Do you plan to remove your side mirrors?

[TickTock]

I love the video feed rear view - much more visibility. The only time I use my mirrors on my model3 is when I am backing out of my garage and I need to make sure the mirrors don't hit the side of the garage door (it's tight since I share the space with another car). If I didn't have mirrors I wouldn't miss them at all.

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[agordon117]

We got 4 feet of snow at my house over the last week. The rearview camera on both of my vehicles has been completely useless, covered in snow/slush/salt. Backing out of my driveway, I normally look fully at the camera. This last week the camera image was 98% obscured and completely unhelpful, so I relied entirely on my rear view mirror.

Unless they come up with a way to self-clean the rearview camera, the rearview mirror is absolutely essential in snowy areas. It's actually going to be a pain to need to open the tonneau to back out of spots and then close it after, but will be required in winter.

yeah, the best thing they could have done is the combo mirror/lcd screen like many other vehicles have (land rover defender is one good example). But even better is a rear camera washer, because seeing out the rear window provides you almost no information. It's extremely narrow.

 

[Crissa]

We got 4 feet of snow at my house over the last week. The rearview camera on both of my vehicles has been completely useless, covered in snow/slush/salt. Backing out of my driveway, I normally look fully at the camera. This last week the camera image was 98% obscured and completely unhelpful, so I relied entirely on my rear view mirror.

Unless they come up with a way to self-clean the rearview camera, the rearview mirror is absolutely essential in snowy areas. It's actually going to be a pain to need to open the tonneau to back out of spots and then close it after, but will be required in winter.

You're allowed to clear it. Just like you should clear your windows and side mirrors.

-Crissa

 

[MyKidCouldDrawThat]

Not having that safety net will force us to relearn how to be aware of our surroundings quicker. Bye-Bye training wheels.

Exactly. Blind spots or not, I still look around in addition to using mirrors. Which I will continue to do after looking at cams without mirrors.

 

[agordon117]

You're allowed to clear it. Just like you should clear your windows and side mirrors.

-Crissa

That's only helpful for the first 350 feet of driving, until the tires kick stuff up from the road.

 

[Gigahorse]

If it results in a significant range boost (2%+) I think I would definitely pull them, the side view cameras so far seem to be doing a really good job of giving visibility. Will take some mental remapping but think it is the way vehicles will end up.

 

[Cybertruck2024]

You're allowed to clear it. Just like you should clear your windows and side mirrors.

-Crissa

Impossible to go out and clean the camera every 5 feet. If people think charging stops are bad...

In these condition, my back camera is fully obscured within seconds of driving on both my M3P and Lightning. It's just a reality with the weather. Only way to change that is self cleaning camera.

 

[agordon117]

Impossible to go out and clean the camera every 5 feet. If people think charging stops are bad...

In these condition, my back camera is fully obscured within seconds of driving on both my M3P and Lightning. It's just a reality with the weather. Only way to change that is self cleaning camera.

I had similar problems with my recessed headlights on my jeep. Had to get heated headlights to not have them totally covered in snow every 1/4 mile in moderate snow. But jeep people say the same thing, just stop and clear it. Not a valid answer. The rearview is no different.

 

[Cybertruck2024]

I had similar problems with my recessed headlights on my jeep. Had to get heated headlights to not have them totally covered in snow every 1/4 mile in moderate snow. But jeep people say the same thing, just stop and clear it. Not a valid answer. The rearview is no different.

I live in the snowiest city in America, so my experience is something maybe 2% of U.S. drivers have any familiarity with. It's understandable for someone not living here to not really get it. Until you go to bed with a clear driveway and then wake up the next day with 5 feet of snow (on Christmas Eve!), you're not in this exclusive Miserable-Snow-Club. With that said, I'd pay a decent amount of money for an aftermarket self cleaning rear camera.

 

[agordon117]

I live in the snowiest city in America, so my experience is something maybe 2% of U.S. drivers have any familiarity with. It's understandable for someone not living here to not really get it. Until you go to bed with a clear driveway and then wake up the next day with 5 feet of snow (on Christmas Eve!), you're not in this exclusive Miserable-Snow-Club. With that said, I'd pay a decent amount of money for an aftermarket self cleaning rear camera.

Careful, when you say stuff like that, people will say that your problems are unique and don't need to be solved as a result. I get a much more normal amount of snowfall, and I definitely share your concerns.

I agree. I'd have spent extra on factory options for rear camera washer, and rear view mirror with LCD in it. Since no such option was available, will be looking for aftermarket options.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I am on the fence but will probably not remove the mirrors, for a few reasons:

1) Tesla hasn’t provided a plug for the holes.
2) the rear view camer, when obscured, produces a worthless image so we need a viable backup.
3) the positioning of side camera views is not acceptable to me.
4) there is no side view camera monitor solution.
5) there is integrated side and rear view monitor solution (such as an integrated rear view digital mirror).

 

[MarkM913]

AZ law is vague:

"Title 28: Chapter 2: Article 16 Equipment

28-956. Mirrors
A motor vehicle that is constructed or loaded in a manner that obstructs the driver's view to the rear of the vehicle from the driver's position shall be equipped with two mirrors located in a manner to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least two hundred feet to the rear of the vehicle."

With the cameras and the screen, the rear view is technically not obstructed for 200 ft.

I think these laws are extremely outdated!

 

[Celiboy]

Personally I’ll keep the mirrors on. I’ll be towing a boat occasionally and I’d like to have more of an outward side view rather than an against the side of the truck view. I also like that they adjust downward while backing up. Along with the backup camera, they help in centering into parking spaces.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I live in the snowiest city in America, so my experience is something maybe 2% of U.S. drivers have any familiarity with. It's understandable for someone not living here to not really get it. Until you go to bed with a clear driveway and then wake up the next day with 5 feet of snow (on Christmas Eve!), you're not in this exclusive Miserable-Snow-Club. With that said, I'd pay a decent amount of money for an aftermarket self cleaning rear camera.

Me too!

 

[Tinker71]

We got 4 feet of snow at my house over the last week. The rearview camera on both of my vehicles has been completely useless, covered in snow/slush/salt. Backing out of my driveway, I normally look fully at the camera. This last week the camera image was 98% obscured and completely unhelpful, so I relied entirely on my rear view mirror.

Unless they come up with a way to self-clean the rearview camera, the rearview mirror is absolutely essential in snowy areas. It's actually going to be a pain to need to open the tonneau to back out of spots and then close it after, but will be required in winter.

You will just need to get in the habit of clearing the rear camera. It would be way easier than removing the snow from the tonneau and opening it.

I find even if it is dirty it still works well enough.

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