesla will be dropping its lawsuit. This is good for both companies—extended legal battles are extremely expensive, especially with highly paid, specialized lawyers on both sides of the battle arguing it out for nearly four years.

It's good to see that both companies are moving forward. Rivian stock saw a positive bump in yesterday’s trading from this news—approximately 13%. We’re looking forward to seeing what both companies do in the future. It’d be best to see both as allies in electrifying the planet and supporting adventuring rather than at each other’s throats in court.