Rear view mirror - visibility?

[agordon117]

Same with my M3P, but while we can assume it, is this really a prob on the CT? eg different heigh/flat rear, fender flares, etc?

People have posted that it gets dirty quickly.

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[Laird Popkin]

I’ve been driving my model S and X using cameras only for the last few years. Picked up my CT two weeks ago and I’m doing the Dave thing with ease. I’m actually looking for instructions hose to remove the mirror from the cabin as I don’t like the look of it being there.

The cabin camera is handy for when you want to keep an eye on things when not in the car. There are third party camera covers, if you're worried about privacy, you can slide the cover over the camera when you want to make sure it's not on.

 

[SentinelOne]

People have posted that it gets dirty quickly.

well then that will be a challenge and guess it makes sense as my current truck is taller and it's camera gets jacked up too...we just got 6" last night so feel the pain. It'll be a PIA to clean all the time - I'll have to train the wife! . J/K

 

[SlegMD]

Still want a digital rear view mirror. If one gets made, they have a customer.

 

[Bartman]

I guess if it’s wet weather you could just keep the rear cover open for better visibility. Would just be just like most every other truck out there, if you did that.

I remember the first M3s had a horrible, low resolution and fish-eye view rear camera….and thankfully they were able to fix that with software updates.

 

[Woodrick]

It's amazing how many pissy car drivers that this thread is bringing out. This is a truck. This is just part of it being a truck and many pickups have the exact same problem. Tow a trailer and you may realize just how worthless the rearview camera is.

And for all that are complaining about the camera getting dirty, do you have a Cybertruck yet? Or are you just assuming?

I think that most Teslas have had rear cameras and it really isn't that much of an issue. The rearview camera is mostly for backing, not going forward.

 

[agordon117]

This is a truck. This is just part of it being a truck and many pickups have the exact same problem.

Most trucks do not have such a small rear window and high tailgate relative to the rear window. Most trucks also do not lose significant range if the rear view mirror is not obscured either.

The rearview camera is mostly for backing, not going forward.

Is this why people don't understand the desire here? because you don't use your rear view mirror?

Tow a trailer and you may realize just how worthless the rearview camera is.

I'm sorry but "some people tow some of the time" is not reason enough to say that nobody should want this. Also, given that people who are doing any towing that isn't short distances will likely not be able to consider an EV truck at this time, this further reduces the number of people who will ever hook up a trailer.

Yes, people with cybertrucks have reported (and shown) that if the road is mildly damp, the camera gets covered in road spray, and becomes useless.

There are several things tesla could have done here, and did not:

1: Put the rear view display in the rear view mirror itself, like they showed in 2019
2: Put a sprayer on the rear camera to clean it off when needed

Neither of those things are tall asks, but #2 is much more important. It becomes even less reasonable that they did not do #2 because they DID put a sprayer on the front camera, which literally nobody cares about outside of the ~.5% of people who will ever take this off roading.


It's fine if you don't think this is a problem for YOU. But you don't get to tell other people what they should want.

 

[Wildfortune]

I typical use my standard side mirrors on my F-150 for backing up and use the rear view and camera for pedestrian detection. It keeps me in practice. However, having truck or tow mirrors would be a big improvement, especially for towing. I'm hoping the CT side mirrors are decent enough. Oh, there was a YouTuber who lost his display leaving him only with mirrors. I like belts and suspenders and will keep my mirrors on my CT.

 

[Woodrick]

Most trucks do not have such a small rear window and high tailgate relative to the rear window.

Sure, trucks don't have small windows.

There are even extension mirrors.

 

[Woodrick]

Yes, people with cybertrucks have reported (and shown) that if the road is mildly damp, the camera gets covered in road spray, and becomes useless.

So you don't know. Then maybe wait to complain.

There are several things tesla could have done here, and did not:

1: Put the rear view display in the rear view mirror itself, like they showed in 2019
2: Put a sprayer on the rear camera to clean it off when needed

Neither of those things are tall asks, but #2 is much more important. It becomes even less reasonable that they did not do #2 because they DID put a sprayer on the front camera, which literally nobody cares about outside of the ~.5% of people who will ever take this off roading.

1) They have the option for you to put it on the display.
2) You seem to forget who Tesla wants to drive the vehicle. IT's not you, it's Tesla. And Tesla has looked at this issue with much more focus than any other manufacturer. Tesla believe that what they have done will be capable of driving by itself.

It's fine if you don't think this is a problem for YOU. But you don't get to tell other people what they should want.

It's something that I know that I will have to used to again. But it is something that I've to do in numerous situations in the past.

It's just not as big of a deal as you make it. ​

If it is, then the Cybertruck probably isn't the vehicle for you. It seems as if you are stuck in the mud and unable to change as hundreds of thousands do.

 

[agordon117]

So you don't know. Then maybe wait to complain.

This is another completely invalid argument that needs to stop coming up. "Oh, it was other people that experienced this? Not you? Then you can't talk about it yet because until it happens to you in your truck, it's not a real experience"

2) You seem to forget who Tesla wants to drive the vehicle. IT's not you, it's Tesla. And Tesla has looked at this issue with much more focus than any other manufacturer. Tesla believe that what they have done will be capable of driving by itself.

I don't forget this at all. I bring it up a lot around here. It's very silly that they do this. They don't care that it's such a jarring transition from driving any other vehicle on this earth vs one of theirs, because they assume you aren't driving. Which, if you think about it, is pretty insane. Putting aside the fact that FSD is really not there yet (I use it in my model Y), they also have talked about how much it will cost when it DOES actually work for real unattended driving. It's going to cost about $40,000 when it's "done". Who is going to pay that? Certainly not a large percentage of their drivers. Even the subscription model, if you extrapolate, is going to be $800-$1000/month. Nobody is going to pay that. But they design the cars assuming not just that FSD works perfectly, but that there would be 100% take rate on it. Quite a ridiculous place to come from when designing a vehicle.

 

[Dmayo305]

Still want a digital rear view mirror. If one gets made, they have a customer.

When I finally get my CT I'm going to sniff around to see if the camera can be patched in somehow. I would practice on my wife's X, but she would lose her shit if I broke it. My old S is FSD hardware 3, so not sure if the camera works the same way.

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I understand your point, but, "all drivers should be capable of driving safely with no rear view mirror" and "some drivers will have an obstructed rear view some of the time"... does not excuse the fact that this should have existed.

If there was ever a chance of tesla fixing some of these shortcomings, it's not going to happen if half of us go around saying why things aren't an issue, when they are. This isn't directed at you in particular, Celiboy. Just something I've been thinking about since this happens pretty widely anywhere the truck is talked about. If we all would say, "you know what, yeah, this should have been different. I'll be okay without this feature, but it really would have been nice if they would have done this." Well, then tesla would probably pay attention. Instead, half of us say something is a shortcoming, and the other half argue that it's not (rather than saying oh it just doesn't bother me). Tesla will see that and think that they don't really have an issue.

I suspect that early on in testing Tesla realized that the rearview camera was getting dirty pretty easily and started working on a solution. But it isn't just about a washing camera: you have to get the washer fluid to the camera and right now that camera is sitting in the tailgate. Getting a washer tube out to the tailgate and with pressure probably means increasing the capability of the washer pump not to mention routing the washer line the entire length of the truck. A better solution would be a pump and washer fluid reservoir located in the back of the truck somewhere, but that is a lot of work. An alternative would be to install another rearview camera closer to the front of the truck - for example above the bed facing backward. In fact that is where I thought the rearview camera would be, and that the tailgate camera would be dedicated to trailering. I was mistaken, at least for the time being.

 

[Woodrick]

This is another completely invalid argument that needs to stop coming up. "Oh, it was other people that experienced this? Not you? Then you can't talk about it yet because until it happens to you in your truck, it's not a real experience"

I get it, you are here just to whine about it.
I can absolutely guarantee you that Tesla isn't going to change it.
It's an inconvenience to you, while it is readily understood by most truck drivers.

If you use a pickup as a pickup, then it's going to be common that you put something in the bed that blocks the rearview mirror view.

It is what it is.

 

[Celiboy]

Most trucks do not have such a small rear window and high tailgate relative to the rear window. Most trucks also do not lose significant range if the rear view mirror is not obscured either.



Is this why people don't understand the desire here? because you don't use your rear view mirror?




I'm sorry but "some people tow some of the time" is not reason enough to say that nobody should want this. Also, given that people who are doing any towing that isn't short distances will likely not be able to consider an EV truck at this time, this further reduces the number of people who will ever hook up a trailer.

Yes, people with cybertrucks have reported (and shown) that if the road is mildly damp, the camera gets covered in road spray, and becomes useless.

There are several things tesla could have done here, and did not:

1: Put the rear view display in the rear view mirror itself, like they showed in 2019
2: Put a sprayer on the rear camera to clean it off when needed

Neither of those things are tall asks, but #2 is much more important. It becomes even less reasonable that they did not do #2 because they DID put a sprayer on the front camera, which literally nobody cares about outside of the ~.5% of people who will ever take this off roading.


It's fine if you don't think this is a problem for YOU. But you don't get to tell other people what they should want.

So you believe that the front camera that’s 18” off the ground will somehow get less road dirt and grime than the rear camera 4’ off the ground unless someone is off-roading? You must live in the absolute cleanest, bug free city on earth.

Also, you started this post off with what Tesla SHOULD have done according to you then finished with telling others not to tell other people what they should want. Didn’t follow your own advice huh.

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