If your Tesla is not recognizing objects correctly, if it appears to be performing abnormally, or if you're receiving errors related to your cameras or Autopilot, you may want to calibrate your vehicle's cameras.
The process may take a while to complete, but it's quick and easy to begin.
The cabin camera does not directly impact Autopilot’s performance while engaged. Instead, it’s solely used to help monitor the driver and confirm that they're paying attention while Autopilot is engaged.
Tesla initially equipped its vehicles with ultrasonic sensors, but the Austin-based automotive company is transitioning its vehicles to leverage Tesla Vision exclusively. In 2022 Tesla begin to omit ultrasonic sensors entirely and now uses the vehicle’s cameras exclusively.
How to Calibrate Your Tesla’s Cameras
To calibrate your vehicle's cameras, follow the steps below. Keep in mind that although you can drive your vehicle immediately after performing these steps, some features that depend on the vehicle's cameras will not be available until after calibration is completed.
Go to “Controls” (the car icon)
Tap “Service”
Tap “Camera Calibration”
Once you’ve tapped “Camera Calibration,” a warning message will pop up with the following text:
“Clearing the Autopilot camera calibration will reset the calibrated camera positions and angles stored on the Autopilot computer. This procedure should only be performed if the cameras have been moved due to a windshield or camera replacement. Clearing calibration will result in no Autopilot features until the system recalibrates, which may take up to 100 miles of driving on roads with highly-visible lane lines.”
When you’re ready, tap “Clear Calibration.”
Note: If possible, drive on a long straight road with multiple lanes (like a controlled-access highway) with easily visible lane markings for quicker and more accurate calibration. According to Tesla, “Clear Calibration may not resolve all camera and sensor concerns.”
How Long Does It Take to Calibrate the Cameras?
The blue ring around the Autopilot icon will show you the progress of your camera calibration
Not a Tesla App
First, you will not be able to use Full Self-Driving, Enhanced Autopilot, or Basic Autopilot. These will all be disabled while the cameras are recalibrated.
The steering wheel icon that previously showed whether Autopilot was engaged will now show a blue ring. As the vehicle gathers data and the software adjusts, the ring will adjust to show the calibration progress. Although it may take up to 100 miles of driving to calibrate your cameras, it's usually much quicker. To be safe, you should plan for the calibration process to take 2-3 hours of driving to complete.
Camera Calibration Stuck at 99%
The ring may get to 99% complete and then get 'stuck.' This is normal. Be patient and allow the car to complete the process. It will resolve itself and the vehicle will notify you when calibration is complete.
If after a few drives and more than 100 miles the recalibration is still stuck, contact Tesla to set up a service appointment. They’ll be able to determine whether the issue is software or hardware-related. Tesla may be able to diagnose your vehicle remotely and push an update to help fix any issues.
Why Do Cameras Need to be Calibrated?
The cameras placed strategically around the vehicle need to be aligned perfectly in order to function properly. Each video feed from the cameras is joined together to form a 360-degree view of the vehicle’s environment. If there's a gap between cameras or an extension overlap, it could cause the vehicle to not see certain areas or see "double." It’s like taking multiple pictures with your phone and then stitching them together. It’s how astronomers edit and stitch pictures together from the James Webb Space Telescope.
The calibration process doesn't actually move the cameras, but instead, it crops and adjusts each camera's feed so that the vehicle sees a single unified image. That’s why the slightest millimeter of miscalibration could cause issues.
What Does Recalibrating Tesla’s Cameras Fix?
Recalibrating the cameras in your Tesla may fix a number of things, including phantom braking, inability to properly detect surrounding objects, Autopilot faults, and various error messages.
Tesla states in their Model 3 instruction manual that a few limitations may cause Autopilot’s functionality to be limited. They include:
Poor visibility (due to heavy rain, snow, fog, etc.).
Bright light (due to oncoming headlights, direct sunlight, etc.).
Damage or obstructions caused by mud, ice, snow, etc.
Interference or obstruction by object(s) mounted onto the vehicle (such as a bike rack).
Obstruction caused by applying excessive paint or adhesive products (such as wraps, stickers, rubber coating, etc.) onto the vehicle.
Narrow or winding roads.
A damaged or misaligned body panel.
Use of gray or aftermarket glass.
Interference from other equipment that generates ultrasonic waves.
Extremely hot or cold temperatures.
If you've just received delivery of your Tesla, your vehicle may still be calibrating its cameras. Look for the blue ring around the Autopilot icon to see if your vehicle is still calibrating its cameras.
Hopefully, after recalibrating your cameras, the issues you were experiencing are fixed. Although recalibrating your cameras does not fix all issues, it's usually a good first step to try.
As always, if you continue to experience issues, you should schedule an appointment with Tesla service through the Tesla app.
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Tesla news, upcoming features and software updates.
Tesla has begun installing a new set of anti-theft measures on some Supercharger cables. This is a two-part process, and includes an exterior-wrap called DyeDefender, as well as engravings on the actual copper of the Supercharger cables themselves.
Superchargers, just like other high-speed electric vehicle charging stations, have been consistently subject to both vandalism and theft. While vandalism is something that can be reduced by increasing policing and security in the area, theft is a different beast to tackle.
Thieves are usually after the copper inside the charging cable - which is densely packed and valuable when taken to a scrap yard. So how is Tesla tackling this?
DyeDefender
First up is a field trial of a product called DyeDefender. You can find this product online to secure ICE catalytic convertors, but the overall premise is fairly simple. A pressurized staining dye is housed inside a stainless steel hose, which is laid overtop or around the object you need to protect - in this case, the Supercharger cable.
The stainless steel cable itself is called CatStrap - and is extremely difficult to cut through. If you do manage to cut through, the dye squirts out, coloring you blue quickly. The dye itself is harmless, but helps to identify potential thieves. Tesla’s Head of Charging - Max de Zegher, confirmed that this is only a trial rollout - instead, Tesla is considering another alternative.
Tesla has begun installing new anti-theft measures on some Supercharger cables, consisting of an exterior wrap called DyeDefender and engravings on the copper wiring inside the cables.
Like other high-speed EV charging stations, Superchargers have been frequent targets of vandalism and theft. While vandalism can often be mitigated through increased security, theft presents a bigger challenge. Thieves primarily target the copper inside the charging cables, which is densely packed and valuable as scrap metal.
DyeDefender
To address this, Tesla is trialing DyeDefender, a theft deterrent system commonly used to protect catalytic converters. It consists of a pressurized staining dye housed within a stainless steel hose called CatStrap, which wraps around the Supercharger cable. The CatStrap is highly resistant to cutting, but if breached, it releases a bright blue dye. While harmless, the dye is difficult to remove, making it easier to identify suspects.
In addition to DyeDefender, Tesla is also engraving the actual copper wiring inside the cables, making stolen material harder to sell since scrapyards often reject marked metals.
Engraved Cables
This alternative is more scalable, more cost effective, and doesn’t impact service operations or the customer experience - and its simply engraving the copper inside the cables. Superchargers cables will state “Property of Tesla” on them - engraved right into the cable from the factory in Buffalo, New York.
Engraved -
Not a Tesla App
Recycling companies and scrap yards will see that the cables belong to Tesla - and won’t accept them. Instead, they’ll reach out to Tesla to inform them that they have received stolen goods. While that may not have an impact immediately - as thieves learn that the copper they steal from Superchargers is worthless and could risk them getting in trouble, they’ll be less likely to go ahead and try.
It is definitely interesting to see Tesla try out some rather unique options to keep Supercharger sites safe and functional. Tesla will likely focus the deployment of DyeDefender in areas that experience continual theft - but again, this is only a trial. The impact of cable engraving will likely take some time, but it’ll pay off in the long run.
Until then, make sure to keep reporting any downed Supercharger sites. You can do that in the Tesla App through Location > Charging >Select Site > Report an Issue. If you have any other neat ideas on how Tesla can stop vandalism and theft, let us know in the comments or in the forums!
—
This solution is more scalable, cost-effective, and doesn’t disrupt service operations or the customer experience—it simply involves engraving the copper inside the cables. Supercharger cables will be permanently marked with “Property of Tesla Motors,” engraved directly at the factory in Buffalo, New York.
Recycling companies and scrap yards will immediately recognize that the cables belong to Tesla and refuse to accept them. Instead, they may notify Tesla that they’ve received stolen goods. While this may not have an immediate impact, over time, as thieves realize that stolen Supercharger copper is unsellable and could get them caught, they’ll be less inclined to target them.
It’s interesting to see Tesla experiment with unique ways to protect Supercharger sites. While the company will likely focus on DyeDefender deployments in high-theft areas, this remains a trial phase. The full impact of cable engraving may take time to materialize, but it should prove effective in the long run.
In the meantime, continue reporting any downed Supercharger sites through the Tesla app by navigating to Location > Charging > Select Site > Report an Issue.
If you have any creative ideas on how Tesla can prevent vandalism and theft, share them with us on social media.
Tesla has released software update 2025.2.6, and while minor updates typically focus on bug fixes, this one introduces a major new feature. With this update, Tesla has activated the in-cabin radar, a sensor that has been included in some vehicles for more than three years but remained unused until now.
Why Not Vision?
Unlike vision-based systems, radar can precisely measure object dimensions and even detect movement behind obstacles by bouncing radio waves off surrounding surfaces. This allows for more accurate and reliable measurements of objects that vision may not even be able to see, such as behind the front seats.
What Tesla Announced
Tesla recently highlighted the 4D radar in the new Model Y, explaining how it will improve passenger safety. Tesla executives stated that the radar would be used to properly classify passengers and improve the way airbags deploy.
Tesla went on to say that in a future update, Tesla will use the in-cabin radar to detect any potential passengers left in the vehicles. Since radar can even pick up on heartbeat and breathing patterns, it can provide a much more accurate method of detecting children left in a vehicle. Tesla talked about how the vehicle will send owners a notification via the Tesla app and enable the HVAC system if it detects a passenger in the vehicle. It’ll even call emergency services if needed.
New Feature in Update 2025.2.6
Tesla has officially named this feature in update 2025.2.6, “First-Row Cabin Sensing Update,” which appears to align with the first portion of what Tesla discussed in the new Model Y video.
In the release notes, Tesla describes the update as:
“The first-row cabin sensing system has been updated to use cabin radar, which is now standard in all new 2025 Model Ys. Your Model Y was built pre-equipped with the necessary hardware, allowing Tesla to also bring this technology to your vehicle.”
For now, it appears that Tesla is using the radar to detect and classify passengers in the front seats. This could eventually replace traditional seat sensors, reducing the number of hardware components and lowering production costs.
Tesla plans to expand the feature later this year, bringing rear-seat passenger detection in Q3 2025. While Tesla talked about the feature for the new Model Y, we expect it to be available for all vehicles with the in-cabin radar.
Supported Models
Although Tesla is vague in their release notes, this feature is being added to all Model Ys that include a cabin radar. Tesla started including the cabin radar in 2022, but its availability may vary by region and model. The Model 3 didn’t receive the cabin radar until it was redesigned in 2024, while all Cybertrucks already include it.
The owner’s manual for the redesigned Model S and Model X doesn’t specifically mention the interior radar, although Greentheonly believes the vehicles also include one, so we’ll have to wait to determine whether those vehicles also receive this new feature.
At this time, the feature appears to be only going out to Model Y vehicles, but we expect it to become available on other supported models soon.
We love to see these kinds of updates. Tesla is increasing the safety of existing and new vehicles through a software update while also making them more affordable to own.
_300w.png)
![The Design & Engineering Behind the New Model Y [Video]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/img/containers/article_images/model-y-2025/2025-model-y-speaker.webp/e933556c6b2b4ce77ab652524f3a8ac0/2025-model-y-speaker.jpg)
