Some Tesla Owners Apparently Leave Service Visits Minus One Radar System

Tesla often comes under fire for running its business far differently from other automakers, which can lead to interesting outcomes with vehicle performance. The latest story comes to us from a Tesla forum, where The Drive noticed users claiming that the company was removing the radar systems from their vehicles without asking.

Tesla no longer uses radar to guide its Autopilot and other systems, instead relying on cameras to do the work. Some vehicle owners report that the company added line items to their service invoices for radar disconnection and some claim that the company added the line item back after requesting that it be removed. Many people sign the paperwork without looking, so it's possible the change snuck past a number of owners.

Even if Tesla owners manage to avoid having their radar disconnected, the company is expected to release a software update to render the system inoperable. Some owners state that the company is making the move to preserve battery life, as some believe it can drain a small amount of range if left in place.

We’ve known that Tesla planned to do away with radar in favor of camera-only vision for its adaptive cruise and other features. The company touted its “Tesla Vision” system and promised to move away from radar to cameras a couple of years ago. It was an interesting move at the time and is even more questionable now, seeing as how many other automakers are actually increasing the number of sensors and hardware on their vehicles. 

[Image: Tesla]

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